NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Canton, GA, August 25, 2025: Second Lady Usha Vance visited Cherokee Classical Academy in Canton on Thursday, August 21, as part of her nationwide Summer Reading Challenge initiative. The program is designed to help children build stronger literacy skills and discover the joy of reading.
During her visit, Mrs. Vance joined students in a classroom reading session and spoke about the importance of books in a world filled with digital distractions. “Reading opens doors—not only to education, but to imagination, opportunity, and achievement,” she told students and teachers.
The Cherokee Classical Academy, which enforces a no-cellphone policy during school hours, provided a fitting backdrop for her message of encouraging children to spend less time on screens and more time with books.
Launched in June 2025, the Summer Reading Challenge invites students in kindergarten through eighth grade across the United States to read 12 books between June and September. Children can choose titles from a suggested reading list or select their own, as long as they are age-appropriate.
Parents and teachers can help students log their progress using an online tracker available on the official White House Reading Challenge website, or by using reading journals and “reading passports” distributed at some schools and libraries.
Children who complete the challenge will receive a certificate signed by the Second Lady. Top readers may also be recognized with a special invitation to Washington, D.C., for a literacy celebration later this year.
Families can also follow weekly reading prompts and tips online, and share their children’s progress on social media using the hashtag #ReadWithUsha.
Mrs. Vance, the first Indian American and Hindu to serve as Second Lady of the United States, said she was inspired by her own children’s love of books. “It’s amazing how reading together builds curiosity and imagination,” she noted.
The Summer Reading Challenge continues through September, with schools and libraries nationwide taking part. Summer Reading Challenge – The White House
