Second lady champions literacy during MacDill AFB youth center visit

Second Lady Usha Vance visited MacDill Air Force Base on June 16, teaming with Blue Star Families, The Walt Disney Company, and the 6th Air Refueling Wing to host a children’s summer reading event that drew about 125 military-connected kids as part of her second annual Summer Reading Challenge. The nationwide literacy push, tied to America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, encourages school-aged children to keep reading through the summer months.

“What an honor to meet many of the brave military families who have sacrificed so much in the service of our country,” Vance said. “Navigating parenting on a military base comes with its own unique challenges, so I am thrilled to partner with and support parents as they help their kids learn and grow over the summer. Our service members and their families empower future generations to lead flourishing lives – a goal I also hope to accomplish through my childhood literacy initiatives.”

Leaders from the 6th Air Refueling Wing joined Vance to spur young readers, with wing commander Col. Edward Szczepanik reading alongside her from “Goodnight, Bruce” by Ryan T. Higgins. Families took home free books, and children joined in activities that included a visit from Mickey Mouse.

“I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Second Lady of the United States, Blue Star Families, The Walt Disney Company, and the many volunteers and partners who made this event possible,” Szczepanik said. “Your commitment to promoting literacy and creating meaningful opportunities for military children and families is making a positive impact at MacDill and beyond. Events like this provide key support to the families that make the mission and defense of our nation possible.”

Blue Star Families CEO and co-founder Kathy Roth-Douquet joined Vance and spoke with parents and children, underscoring the organization’s long-running Blue Star Books partnership with Disney. The program, launched in 2011, has distributed hundreds of thousands of books to military-connected children and expanded earlier this year as part of Disney’s Semiquincentennial efforts.

“We are deeply grateful to Second Lady Usha Vance for shining a national spotlight on military children and the families who serve alongside our service members every day,” said Roth-Douquet. “Through Blue Star Books and the longstanding support of The Walt Disney Company, we help provide comfort, stability, and a love of learning for military children navigating deployments and frequent moves. When military families thrive, our service members can focus on the mission, strengthening the readiness of our All-Volunteer Force.”

The gathering highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in supporting families who face frequent moves, school transitions, and separations during deployments. One attendee, military spouse Whitney Rouse, praised the sense of connection such events create. “I love anything Blue Star Families,” said Whitney Rouse, a military spouse. “They’re so amazing at every duty station we’ve been to. These [events] foster a community where we can meet new people, make friends and have that support that we don’t have anymore because our families are back where we left them.”

More information about Vance’s Summer Reading Challenge is available on the White House website.