The US state of Oregon announced its winner of the COVID-19 vaccination jackpot program on Friday to give away the million-dollar cash prize to a student of fine arts at the Oregon State University, according to reports from US media.
Chloe Zinda was handed the prize money on Friday as Oregon’s Governor Kate Brown, who is also a member of the Democratic party, introduced the young winner of the jackpot at a press conference in the afternoon. The stage was also taken by officials of the Oregon Lottery and the health authorities of the state.
Zinda, who has been brought up in the McMinnville area of Oregon said that she had multiple reasons to get vaccinated against COVID-19.
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The vaccine jackpot was announced by the state of Oregon to encourage more people to get vaccinated against the deadly virus. The program has been dubbed as “Take Your Shot, Oregon”.
The Oregon girl, who also partly works as a swimming instructor, said that the protection of her students was of priority to her. She said, “It was really important to me and for my student’s parents that we make sure that our kids are staying safe and healthy”, according to reports from CNBC’s local arm.
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In a statement after the announcement of the winner, Zinda said that the money she had received was a life-changing opportunity for her as she would use it as an investment in herself. She further clarified that the money would also be used to pay off her student debt and will assist her in opening up her own art studio in the future, reported CNBC.
Even though the jackpot winner of the scheme has been revealed, multiple other prospects remain open. Three dozen people will be winning cash prizes amounting to $10,000 while those who are between the age of 12 and 17 will get a chance to win $100,000 through the Oregon College Savings Plan Scholarship, according to reports from CNBC.
