CHICAGO DEFENDER
April 21, 2024
Nicole Joseph
Excitement filled the air at Brunson Math & Science Specialty School as Daymond John, renowned entrepreneur, philanthropist, and Shark Tank’s very own, prepared to ignite students, faculty and staff’s entrepreneurial spirits.
The event opened with words of gratitude and acknowledgment as Chicago’s Mayor, Brandon Johnson, shared the students’ joy and eagerness to participate in the day’s activities, creating an atmosphere buzzing with anticipation.
While Daymond John is widely known for his entrepreneurial success with the fashion brand FUBU (For Us By Us) and his role as an investor on ABC’s Shark Tank, his latest venture, “Little Daymond Learns to Earn,” holds special significance. In this children’s book, inspired by his daughter, John imparts the importance of entrepreneurship in a manner easily understood by young readers.
Throughout the event, John and Mayor Johnson read pages of “Little Daymond Learns to Earn!” with the students. Students shouted ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE as they counted Little Daman’s earnings. John’s visit to Brunson Elementary was about more than just reading his book; it was about breaking stigmas and empowering Chicago’s youth to dream big!
Thanks to the generous donation of 4,000 books by Scott and Amy Madden, each child at Brunson Elementary received a free book! Madden, whose own children attended CPS, was thrilled to contribute to the positive impact these books will have on young readers.
Before John took the mic to share his new book, Lawrence Balark, Brunson Elementary School librarian, enthusiastically emphasized the importance of literacy.
Balark and Principal Dr. Carol Wilson had recently reopened the school’s library after a period of closure.
Through the CPS Library Cohort program, which provides free training for CPS workers to earn their Illinois library media endorsement, many teachers across the Chicagoland area, like Lawrence, are equipped to support student learning.
Dr. Wilson reflected on the significance of John’s visit, noting that it was a day to teach the children about entrepreneurship and that anything they can dream of can become a business. Who says kids have to wait until they’re older to dream big and embark on their entrepreneurship journey?
