District 300 Foundation awards grant promoting reading fun

Algonquin-based Community Unit District 300 recently introduced elementary students to Inchy the Bookworm Vending Machine.

Lincoln Prairie Elementary School educators Stephanie DiMatteo and Erin Nisi had a vision of bringing engagement and excitement to reading for elementary students while also encouraging positivity and effort.

Their knowledge of countless literacy programs combined with their years of experience educating young readers led them to develop a program which would build excitement about new reading books, encourage social responsibility, and offer opportunities to integrate various learning standards.

The key component of their program is a vending machine that dispenses books!

Inchy's Bookworm Vending Machine dispenses real reading books using a special golden token that students earn through various reward systems.

Students will also get to practice using their math skills in a real-world setting as they keep track of the machine's book inventory and calculate how much money will be spent on different book orders.

DiMatteo and Nisi applied to the District 300 Foundation for Educational Excellence for a grant which funded the purchase of the machine and the initial inventory of books.

Inchy's Bookworm Vending Machine will be circulated throughout the district offering many District 300 elementary students a chance to experience this new program.

The D300 Foundation for Educational Excellence was established in 2002 and has funded over one million dollars for individual classroom and district wide grants.

For more information about the Foundation visit www.D300Foundation.org.