Wake Forest preschool raises $25,123 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience in Wake Forest, North Carolina, raised $25,123 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The fundraiser blended classroom activities with donations and events to teach preschoolers compassion while helping grant wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned a preschool fundraiser into support for children with critical illnesses through Make-A-Wish. - The effort also used hands-on activities to teach young children kindness, empathy and community service. - The fundraiser shows how early childhood education can connect classroom lessons to real-world giving.

What happened: - Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Wake Forest raised $25,123 during the school’s month-long “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - The money went to Make-A-Wish to help grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The campaign included donations, fundraising events and classroom activities.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children as part of the campaign. - Center leaders Mariluz Santiago, Marcia Hinton, Charlie Puchakayala and Jeetu Kancharla guided the effort. - The school’s philanthropic mascots, Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua, were part of the activities. - The campaign is part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - That curriculum introduces kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate experiences. - The preschool said the campaign helps children understand that small acts of giving can strengthen communities. - 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 fundraiser supports The Learning Experience’s broader mission to make a positive difference for children, families and communities. - The campaign also serves as a branding and values exercise, linking early education with philanthropy. - The company is using a local preschool event to reinforce a national giving program with measurable results.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is expected to continue its annual Make-A-Wish fundraising campaign across its centers. - The company will likely keep using its philanthropy curriculum to connect classroom learning with community service. - The wider network of more than 480 open centers and more than 240 locations in development gives the program room to grow.

The bottom line: - A Wake Forest preschool raised $25,123 for Make-A-Wish while teaching children that giving back can have a real impact.