The Greater Longview United Way has started a grant program that will allow local schools to receive book vending machines.

The grant is part of United Way’s Read to Succeed initiative, which focuses on promoting literacy so that students are reading on or above grade level by the end of third grade, according to the agency.

Executive Director Evan Dolive said third grade is a pivotal age for reading among students.

“Studies have shown that by the end of the third grade, if (students) are not at that reading proficiency level, they will have a harder time going forward academically,” he said.

He added that the age is crucial because it marks the switch from students learning to read to reading to learn.

The average reading proficiency level in Texas is about 44%, Dolive said. Schools in the area have shown varied levels either matching, below or above the state average.

”The number of kids having books in the home is directly related to reading proficiency and academic success,” Dolive said.

Promotional material for the initiative states that “Read to Succeed aims to put book vending machines in elementary schools in the greater Longview area giving students access to reading materials they might not have had before.”

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The grant program is open to primary/elementary schools and nonprofit organizations in Gregg and Harrison counties.

The book vending machines will function as normal vending machines do, but instead of accepting money and dispensing snacks, it will accept tokens and dispense books.

Schools awarded a grant will be provided with tokens. The machines will be able to hold up to 200 to 300 books at a time.

Dolive said the use of tokens for the machines will allow schools to get creative about how they choose to offer them to students. Whether through a student of the month program or random drawings, the availability of the tokens gives the school an opportunity to get kids excited about reading, he said.

Dolive added that a vending machine gives children the choice to decide what they want to read, rather than having reading material chosen for them.

“We want to give the child a choice and do something that hasn’t really been done before,” he said.

The deadline to apply for the grant is Jan. 15.

To apply visit longviewunitedway.org/readtosucceed .

I'm Yoleyne Romero and my beat includes city/county government. I'm a graduate from The University of Texas at Tyler with a Bachelor's degree in Mass Communication. I have a dog named Okami that provides endless sunshine in my life.