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Schools

Three Elk Grove Schools Score Big in Big Lots Video Contest

Arlene Hein Elementary School takes second place in regional national video contest. Company to present checks Saturday.

Three Elk Grove Unified School District schools have won cash prizes in the Big Lots national Lots2Give video contest, officials from the company announced this week.  

Arlene Hein Elementary School has won a $5,000 second place prize and Prairie Elementary School and Edward Harris, Jr. Middle School have each won a $2,000 third place prize in the video contest.

Company representatives will present checks to winners at 10 a.m., Saturday (Aug. 10) to Hein participants at the Big Lots’ Elk Grove location, 8539 Elk Grove Blvd. and to Prairie winners at the Big Lots store at 8700 La Riviera Dr.

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Harris winners will be recognized at a check presentation later that day at 1 p.m. at the Big Lots store in South Sacramento, 6630 Valley Hi Dr., according to a statement released by the company.

The Big Lots Lots2Give video contest asked schools to submit a short video and a brief essay explaining why their school is in need of financial support.

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From June 10 to July 7, the public could vote for their favorite video online.  More than 405,000 votes were cast to determine the 37 winners, which include one $20,000 grant prize winner, two $10,000 first place winners, four $5,000 second place winners and 30 $2,000 third place winners from across the country, an announcement from the school district relayed.

Along with the Lots2Give video contest, Big Lots collected in-store donations to help 250 schools participating in the Lots2Give program. From April 29 through July 7, Big Lots customers were invited to make $1 or $5 donations at participating stores.

Due to the generosity of the public, this initiative raised more than $277,000 to help participating schools, according to Big Lots.

Samuel Jackman Middle School and Valley High School also participated in the Lots2Give program and will benefit from donations made at local Big Lots stores. 

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