The Learning Experience preschool raises $6,391 for Make-A-Wish

Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in South Brunswick Township, New Jersey, raised $6,391 during an April campaign for Make-A-Wish. The fundraiser doubled as a classroom lesson in kindness and philanthropy while supporting wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned early childhood education into a real-world lesson in empathy, generosity and community service. - The $6,391 raised will support Make-A-Wish’s work for children living with critical illnesses. - The effort shows how a local preschool can connect classroom learning to measurable charitable impact.

What happened: - Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in South Brunswick Township, New Jersey, took part in the school’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” fundraiser. - The monthlong campaign ran in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff raised $6,391 for Make-A-Wish. - The fundraiser was led at the center by Jasmine Cepero and Megan Bleacher. - The campaign featured philanthropic mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua.”

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Preschoolers joined fundraising events tied to the campaign. - Classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - The campaign was part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - That curriculum introduces children to kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate experiences. - The company said the program is designed to teach children that small acts of giving can help others and strengthen communities. - Since 2018, The Learning Experience centers nationwide have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish. - The Learning Experience has more than 480 centers open and over 240 additional locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The company serves children from 6 weeks to 6 years old. - The Learning Experience also uses its L.E.A.P.® Curriculum to support cognitive, social and emotional development. - Beyond the classroom, the company extends learning through Bubbles and Friends®, its educational media platform. - The Learning Experience has been recognized as the No. 1 Childcare Franchise by Entrepreneur magazine and the No. 1 Education Franchise by Franchise Business Review.

Between the lines: - The fundraiser is as much a brand and culture play as a charity drive. - The Learning Experience is using philanthropy to reinforce its broader education mission and distinguish its preschool model. - The program gives young children a tangible way to understand service, rather than learning those values only in theory.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue its annual Make-A-Wish campaign as part of its philanthropy curriculum. - Similar center-based fundraisers could keep expanding the company’s national total beyond the current $11.5 million mark. - Families and staff at future centers may keep combining donations, events and classroom activities to support local wish-granting efforts.