Last Spring, East Newton Elementary School installed a different kind of vending machine. Instead of junk food or soda, this machine allows students to exchange a token for a book that they get to keep.
Teresa Sauls, Principal at ENES, applied for and received a grant to help her fill the Book Vending Machine with age-appropriate titles she knew her students would love. Students can earn tokens based on positive traits they display during the school day.
This year, Andrea Dowdy, a teacher at Oak Hill Elementary, wrote a grant to help her school install a Book Vending Machine in their building. Andrea shared why she wanted funding for this project. “My goal is to promote a love for reading throughout the school. Encouraging reading in a fun way is essential in motivating students to read more, which will also positively increase Lexile level and reading comprehension levels of all students.”
Students can earn tokens for the vending machine when they are observed by staff doing positive things in their school community and for making progress on their quarterly reading goals.
We love any ideas that promote a culture of literacy and allow students to build their home libraries, which often impact siblings in the home as well.
Donations made to NEF fund great, teacher-driven projects that inspire learning and literacy in schools across the county. Donate at newtoneducationfoundation.org/donate or check out our business sponsorships at newtoneducatoinfoundation.org/business