Panther Valley Elementary School has a new device for encouraging students to read.

A book vending machine was donated to the school by Matrix Behavioral Solutions. Matrix has offices in Lehighton, Pottsville and several other communities.

Robert Palazzo, elementary school principal, said teachers will be given a specified number of tokens each month to reward students for either behavior or academic accomplishments.

The tokens will allow the selected students to obtain a free book from the machine.

Palazzo said the vending machine was made available as a result of partnership with the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley Community School. He said the book container is “a hallmark of how valuable the partnership is” with the United Way.

The vending machine was unveiled on Thursday.

A yellow ribbon was placed around the machine, which was cut by Palazzo in front of a group of 14 students. He then handed tokens to the selected students who were permitted to select one of several hundred books in the vending machine.

Also present for the ribbon-cutting was Wick Khan, CEO of Matrix Behavioral Solutions.

Khan said he chose Panther Valley Elementary School to receive the vending machine when he learned the school has no library.

In addition, he said, “We had a working relationship with Palazzo.”

“Our mission is to help children with behavior and emotional needs learn skills,” he said. He said the books are various reading levels “with all different subjects.”

“These books teach the children all sorts of skills including geography and science,” Khan said. “The book vending machine provides a process for children to learn.”

He said the students must earn the book.

Palazzo said teachers giving students tokens “lets the child know they did a great job. It motivates them more to keep going.”

The students present for the ribbon-cutting were Oliver Kunkel, Ellie Santee, Henry Santee, Leao Grossley-Walton, Aiden Beattie Hopkins, Vanessa Fox, Lilyann Fox, Madison Bales, Kambry Koerbler, Jackson McLaughlin, CJ Nealis, Paislee Rodriguez, Korbin Barbeau and Jesse Altenbach.

Palazzo said, “This is the newest way we will motivate students to become great readers at the school.”