Snacking on books: Hatfield school gets book vending machine
Move over, snack chips and soft drinks. There’s a new vending machine in town.
Hatfield Elementary School was given the gift of a vending machine that dispenses a variety of books for students after receiving a generous donation from a community fund. The machine is wrapped in red, white and blue and adorned with horseshoes to match the symbols and color of the Laurel Highland School District.
Hatfield Principal Heidi Gallis Mears said since the machine was delivered a week ago, the students have been walking past it with smiles on their faces and asking her or their teachers when can they get their books. On Friday, the school held an official ribbon-cutting event and began using the machine.
“Our students at Hatfield love reading,” she said, adding that the school recently held its “Blizzard of Books” event, where students read a combined total of over 4,100 books between Feb. 1 and March 2.
Last fall, the Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund provided a $6,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Fayette County to the school district for purchases that included the book vending machine.
“I think it will increase the literacy of all students,” said Superintendent Jesse Wallace. “It’s nice to have community partners like the Arthur and Millicent Gabriel Legacy Fund that work with the school district to provide things like this.”
Wallace said having those from the community chipping in and contributing makes it all the more special when the district can do more for its students.
Mears said it was extra special to see two members of Arthur and Millicent Gabriel’s family at the event: their son, Ronald Gabriel, and grandson Eric Gabriel, who, along with Eric’s two brothers, are former Hatfield students.
“I remember them, very fondly, walking the halls, always holding a book in their hands,” Mears said. “So the love of reading from the Gabriel family is something I just genuinely hold dear to my heart.”
Mears said the students won’t actually purchase books from the vending machine, as they are incentives and rewards for good behavior.
She added that all the books for the machine will be donated by Hatfield PTO as well as the district’s Mini Mighty Mustang program or purchased with Scholastic Book Fair funds.
“It will always be supplied with books at no cost to the children,” Mears said. “This book vending machine will enable our students to have access to books that will not only expand their horizons, but also show them dreams are within reach.”
“Kids enjoy reading,” Wallace said. “It’s better than playing a video game. Books take you places that video games can’t. We need to make sure all students have access to books they enjoy and can read on a regular basis.”