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By Scott Stoddard
Penelope, a middle schooler at Eliot Arts Magnet in Altadena, California, lost her favorite book when her house was destroyed by last year’s Eaton Fire.
So she was glad when she found the beloved graphic novel, “Sisters,” in a book vending machine that City National Bank had donated to the school.
“I'm really happy to have it again," she said, clutching the book to her chest.
The machine is one of 12 that City National Bank has donated to schools in California, Nevada and Georgia. Kids who exhibit positive behaviors can earn tokens to select a free book to claim as their own.
The book vending machine program is part of City National’s Reading is the way up® literacy campaign, which was launched in 2002 and also includes back-to-school backpack giveaways and story time events aimed at helping to combat a worrying decline in U.S. literacy rates.
According to the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress, a biennial study known as the nation's report card, only 31% of American fourth graders were considered proficient in reading, down 2 percentage points from 2022 and 5 points below 2019. The national average reading score for grade 12 was also below pre-pandemic levels.
To qualify for a book vending machine, schools must be in City National’s geographic footprint and qualify for Title 1 benefits, which include free or reduced-price lunches. In addition to Eliot Arts, John Muir High School in Pasadena, which was also affected by the fire, earned a book machine last year.
Each machine comes with a five-year commitment by the bank to provide $2,500 worth of books annually, chosen by the school in cooperation with Scholastic Books. Overall, more than 1.3 million children have benefited from City National's “Reading is the way up” campaign. The bank plans to donate 10 more vending machines this year.
“I feel like it's a novel way, pun intended, to get kids excited about reading books and to give them the chance to choose books that they want to read," said Summer St. Pierre, the librarian at Eliot Arts Magnet. “Middle schoolers are drawn to what’s new and shiny and pretty. The machine even lights up and sings.”
This article is for general information and education only. It is provided as a courtesy to the clients and friends of City National Bank (City National). City National does not warrant that it is accurate or complete. Opinions expressed and estimates or projections given are those of the authors or persons quoted as of the date of the article with no obligation to update or notify of inaccuracy or change. This article may not be reproduced, distributed or further published by any person without the written consent of City National. Please cite source when quoting.
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