Wall preschool raises $10,082 for Make-A-Wish

Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Wall Township raised $10,082 during an April campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort tied fundraising to early childhood lessons on kindness, empathy and community service.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned a local preschool fundraiser into real support for children with critical illnesses. - The effort also used everyday classroom activities to teach young children about kindness, generosity and service. - The campaign shows how early childhood education can connect learning with community impact.

What happened: - The Learning Experience in Wall Township, New Jersey, raised $10,082 during its month-long “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff raised the money for Make-A-Wish. - The fundraiser was part of the preschool’s annual philanthropy effort. - Center leaders Jamie Atkinson, Stacey Barry, Jacqueline Lara and Ashleigh Venezia guided the program. - Philanthropic mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua” were part of the campaign.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Preschoolers took part in fundraising events. - Classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - The 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 activities. - The company says the program helps children see that small acts of giving can strengthen their communities. - 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 operates more than 480 centers and has 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 extends learning through Bubbles and Friends, an educational media platform with original characters, music, video content and a companion app. - The company 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 fundraiser doubles as a marketing story and a values lesson, linking community philanthropy to the school’s educational brand. - The scale of the national Make-A-Wish effort suggests the campaign has become a recurring part of the company’s identity, not a one-off event. - Brad Wahl, chief operating officer of The Learning Experience, said the company aims to provide childcare and early education that goes beyond academics. - Wahl said the partnership with Make-A-Wish is meant to create a meaningful difference while inspiring the next generation of philanthropists.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue its annual Make-A-Wish fundraising campaign at centers nationwide. - The Wall Township preschool will likely keep using the philanthropy curriculum in classroom activities and community events. - The company will continue to promote its mission of community impact alongside early childhood education.

The bottom line: - A preschool fundraiser in Wall Township became both a local donation drive and a lesson in empathy, with children helping raise more than $10,000 for Make-A-Wish.