As Johnson’s principal Ashley Dikeos and assistant principal Kristina Sheehy work in the lower level of Johnson Elementary to refill books into a curious-looking machine, they are suddenly mobbed like celebrities by students hoping to get pictures with them on their school iPads.

Once the crowd subsides they continue to stock Johnson’s “book vending machine,” a tall machine with flashing lights and books of all sizes for students to choose from as special rewards for strong behaviors and achievements in their classrooms. The machine was a gift last year from the Education Foundation, which also granted on to Woodfill Elementary (Moyer got one from their generous PTO).   

“The addition of the book vending machine was perfect timing for us as one of the things we’re trying to develop in our ‘pillars and pathways’ program is a love of reading,” says Dikeos. “One student from each class each month receives a token to choose a book from the machine, which is a schoolwide event for them.”

The Foundation has also helped fund author and illustrator visits to the school, which help foster children’s imaginations of future possibilities and a love of reading and literacy.  

“The book vending machine is something fun, cool and flashy,” says Sheehy, but the author’s experiences are something they can learn from and carry with them.”  

Across town in the classrooms of Moyer, students are using books funded by the Foundation to become bilingual English and Spanish speakers. Through the Spanish reader Papálotl, which uses the story of a monarch butterfly’s migration to connect context with language, students are learning to read and speak language in an entirely innovative way.

“We get such great support from the Education Foundation and that’s what really makes the difference because there’s been a sea change in how we teach language,” says language acquisition teacher Silvia McClamrock. “Gone are the days of just conjugating verbs and memorizing words. Instead, it’s like a first-person experience of using the language.”

While McClamrock says the Foundation has been instrumental in helping procure these new methods of learning language through grants written by the department, she feels like online components available on students’ iPads are the next key to creating immersive learning experiences for classes.

In terms of Johnson’s wish list, there is a current push to build their literacy library, which  would be selected by teachers to support programs they’ve chosen for their classrooms. “I always encourage our staff to write grants,” says Dikeos. “These are fantastic opportunities.”

“”It’s so nice for our teachers to feel the connection from this community,” adds Sheehy, “that what we’re granted is made possible from the people in our own community is really great.”