Davenport preschool raises $5,000 for Make-A-Wish

Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Davenport, Florida, raised $5,000 in April through the center’s annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort tied fundraising to lessons on kindness, empathy and community service while adding to a national total that has topped $11.5 million since 2018.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned a classroom fundraiser into direct support for children with critical illnesses. - The effort also used early education to teach kindness, generosity and community service through real-world participation. - The fundraiser added to a national giving total that has exceeded $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2018.

What happened: - Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Davenport, Florida, raised $5,000 during the center’s monthlong Let’s Grant Wishes campaign in April. - The money supports Make-A-Wish and helps grant life-changing wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - Preschoolers, families and staff took part in the campaign through donations, fundraising events and classroom activities.

The details: - Center leaders Raquel Martinez, Ambrianna Jones and Victoria Lopez guided the campaign. - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Children also worked with philanthropic mascots Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua. - Classroom activities focused on compassion and helping others. - The Learning Experience said the campaign reflects its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and communities. - The campaign is part of the company’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - The curriculum introduces children to kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate experiences. - The Learning Experience said children learn that small acts of giving can strengthen their communities. - The company operates more than 480 centers and has more than 240 additional locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The Learning Experience serves children from six weeks to six years old. - The company’s L.E.A.P.® Curriculum focuses on cognitive, social and emotional development. - Its Bubbles and Friends® media platform includes 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 Davenport fundraiser shows how franchised preschool networks can use local campaigns to reinforce brand mission while driving charitable giving. - The program also gives young children an early, hands-on introduction to civic participation, not just classroom learning. - The national fundraising total suggests the campaign has become a durable part of The Learning Experience’s identity, not a one-off event.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is expected to continue its annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign at centers nationwide. - The company will likely keep using philanthropy as part of its early childhood education model. - The Davenport center may repeat similar community-focused activities that connect classroom learning with service.