St. Peters preschool raises $10,371 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience Preschool in St. Peters East raised $10,371 during its month-long April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort tied classroom learning to philanthropy, giving preschoolers hands-on lessons in kindness, empathy and community service while supporting children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned early childhood education into real-world philanthropy. - Funds raised in St. Peters East will help Make-A-Wish grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The program also taught preschoolers about kindness, empathy and giving back through hands-on participation.

What happened: - Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in St. Peters East raised $10,371 during the preschool’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - The month-long effort supported Make-A-Wish. - The campaign included donations, fundraising events and classroom activities. - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children and took part in compassion-focused lessons.

The details: - Center leaders Erin Hollenbeck, Zula Patel and Marilyn Lockwood guided the campaign. - Philanthropic mascots Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua were part of the activities. - The Learning Experience said the campaign is part of its proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - The curriculum introduces children to kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate experiences. - The company said the campaign helps children understand that small acts of giving can strengthen their communities. - Since 2018, children, families and staff across 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 operates Bubbles and Friends®, an educational media platform with original characters, music, video content and a companion app. - The company says it 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 fundraising campaign doubles as a marketing and mission statement for The Learning Experience. - The effort gives children a direct, memorable way to connect classroom lessons to community service. - The nationwide Make-A-Wish total shows the campaign has become a long-running companywide tradition, not a one-off local event.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue using its annual philanthropy campaign to support Make-A-Wish and reinforce its community-focused curriculum. - Families and staff at other centers may participate in future fundraising cycles as the program continues nationwide.

The bottom line: - A local preschool campaign in St. Peters East raised more than $10,000 and used the moment to teach children how giving back works in practice. - More information is available through the company’s LinkedIn page, Instagram account, Facebook page, YouTube channel and TikTok account.