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A new vending machine at Westside Elementary School is giving students a chance to expand their minds.

Last week, Westside Elementary School unveiled its new Bookworm Vending Machine. The project totaling $7,340 was funded by the Demopoiis City Schools Foundation. The grant was written by Brittany Donald.

Principal Brandi Smith told the Demopolis City Schools Board of Education that they should stop by and see the machine in action.

“So, it’s a personal goal machine,” Smith said. “They can make any goal. It can be academic behavior. Once it’s been deemed that they’ve obtained their goal, they receive a gold coin, and they put it in the machine to get a book.”

Smith said they were deciding on whether it would be golden coin or a golden ticket.

“They were like, oh, no. I want a golden coin,” Smith said.

There is a different book behind each other in the machine. The students insert the coin into the machine, and then, just like snack vending machine, they would choose the number of the book they want to receive.

“It talks, It lights up,” Smith said. “It’s pretty cool.”

Margaret Anne Gilchrist, executive director for the Demopolis City Schools Foundation, said they were excited to help out with the project.

“The Bookworm Vending Machine was a grant that we awarded this fall to Ms. Brittany Donald at Westside,” Gilchrist said in a press release. “She was able to get a custom wrap done to reflect Westside. We couldn’t wait to see that. The kids are so excited to see it.

“Thank you Mrs. Donald for writing such a creative and rewarding grant.”