Students at Smith Elementary gathered around book vending machine smiling at the machine.

Smith Elementary PTO and 5th grade parents have been working for months to raise money to further encourage students to pick up a book and read more.  Today the PTO unveiled a new book vending machine full of books.  More than $6,000 was raised to purchase the machine and the books to fill it.  

"It's been said, reading should not be presented as a chore but as a precious thing and that's what we're trying to do for the students here.  To build excitement and make reading fun," said Zobby Orozco, PTO President.

Student will be able to "earn" coins to use in the new free book vending machine by following Smith's guiding principles using the acronym SAIL (Showing Respect, Acting Responsibly, Inspiring Others, and Listening to Learn). 

The goal is for every student to receive a free book in the coming months.