Vivian Fowler Elementary School unveiled its new Book Vending Machine on Monday, April 10 after a campus-wide contest to get the first tokens. Every student and staff member could submit a guess as to how many books were in the Fowler Library. One staff member and the student from each grade level closest to the correct answer of 12,308 won the very first tokens for a free, brand-new book of their choice.

The book vending machine was the idea of Fowler Librarian, Margaret Rowland, who had seen one at another school. Rowland began researching how to bring one to Fowler and applied for the funds through the MPISD Education Foundation. The machine holds 280 books with one shelf designated for larger picture books geared toward younger students. Teachers will be able to offer book tokens as an incentive in their classrooms.

Rowland said, “The contest was great. The kids were pumped and it was a good math lesson too. The machine even talks to them! The kids will get a book of their choice so they will be more likely to read. The tokens can be re-distributed as needed. It’s a win-win situation for the teachers and students. We are so thankful for the Foundation making this possible!”

Contest winners included kindergartener Carlos Campos, first-grader Valarie Gonzalez, second-grader Fidel Memije, third-graders Chloe Veasley and Renan Sandoval, fourth-grader Jordyn Bryant, and third-grade teacher Evelyn Gallardo.

Photos:

1. (L to R) Fowler Principal Jonathan Cardenas, Fowler Librarian Margaret Rowland, MPISD Foundation member Becca Bell, MPISD Board member and Foundation member Sandy Bible

2. Second-grader Fidel Memije selects his new book

3. First-grader Valarie Gonzalez selects a My Little Pony book