For Immediate Release:                                      Contact:  Communications Office

March 19, 2014                                                                    (518) 388-3415

                                                                            Find us on Facebook and Twitter.

SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- The New York Lottery announced the finalists for the “New York Sings” statewide singing contest featuring students from local public schools. Union Springs Central School in Union Springs was selected as one of four contest finalists from over 240 submissions statewide. The contest provides schools with an opportunity to win $10,000, $5,000 or $2,500 to benefit their music education programs.

Videos from the top four finalists from over 240 submissions received are on the New York Lottery’s Facebook page for judging by the Lottery’s fanbase. The submissions came from schools all across New York State including 23 schools from the Central New York area.

Voting for the best video runs through March 27, 2014. The prize winners will be selected by the Lottery’s Facebook fans, and the school with the most votes will win the top prize of $10,000 to benefit the school’s music education program. Prizes of $5,000 and $2,500 will also be awarded to the second and third place finishers, respectively. The winners will be announced March 31, 2014.

“On behalf of the New York Lottery, thank you to all of the schools across New York State that entered the New York Sings contest,” said Gardner Gurney, Acting Director of the Division of the Lottery. “There is only a week left for voting, and we are encouraging all of the Lottery’s Facebook fans and new fans to log on and vote for their favorite rendition.”

The other finalists are:

• Frederick Douglass Academy, Manhattan
• PS205 The Clarion School, Brooklyn
• School of the Arts, Rochester

Launched in February as part of the Lottery’s new mission for education campaign, the “New York Sings” contest offers students the opportunity to film themselves singing their own interpretation of “Thank You For Being A Friend.” The song, written by Andrew Gold, is featured in the Lottery’s latest advertising campaign and was made popular as the theme to the classic TV sitcom “The Golden Girls.” The four finalists were selected by a panel from the Lottery and its advertising agency, DDB New York, based on creativity and uniqueness, quality of presentation and display of talent.

The singing contest is a key element in the Lottery’s new campaign that reminds New Yorkers of the Lottery’s core mission: providing aid for education across the state. The campaign builds awareness of the Lottery’s mission by expressing appreciation for the role everyday New Yorkers play in helping to provide billions of dollars each year in Lottery aid to education through the purchase of Lottery tickets.

Since its inception in 1967, the New York Lottery has contributed more than $48 billion in aid to education in New York State. In fiscal year 2012-2013, the Lottery contributed $3.04 billion to local school districts. Still, some New Yorkers are not aware that New York Lottery revenue benefits K-12 public schools in the state.

About the New York Lottery

The New York Lottery continues to be North America’s largest and most profitable Lottery. The Lottery’s contribution represents 15 percent of total state education aid to local school districts. 

New York Lottery revenue is distributed to local school districts by the same statutory formula used to distribute other state aid to education.  It takes into account both a school district’s size and its income level; larger, lower-income school districts receive proportionately larger shares of Lottery school funding.

About the New York State Gaming Commission

The New York State Gaming Commission regulates all aspects of gaming and gambling activity in the state, including horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, class III Indian gaming, video lottery terminal facilities at race tracks, the state lottery and charitable gaming.