The Learning Experience Aubrey raises $5,253 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience preschool in Aubrey, Texas, raised $5,253 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign to support Make-A-Wish and children with critical illnesses. The effort used classroom activities, family participation and fundraising events to teach empathy and community service.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned early childhood education into a real-world lesson in kindness, empathy and giving back. - The $5,253 raised will support Make-A-Wish efforts to grant life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The program also shows how local schools can connect classroom learning with community impact.

What happened: - Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Aubrey took part in the center’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” fundraising campaign in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff raised $5,253 over the month-long effort. - The campaign supported Make-A-Wish.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Children joined fundraising events and classroom activities centered on compassion and helping others. - Center leaders Nishith Desai, Cassandra Carrasco and Idalis Villarreal guided the campaign. - The preschool used philanthropic mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua” to bring the effort 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. - Since 2018, children, families and staff across The Learning Experience centers nationwide have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish.

Between the lines: - The campaign reinforces The Learning Experience’s broader mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and communities. - The effort also positions philanthropy as part of the preschool experience, not a separate add-on. - Brad Wahl, chief operating officer of The Learning Experience, said the company aims to provide childcare and early education that goes beyond academics and to inspire the next generation of philanthropists.

What's next: - The annual campaign is expected to continue as part of The Learning Experience’s philanthropy programming. - The broader network of more than 480 open centers and more than 240 locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. may continue expanding the Make-A-Wish fundraising effort. - The Learning Experience will keep pairing early education with community-focused activities through its L.E.A.P.® Curriculum and Bubbles and Friends® media platform.

The bottom line: - The Aubrey preschool raised a modest but meaningful sum while teaching children that small acts of service can have a broader impact.