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England Elementary School trades sweets for knowledge with book vending machine

Students at England Elementary School are enjoying an exciting, new vending machine that's filled with lots of sweet treats.

ENGLAND, Ark. — Students at England Elementary School are enjoying an exciting, new vending machine that's filled with lots of sweet treats.

But this vending machine is not filled with your typical sweets or junk food that can rot your teeth away. This specific machine is filled with something much healthier for the brain -- books!

According to a Facebook post by the England School District, this was a big purchase for for the school, but it was so worth it. 

England School District added a new photo.

Each week, every adult in the school like teachers, paras, cafeteria, maintenance, office staff, etc. gets a gold coin. They can then give that coin to any student they want to, for any reason they want to. 

If that specific student was kind, helpful, showed courage, or worked through a difficult situation, that adult could then give that student a coin! Whatever the reason, the choice is theirs.

Students then take that coin and use it to get a free book, which means the school is giving away at least 60 free books a week.

"I wanted to see how the book would go, see if the book is better or if the movie's better," said Ava, a second grade student at England Elementary who received her first coin and picked 'Bailey's Story' from the vending machine. 

Students hosted fundraisers to gather enough money for the vending machine. Title 1 funding will keep the machine stocked with books for all reading levels.

The school said they love seeing the excitement on the kids’ faces as they put their gold coin in and choose a book.

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