Wixom preschool raises $5,011 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience in Wixom raised $5,011 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign, with preschoolers, families and staff supporting Make-A-Wish through classroom activities and fundraising events. The effort is part of the school’s philanthropy curriculum and broader nationwide giving program, which has raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2018.

Why it matters: - The campaign connected early childhood learning with community giving. - Funds will support Make-A-Wish children living with critical illnesses. - The program taught preschoolers kindness, empathy and service through hands-on participation.

What happened: - The Learning Experience in Wixom raised $5,011 in April during its month-long “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign. - Preschoolers, families and staff contributed through donations, fundraising events and classroom activities. - The campaign benefited Make-A-Wish. - Center leaders Johnny Moussa, Rona Moussa, Nicole Caloia and Hannah Rankin guided the effort. - Philanthropic mascots Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua helped lead activities.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Children also took part in activities focused on compassion and helping others. - Brad Wahl, chief operating officer of The Learning Experience, said the company aims to provide high-quality childcare and early education beyond academics and to inspire the next generation of philanthropists. - The “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign is part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - The curriculum introduces children to 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. - The Learning Experience operates more than 480 centers and has 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 says its L.E.A.P. curriculum supports 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 Wixom campaign is a local example of a broader strategy to blend education with philanthropy. - The program gives children a direct, age-appropriate way to see how fundraising affects real families. - The national total shows the campaign has become a major recurring source of support for Make-A-Wish.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue the annual campaign as part of its philanthropy curriculum. - Additional center-level fundraising efforts could add to the nationwide total in future years. - The company will keep using classroom activities and community events to reinforce the giving message.