If you want to encourage your child or grandchild to read more and you’ve been trying to find a way to motivate them, a new program from Second Lady Usha Vance is your answer. Vance is using her platform for good by launching Usha Vance’s 2025 Summer Reading Challenge.
The Summer Reading Program is a call to action. 40% of U.S. students struggle to read at a basic reading level, the most significant decline since the 90s. 70% of low-income fourth graders are struggling with reading. Vance is determined to stop this decline by encouraging lifelong reading habits that will promote literacy, confidence, and empathy (an emotional skill, long proven to be significantly improved through reading). Vance’s initiative aims to combat this trend by motivating children to read during the summer months, when many experience the “summer slide,” or loss of academic progress. The challenge is designed to be fun and rewarding, with certificates, prizes, and the chance to visit Washington, D.C., but its deeper purpose is to help children build confidence, empathy, and imagination through books.
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Second Lady Usha Vance’s 2025 Summer Reading Challenge is a nationwide initiative encouraging children in grades K–8 to read 12 books of their choice between June 1 and September 5. The program aims to boost literacy, foster a love of reading, and support children’s emotional well-being at a time when reading scores are declining.
Vance, wife of Vice President JD Vance, has launched The Summer Reading Program, an initiative that is both a call to action and a practical tool for families to keep kids engaged and learning during the summer. The program addresses declining literacy rates among children in the United States and encourages the development of lifelong reading habits.
Adventure, imagination, and discovery await – right between the pages of a book.” — Second Lady Usha Vance
How It Works
- Children read 12 books over the summer.
- For each book, they log the title, author, and dates started/finished in a reading log provided by the White House.
- After finishing, participants submit a form with a summary or drawing about their favorite book.
Rewards
- Every child who completes the challenge receives a personalized certificate and a small prize.
- Participants are entered into a drawing for a chance to visit Washington, D.C. with a chaperone.
Purpose and Impact
The program is designed to:
- Combat the “summer slide” in literacy skills.
- Encourage daily reading as a joyful habit.
- Support academic growth and mental health by promoting empathy, imagination, and resilience.
Available online for families to print materials at home, making the challenge low-cost and straightforward.
Beyond academics, Vance emphasizes that reading supports children’s social and emotional well-being, helping to reduce stress and anxiety. As both a national figure and a mother, she sees the program as a way to inspire kids to rediscover the joy of reading and to provide families with a simple, accessible tool to keep children engaged and learning outside of school.
To log your reading information for Usha Vance’s Summer Reading Challenge, go to the official White House site: whitehouse.gov/read
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