About 5,000 parents gathered at the Armory in Washington Heights Thursday night hoping to win a seat for their child at one of the four Harlem Success Academy Charter Schools, quite possibly the largest charter school lottery in the state.

"I'm so happy," said parent Sheila Beasley whose child got a spot. "I don't know what to say. God is good."

"Parents are dissatisfied with schools in their communities and they are looking elsewhere," said parent Dorothy Arthur.

One by one, the names of the lucky students were called. And while most were too young to know what they've won, their parents certainly knew what was at stake.

After bad experiences with their neighborhood public schools, some parents say they see Harlem Success Academies as their only option.

"I'm very excited. I'm speechless," said Beasley. "I don't know what I would have done if she didn't get in. I just don't know what I would have done."

"I'm happy about it, now she's going to be in a nice good school and it's not that far from home so it's really good," agreed parent Karess Woolriege.

But with just 475 seats up for grabs, and more than 3,000 applicants, the odds just were not in some student's favor.

"I wanted her to be accepted, but I will just follow through with the directions even though she wasn't chosen, and we'll see if she's on the waitlist," said parent Laira Reid.

The founder of Harlem Success Academies says parents are literally fleeing their zone schools vying for seats in charter schools, and it pains her that she has to turn some parents and children away.

"The notion that one has to get lucky to provide a first-rate education, it shouldn't be that way," said Harlem Success Academy founder Eva Moskowitz.

The good news is waitlisted students will still have a chance to get in.