SOUTH CAROLINA — South Carolina students still have time to turn their summer reading into prizes — and even a chance to visit the White House.
Second Lady Usha Vance announced Wednesday the launch of a new online prize portal for the 2026 Summer Reading Challenge, allowing children in kindergarten through eighth grade to choose a reward after completing the program’s reading requirements.
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The nationwide initiative encourages students to read 12 books during summer break in an effort to combat the well-documented “summer slide,” when reading skills can decline while school is out.
“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.”
Students who complete the challenge by submitting an online reading log and a brief reflection can choose from dozens of rewards donated by national organizations and businesses.
Available prizes include Crayola markers, Walmart and Dairy Queen gift cards, a Wendy’s Frosty coupon, Scholastic books, NASA-themed patches and stickers, Scouting America reading patches, tickets to the Crayola Experience in Florida or Pennsylvania and admission to the National Children’s Museum in Washington, D.C.
Participants also receive a personalized certificate of completion, 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 visit to the White House.
The program comes as educators continue working to improve reading proficiency among students. According to the White House, 2024 testing found that 31% of fourth graders and 30% of eighth graders were not reading at proficient levels, with summer learning loss contributing to those challenges.
The challenge proved popular during its inaugural year, with more than 20,000 students submitting reading logs during the 2025 pilot program. White House officials said participation in this year’s program has already reached three times the level recorded at the same point last summer.
Organizers have also expanded the 2026 challenge by increasing the number of available prizes, strengthening partnerships with schools, libraries and community organizations, improving accessibility for children with learning and developmental differences and incorporating America’s upcoming 250th anniversary into the program.
South Carolina families have until Sept. 4 to complete and submit the Summer Reading Challenge. Children who have not yet started can still qualify by reading 12 books before the deadline. Visit wh.gov/read for more information.
Where do I find 12 books?
Need ideas for your child’s 12-book reading list? Amazon offers thousands of bestselling children’s books, boxed sets and age-specific summer reading collections, while Walmart carries budget-friendly picture books, chapter books and educational activity books that can help young readers complete the challenge before the Sept. 4 deadline.
- View children’s books from Amazon for as low as $5 at the link
- View children’s books from Walmart for as low as $5 at this link.
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