Stoughton preschool raises $6,904 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience in Stoughton, Massachusetts, raised $6,904 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign to support Make-A-Wish and teach children philanthropy through hands-on activities. The effort is part of a broader curriculum that has helped The Learning Experience centers nationwide raise more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2018.

Why it matters: - The campaign ties early childhood education to real-world giving, helping preschoolers practice kindness, empathy and community service. - The funds support Make-A-Wish and help grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The program also shows families how classroom learning can extend into philanthropy.

What happened: - Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Stoughton raised $6,904 during the month-long campaign in April. - The fundraiser was the center’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign benefiting Make-A-Wish. - Children took part in letters, fundraising events and classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - Center leaders Latoya Jones-Tuggle and Sydney Small guided the campaign, along with the mascot characters Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua.

The details: - The campaign used hands-on activities to teach age-appropriate lessons about kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service. - The Learning Experience says the fundraiser reflects its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and communities. - Brad Wahl, chief operating officer of The Learning Experience, said the company is committed to childcare and early education that goes beyond academics and wants to inspire the next generation of philanthropists. - The company’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum is built around participation and service rather than passive lessons. - Since 2018, children, families and staff across The Learning Experience centers have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish. - The Learning Experience says it 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 operates Bubbles and Friends, an educational media platform with original characters, music, video content and a companion app.

Between the lines: - The campaign is as much about character-building as fundraising, using a charity partnership to make abstract values concrete for young children. - The Stoughton effort fits into a larger national push that gives The Learning Experience a visible community-service angle alongside its education brand. - The scale of the nationwide Make-A-Wish fundraising suggests the program has become a recurring part of the company’s identity, not a one-off event.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue the annual campaign at centers nationwide as part of its philanthropy curriculum. - The Stoughton center can use this year’s result to reinforce future classroom lessons and community participation. - Make-A-Wish will continue to benefit from donations generated through the company’s network of centers.

The bottom line: - A local preschool fundraiser in Stoughton turned into a broader lesson in empathy, while adding to a multimillion-dollar national effort for Make-A-Wish.