Book vending machine offers innovative way to reward Decatur students

DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) — A Decatur elementary school has a new tool to keep students reading.

It’s called Inchy’s Bookworm Vending Machine. It rewards students who have excellent attendance, bring up their reading levels or are caught doing a good deed.

South Shores Elementary School has been giving out tokens for more than two weeks. Principal Kristi Mullinix said the kindergarten through sixth grade school is the first to get the vending machine in Central Illinois.

“They love it,” Mullinix said. “When we announced it to the kids, they came up to get their gold coin, and I said, ‘You can go get your book now.’ And they were running. There was a line and lots of happy faces.”

Mullinix said Inchy’s Vending Machine holds about 200 books, and so far, the kids’ favorites have been graphic novels. She said the school got the money for the $6,000 machine from writing…