Second Lady Vance, Astronaut Williams Host NASA Summer Reading Program

Second Lady Usha Vance has been actively promoting literacy through a Summer Reading Challenge launched in early June, encouraging children from kindergarten to eighth grade to read 12 books before early September for a chance to win prizes, including a visit to the White House. Vance emphasized the importance of reading in her own life and urged young participants to embrace imagination and discovery through books during a recent event at NASA's Johnson Space Center, where she was joined by astronaut Suni Williams. The event featured a joint reading of "Margaret and the Moon: How Margaret Hamilton Saved the First Lunar Landing," highlighting the inspiring connection between space exploration and education. The reading initiative comes amid concerning findings from the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress showing that reading scores among fourth and eighth graders have not recovered from declines caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, NASA-related youth programs such as the NASA for Kids series at the Lillian DesMarias Youth Library in Missouri are engaging children and families with free NASA resources and hands-on activities to foster interest in science and space. Both Vance and Williams emphasize the critical role of education and reading in opening doors to future opportunities and inspiring the next generation.