Glastonbury preschool raises $6,102 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience Preschool in Glastonbury raised $6,102 in April through its annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The fundraiser tied hands-on philanthropy lessons to real-world giving, showing how early education programs can teach kindness while supporting children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The fundraiser turns early childhood education into a hands-on lesson in empathy, generosity and community service. - The $6,102 raised will help Make-A-Wish grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The campaign shows how classroom philanthropy can create a direct local impact while reinforcing social-emotional learning.

What happened: - The Learning Experience in Glastonbury ran its annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign during April. - Preschoolers, families and staff members raised $6,102 for Make-A-Wish. - The effort included donations, fundraising events and classroom activities. - Children also wrote encouraging letters to wish children.

The details: - Center leaders Angelica Vega, Kayla Velazquez and Vid Mitta guided the campaign. - Philanthropic mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua” helped bring the activities to life. - The campaign is part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - The curriculum introduces kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate experiences. - The preschool said the program helps children understand that small acts of giving can 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 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 operates Bubbles and Friends®, an 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 campaign blends fundraising with practical lessons that children can see and participate in directly. - The model gives families and staff a shared way to support a charity while reinforcing the preschool’s brand promise around purposeful learning. - The nationwide Make-A-Wish total suggests the campaign has become a durable part of The Learning Experience’s philanthropy strategy.

What's next: - The Learning Experience will continue using its philanthropy curriculum to connect classroom learning with community service. - Future annual campaigns are likely to keep pairing child-friendly activities with Make-A-Wish fundraising. - The company will keep expanding its footprint as more centers open in the U.S. and U.K.

The bottom line: - In Glastonbury, a preschool fundraiser became both a donation drive and a lesson in kindness.