Denison ISD Lamar Elementary School unveils book vending machine

DENISON, Texas (KXII) - Most vending machines are for snacking, but for Denison ISD’s Lamar Elementary School, the students are snacking on literacy.

On Friday, the school held a ribbon cutting for its new book vending machine.

“Very exciting. Like 100%,” said fourth-grade student, Eston Dill.

Reading Interventionist, Kenna Brandt, said the machine was made possible when the school received a $10,000 grant from Simmons Bank.

“I was trying to come up with some ideas that would benefit our whole school,” Brandt said.

After seeing the book vending machines, Brandt knew it was the perfect choice.

The school told students back in January and the machine was brought to Lamar Elementary in August.

“I’ve been waiting for like a year,” Dill said.

On Friday, the students finally got to try it out.

To get a book students have to earn a ticket, having good behavior is the key.

“To promote good behavior and kindness and also literacy at the same time,” Brandt said.

Teachers will be given one golden ticket each month. They will give it out when they think a student deserves it.

The children then trade the ticket for a coin. They will put their coin in the vending machine, pick the number of the book that they want and the free book is theirs to keep.

“We’re hoping that this will kind of help them build their little libraries at home,” Brandt said.

The kids excitement is clear, but their favorite part goes beyond a new book.

“I’m appreciating that Miss Brandt got the book machine because if it wasn’t [here] students would have a hard time reading,” Dill said.

With the new book vending machines, the Lamar Leopards have something to strive for every day.

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