LAKESIDE, Calif. (KGTV) - A new vending machine at Riverview International Academy is creating a buzz among students.
But this machine doesn't give out junk food: It dispenses brain food.
The vending machine is stocked with books. Over the course of the year, every student at Riverview will receive a golden token, letting them pick a free, brand-new book from the machine.
"The idea of having a book as a prize as an award, and something exciting that you get to choose and put a coin in and get a book in return, we think that extra layer of excitement about books is really important at our school," says Crystal Grobner, the President of the Riverview Parent/Teacher/Student Association.
The PTSA bought the machine as a gift to the school, using about $9,000 of money left over from fundraisers held in the last few years. They spend around $2,000 each year to keep it full of new books.
"They're very excited about it," says parent and PTSA member Alex Cabrera. "It's not just something that's handed to them or a gold star on the paper. It's a prize. And it's a prize that they get to pick for themselves."
Because the school uses a triple-immersion curriculum, books in the machine come in three languages: English, Spanish and Mandarin.
"I thought it was the most awesome thing I've ever heard of," says fifth grader Juliette Camacho. "I think it's really cool because everyone wants a book!"
Teachers get to decide which students receive the special "golden token." But, to emphasize equity, the school requires that every student gets a token throughout the school year. The teachers say they've seen improvement in students' behavior as they try to earn their free book.
The company that makes the machine, Global Vending Group, says about 500 schools across the country have a book vending machine in place. The program has become so popular there is now a several months-long waiting list for new machines.
