By Stephanie Swogetinsky
reporter@clarkecountytrib.com
Students at Quitman Lower Elementary and Quitman Upper Elementary have a new way to earn books to take home by meeting academic goals and demonstrating positive behavior.
The schools unveiled Book Nook vending machines Oct. 7 as part of a literacy initiative supported by First Mississippi Federal Credit Union.
Students earn tokens through school reward programs and exchange them for books of their choice. Students keep the books, allowing them to build home libraries and share their selections with family members.
The machines were unveiled during separate ceremonies at the two campuses, where school leaders, teachers, students and community partners gathered for ribbon cuttings and the first book selections.
At Quitman Lower Elementary, students can earn tokens through the school's Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program and for academic achievements.
At Quitman Upper Elementary, students earn tokens through Accelerated Reader points, positive behavior and academic goals.
During the ceremony the district described the machines as a way to make reading "exciting, rewarding, and accessible" for students.
Amanda Allen, principal of Quitman Lower Elementary, said the program encourages students to keep earning books and building their home libraries.
"We want to really push students getting the books often to keep that thrill — the thrill of getting the book," Allen said.
“The program allows students to keep their books rather than return them after reading. They can also share them with family members.
"We also are very interested in building at-home libraries for our students," Allen said. "So that if they have siblings at home, the book is not just for one person. Then it can be shared amongst all the siblings — and cousins and whoever else comes over."
At Quitman Upper Elementary, Principal Kristen Schrimpshire is incorporating the machine into the school's Accelerated Reader incentives."This is going to be an AR reward," Schrimpshire said. "As students earn 25 points, they'll be able to come up and get a token to earn a book."
The Book Nook also will be included among the rewards students can choose through the school's Paw Pass program.
"We're so excited to be able to offer this new reward for our students," Schrimpshire said. "We can't wait to encourage them to keep reading and to pick books that they really, really love to take home with them and be part of their own personal library."
The machines are supplied by Superior Text, a Birmingham, Alabama-based education company that sells Book Nook vending machines and provides book-refill services. The company's Book Nook machines use tokens as rewards and can be stocked with books selected by schools.
For Quitman students, the machines are the result of months of planning involving school administrators, district staff and First Mississippi Federal Credit Union.
Crystal Clark, marketing director for First Mississippi Federal Credit Union, said the credit union views the project as an investment in students.
"At First Mississippi Federal Credit Union, we believe investing in our children is one of the most important investments we can make," Clark said. "We are so proud to partner with Quitman Lower Elementary to help make reading fun, exciting, and to let your imagination grow."
The credit union has supported book-vending machines at other area schools. Recent local coverage identified Clark as the credit union's marketing director and reported that the organization has donated machines as part of its literacy outreach.
Tiwari McLain, Quitman School District's federal programs director, was credited by district officials with spearheading the project. Dr. Minnie Dace, superintendent of the Quitman School District, also thanked the school administrators and community partners involved in bringing the machines to the district.
Dace said the project is about more than the machines.
"It's not about just unveiling the machine, but it's about unlocking the minds of children and taking them places that they can't go," Dace said. "Because we know, in a small town, these babies can't always go where we want them to go — but we can sure read about it, and we can imagine great things."
The district plans to rely on community support to keep the machines stocked. Potential sources of funding include book fairs, school fundraisers, parent-teacher organizations, corporate donations and grants.
For students, the process is simple: earn a token, choose a book and take it home.
The goal, school officials said, is to make reading a reward while helping students build personal libraries that can extend beyond the classroom.
