Greenwood Elementary School just provided another way to encourage reading and to encourage students to demonstrate positive behavior. At a school-wide assembly on September 11th, the school cut the ribbon for its new book vending machine. This machine is just what it sounds like – a machine that you can put a token in, push a selection button and a book comes out.
At the assembly, students were excited to hear about the new machine in the hallway of the school. Then the names of 10 students were drawn. These students got to cut the ribbon, tear the paper off the new machine and be the first to use tokens to get books.
Second grader Alayna chose a book by the popular author, Mo Willems, because she likes the character in those books. “I think it’s going to be really fun to use this machine,” Alayna said.
Thomas, a Greenwood fifth grader, used his token to get the classic book, Old Yeller, which he said would be good read.
The new machine was made possible by a Wildhorse Foundation Grant of $7,636 secured by Greenwood Parents Teachers Students (PTS) and additional funds from PTS. The school group also purchased $1,000 worth of books to go into the vending machine, said Lexy Nice, PTS Secretary, which the organization will continue to budget for each year.
The machine contains a variety of books that encompass different reading levels and interests. PTS chose to add larger trays in the vending machine, which allow for a combination of picture books and chapter books.
“I’m absolutely thrilled about students having an opportunity to choose books to take home and enjoy with their families and to share the love of reading,” Nice said. Students get to keep the books and can also make suggestions for what books they would like in the machine in the future.
The new book vending machine will be used in conjunction with the Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) school-wide system that Greenwood already has in place. Students will be selected from the daily drawing of Giant Pride cards which are earned by students demonstrating Greenwood Virtues such as independence, respect, courage, etc. and school-wide behavior expectations.
