Ten teachers get $1,000 checks before Sunday's race
Jul. 15—LOUDON — Before the green flag flies Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, 10 lucky Granite State teachers will be getting $1,000 checks to equip their classrooms.
The teachers were selected by the New Hampshire Lottery from more than 100 nominated by students, parents and friends on the Lottery's Facebook page last month. The checks are coming from sports betting giant DraftKings.
Bubba Wallace, the most successful African American driver in NASCAR history, and Gov. Chris Sununu will be presenting the checks at the speedway just before the start of the Ambetter 301 Cup Series race.
The 10 teachers also won four tickets to the race, Lottery officials said.
"It is not every day our amazing New Hampshire teachers get to meet NASCAR drivers right before a race, but together with DraftKings, we are excited to make just that happen," said Charlie McIntyre, executive director with the New Hampshire Lottery.
Linda Caikauskas nominated Christy Burke, one of the winners, a second-grade teacher at McDonough Elementary School in Manchester.
"She has always put her students first. She's supportive to her students, as well as to their parents. She is an amazing role model, not only to her students, but to new teachers as well," Caikauskas wrote.
"She makes everyone feel welcome. Her students just love her, not only is she dedicated to the McDonough School community, but she is also active in the Little League baseball community. Christy is a tremendously dedicated, hard worker. She gives her all to everything that she does."
Jean Kubik Sheehan nominated another winner, Kristin Leary Wallace, a fifth-grade teacher at Iber Holmes Gove Middle School in Raymond.
"She is so thoughtful and caring and very positive! She does so much for her students and I feel she definitely deserves to be recognized for her hard work!" Sheehan posted.
Brenda Lefavor nominated her daughter, Allison Elizabeth Vanagel, a special education teacher at West High School in Manchester.
"She truly cares for each of her students and wants only success for them," Lefavor wrote.
And Fay George went with Tyler Sullivan, who teaches in the Claremont School District.
"He intuitively understands small children and how to make them feel comfortable enough to learn," George wrote.
The other six winners were:
—Heather Subock, Winnisquam School District.
—Colleen West Coates, psychology teacher, Londonderry High School.
—Katie Gabriel Hunnewell, intensive needs special education teacher, Nashua High School North.
—Nancy Sliwerski Michaud, eighth grade science teacher, Hillside Middle School, Manchester.
—Corey Brier, English teacher, Merrimack Valley High School in Penacook.
—Brenda Snyder Lambert, Londonderry School District.
William Darrell "Bubba" Wallace Jr., 28, has been the only full-time Black driver in NASCAR's three national series and each year has competed in all three.
He is the only African American driver to win more than once in any of these series.
After the George Floyd murder and Black Lives Matter protests, Wallace made national news with his campaign for racial justice that led to NASCAR taking actions that included banning the display of Confederate flags at its tracks.
Wallace is one of eight NASCAR race winners from 2021 looking for his first win this year.
