Governor Bent's New Book Vending Machine
The first of its kind in New Mexico
Students at Governor Bent Elementary School earn coins for reading outside of school either by themselves or with family members.
These aren't just any coins. The gold coins that students earn when they read on their own for 400 minutes are used to purchase books from the school's brand new Inchy's Bookworm Vending Machine.
The vending machine, located in the school's cafeteria and purchased with proceeds from school book fairs, supports the school's focus on English and language arts. Principal Jonathan Saiz explains that it aligns with the school's 90-Day Plan and Multi-Layered System of Supports used to track and evaluate academic improvement. It also helps to increase family engagement around content.
According to research, reading 20 minutes a day exposes students to a vast quantity of words (1.8 million in each school year!) This exposure makes children more likely to score in the 90th percentile on standardized tests.
The vending machine not only has favorite titles but also some surprises for students, including gift cards, pens, mystery books, and even a family pizza party.
"Students earn these books. They are theirs for their own home library," said Saiz.
Community school partners will help restock the vending machine including Southwest Pueblo Consultants and Counseling Service, donated $3,000 for the project.