For Immediate Release:                                         Contact:  Communications Office

March 31, 2014                                                                         (518) 388-3415

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SCHENECTADY, N.Y. -- The New York Lottery today announced Union Springs Central School in Union Springs, Cayuga County, was voted the winner of the Lottery’s “New York Sings” Facebook contest.  Union Springs will receive the contest’s top prize of $10,000 to be used to support the school’s music education program.

Union Springs Central School was one of four contest finalists from over 240 submissions statewide. Videos from the top four finalists were posted on the Lottery’s Facebook page for judging by the Lottery’s fanbase. At the close of voting on Thursday, March 27, Union Springs had received the most votes of 22,915 by the Lottery’s Facebook fans.

The singing contest was a key element in a now concluded Lottery advertising campaign that reminds New Yorkers of the Lottery’s core mission of providing aid for education across the state. The campaign helped build 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.

Prizes of $5,000 and $2,500 will also be awarded to the second and third place finishers to support music education with their respective schools:

• Second Place $5,000  -  School of the Arts, Rochester – 9,934 votes
• Third Place $2,500 - Frederick Douglass Academy, Manhattan – 9,140 votes

“Congratulations to Union Springs Central School for winning the New York Lottery’s New York Sings contest,” said Gardner Gurney, Acting Director of the Division of the Lottery. “All of the Union Springs students who participated in the contest did an excellent job, and we look forward to awarding the school the contest’s top prize of $10,000. The response to this contest across the State from students, faculty and administrators illustrated the talent of students in New York State and the dedication of school faculty and administrators.  Thank you to everyone, including our Facebook fans.”

Launched in February as part of the Lottery’s new mission for education campaign, the “New York Sings” contest offered 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.”

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.