DELAND, Fla. — NASCAR driver Erik Jones is giving back to Volusia County students ahead of the Daytona 500 to help drive their love of reading.
The racecar driver visited Blue Lake Elementary School in DeLand on Thursday.
What You Need To Know
- NASCAR drive Erik Jones donates "Bookworm" vending maching to students at Blue Lake Elementary School in DeLand
- The vending machine rewards children for positive behavior and students can earn special tokens to redeem for books they can keep
- Jones established his foundation in 2021 and made “igniting a passion for reading” part of its mission
- Jones will drive the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE in the 66th Daytona 500 race on Feb. 18
Jones and the Erik Jones Foundation partnered with AdventHealth to donate and unveil a “Bookworm” vending machine to the school. The vending machine rewards children for positive behavior, and students can earn special tokens to redeem for books they can keep.
In addition, AdventHealth announced the company will donate $5,000 annually to keep the vending machine fully stocked with books for the children.
“We are committed to nurturing healthier communities, and we believe early literacy is key to the future well-being of our children,” said Eric Lunde, AdventHealth DeLand chief executive officer. “We hope this gift will help foster a love for reading and empower young minds, laying a foundation for a lifetime of success.”
Before the unveiling, Jones even read a short story to the students.
Jones established his foundation in 2021 and made “igniting a passion for reading” part of its mission.
Book vending machines have become a signature part of his community efforts after Jones purchased one for his former elementary school and the school saw a 300% increase in the number of children who chose a book as their reward for being good students.
“I want these machines to inspire kids to read and continue reading. That’s the ultimate goal,” Jones said. “Being a strong reader is important to unlocking doors and helping young people live up to their full potential. I couldn’t be more excited to partner with AdventHealth to deliver another book vending machine for some well-deserving kids.”
Jones will drive the No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE in the 66th Daytona 500 race on Feb. 18, marking the first of six races in which he will drive the AdventHealth-sponsored car.
Jones’ first victory in the NASCAR Cup Series came at Daytona International Speedway in 2018.
