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A New Way to Read: One Utah School’s experience with Book Vending Machines

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With Valentine’s day in the air this time of year, today’s tale is another of the love of reading shared by kids all across the country. You can follow us on Facebook to stay up on all the latest Inchy stories, but today we wanted to highlight one southwestern school, where the faculty have turned to a new, FUN way to reward students through reading.

This Inchy story comes out of Lakeview Elementary School in Provo, Utah.

One Awesome Principal

Principal Mike Barker was looking at a story from one of the other schools out of state when he was inspired. To help fund the machine, he used some of the budget from the school’s “Positive Behavior Program” budget and had Inchy installed just in time for the new school year.

Barker stated that "In the past, [teachers] would have done something like give a sticker, or give a little toy, and we wanted to do something a little more significant for the students."

“I read more because it’s cool”

One eager fourth-grader, Langston Kaufusi, had a lot to say to the local news when asked about Inchy the book vending machine.

"I read more just because it is just cool that it came out of a machine, like how they set it up and everything, and now I can read it," said Kaufusi.

Students like Kaufusi are able to access the books through tokens awarded by their teachers for good behavior and achievements. The school makes sure to keep a healthy mix of books from kindergarten to sixth-grade reading levels to ensure that students are always able to find something engaging.

A Campus Hit!

The vending machine has been applauded by teachers, students, and parents alike, with about 50-60 kids utilizing the machine each week! Barker hopes that by the end of the school year, every student will have used the machine at least once.

With students like Kaufusi stating that "[he likes] how it makes [him] try to get better and work harder", we are certain that that hope can be achieved.

This is something we have been able to see firsthand at Global Vending Group. We began this journey before the pandemic, and it’s been a breath of fresh air to be a part of. The machine has been upgraded to enhance the experience and we have taken steps to increase our ability to produce custom wraps in-house. This is something that we are truly proud of, and the machine has become a true symbol of unity and love for each and every community. No story is the same, and every school uses the reward system a little bit differently, but the smile in the eyes of the kids is what makes the Inchy machine truly special.

Get Yours Today

If you want to know how to get a book vending machine at your elementary school, contact us today! We are more than eager to help spread the joy of reading to youth all across the nation! And do be sure to keep up with our social media to hear the latest Inchy news.