GPS Presents COMMUNITY READ: The Promise of a Pencil: How An Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change

Adam Braun began working summers at hedge funds when he was just sixteen years old, sprinting down the path to a successful Wall Street career. But while traveling he met a young boy begging on the streets of India, who after being asked what he wanted most in the world, simply answered, “A pencil.” This small request led to a staggering series of events that took Braun backpacking through dozens of countries before eventually leaving one of the world’s most prestigious jobs to found Pencils of Promise, the organization he started with just $25 that has since built more than 200 schools around the world.

The Promise of a Pencil chronicles Braun’s journey to find his calling, as each chapter explains one clear step that every person can take to turn your biggest ambitions into reality, even if you start with as little as $25. His story takes readers behind the scenes with business moguls and village chiefs, world-famous celebrities and hometown heroes.

Braun graduated from Brown University and has been a frequent speaker delivering an inspiring message on purpose-driven innovation, personal and professional growth, education and sustainability leadership. He avidly engages with his social media following of over 900,000 people and has received the nation’s most prestigious award for public service, the Jefferson Award. Through his work across the full spectrum of education, Braun has combined his passion for mission-driven impact to support children and adults in the pursuit of unlocking their greatest potential.