Kids, it’s time to thank your favorite teachers.

Virginia’s First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, during a whirlwind visit to Mack Benn Jr. Elementary School on Tuesday, kicked off the Virginia Lottery’s Thank a Teacher campaign in Hampton Roads.

With a hand from several fourth-graders, McAuliffe took a moment to address a gigantic card to one of her own former educators.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe, along with the Virginia Lottery, the Virginia Tourism Corp. and Virginia PTA, is celebrating National Teacher Appreciation Week May 2-6.

“Every day, educators are providing our young people with the world-class education they need to be successful,” McAuliffe said. “These teachers deserve our gratitude every day.

“Thank you for your work, day in and day out,” she said, adding that teachers are also role models, mentors, coaches and friends to students.

The Thank a Teacher campaign encourages people to send electronic or handwritten thank you notes to their favorite teachers before May 13. If the handwritten notes are sent on notecards available at lottery retailers statewide or electronically, through the Virginia Lottery’s website, teachers will be eligible to enter a drawing for a free Virginia vacation.

People can go to valottery.com/thankateacher to send electronic letters.

Since the campaign kicked off last week, 1,800 Virginians have sent electronic thank you notes to teachers, according to lottery officials. The lottery has distributed 35,000 notecards across the state.

Statewide, the lottery generates $500 billion for schools annually, said Virginia Lottery Executive Director Paula Otto. Suffolk Public Schools receives $8 million annually from the lottery, she said.

“This is the perfect time to tell a teacher that you appreciate them,” Otto said.

McAuliffe noted that the new budget includes a 2 percent pay raise for Virginia’s teachers.