Second lady Usha Vance is offering students a new incentive to pick up a book this summer, unveiling a prize website Wednesday for children who complete her 2026 summer reading challenge.
This is the second year of Vance’s summer reading challenge, and now students have an “expanded prize selection” to choose from upon completing the program.
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“Reading is its own reward, but I’m excited to announce that kids who participate in my Summer Reading Challenge will also receive fun prizes this summer,” Vance said in a statement. “Congratulations to everyone who has already completed the Challenge — enjoy picking out something special on the new prize website!”
“And if you haven’t started, there’s still plenty of time to make this the best summer of reading yet,” Vance added.
Students can select a reward from the online prize shop after they submit their reading log and reflection.
Students who complete the reading challenge can earn rewards from several well-known brands that partnered with the second lady’s initiative. Crayola is offering admission to the Crayola Experience in Florida or Pennsylvania and a set of markers, Dairy Queen is providing a $10 gift card, and Wendy’s is giving participants a coupon for a free Frosty.
Students who complete the challenge will also receive a personalized certificate, a letter from the second lady, an America 250-themed bookmark created in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts, and an entry into a raffle for a White House visit, according to the announcement.
The challenge tasks children from kindergarten through eighth grade to read 12 books of their choice throughout the summer and submit a reading log to receive prizes from the program’s partners.
Vance created the summer reading challenge ahead of summer 2025 as part of her broader focus on childhood literacy and addressing declining summer reading rates.
In 2024, literacy levels over the summer worsened, and reading proficiency levels decreased by 31% for fourth graders and 30% for eighth graders, according to the press release.
As part of these efforts to address childhood literacy, the second lady also launched a storytime podcast in March, where she reads children’s stories or invites a special guest to read. Some guests who have appeared on the podcast include her husband, Vice President JD Vance, and President Donald Trump.
In the pilot summer reading program, over 20,000 students submitted reading logs, and this year’s submissions currently triple the number received this time last year, according to the press release.
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This year’s challenge also differs from the pilot program in that there is greater “participation access” for children with learning and development differences, as well as partnerships with schools, libraries, and community organizations across the country.
There are also “special momentos” gifted to participants this year to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary.
