Vending

Texas elementary schools install book vending machines

Photo: Adobe Stock

November 21, 2024

Two Taylor, Texas elementary schools, Naomi Pasemann and Main Street, are offering students a unique incentive to read: book vending machines.

Partnering with the Taylor Educational Enrichment Foundation and the W.D. Kelley Foundation, the schools installed machines filled with books that students can purchase with tokens earned through academic programs and good behavior, according to a Taylor Press report.

Pasemann students can earn tokens by completing the school's "Reader In Me" program, while Main Street utilizes a "Duck Buck" system that rewards positive behavior and participation in the Accelerated Reader program. These Duck Bucks can then be exchanged for tokens.

"This is a great way to get kids excited about reading," a school official told the news outlet. "By allowing them to choose their own books, we hope to foster a lifelong love of learning."

The initiative highlights a growing trend of using vending machines to encourage reading among young students. With enticing visuals and the thrill of purchasing a book, these vending machines aim to make reading a more engaging and rewarding experience.