Bethlehem preschool raises $5,000 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience in Bethlehem raised $5,000 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish, combining fundraising with classroom lessons on kindness and empathy. The effort is part of a broader philanthropy curriculum that has helped the company’s centers raise more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2018.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned early childhood education into a real-world lesson in kindness, generosity and community service. - The $5,000 raised helps support Make-A-Wish efforts for children living with critical illnesses. - The fundraiser shows how preschool programs can build empathy while also driving charitable impact.

What happened: - The Learning Experience in Bethlehem raised $5,000 during its month-long “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff contributed through donations, events and classroom activities. - The campaign benefited Make-A-Wish and helped fund life-changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children and took part in hands-on activities tied to the campaign. - Center leaders Nicole Bokan, Megan Sullivan, Sara Baker and Jocelyn Lee guided the effort. - The preschool’s mascots, “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua,” were part of the campaign experience. - The program is 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 Learning Experience said the campaign aligns with its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and the communities it serves. - 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 more than 240 additional locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The company serves children from six weeks to six years old. - The Learning Experience uses its L.E.A.P. Curriculum to support cognitive, social and emotional development. - The company also extends learning through Bubbles and Friends, its educational media platform with original characters, music, video content and a companion app. - 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 Bethlehem campaign is part of a larger national effort, so the local result feeds a long-running companywide charity program. - The model blends fundraising with instruction, which gives the giving effort a built-in educational purpose. - The emphasis on hands-on participation suggests the company is trying to make philanthropy understandable for very young children, not just family donors.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue its annual Make-A-Wish fundraising campaign at other centers. - The company’s broader philanthropy curriculum gives centers a repeatable way to connect classroom learning with community giving. - The nationwide total will likely keep growing as more centers and families participate.