Fairfax preschool raises $5,060 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience preschool in Fairfax raised $5,060 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The fundraiser tied early childhood learning to philanthropy by teaching children kindness and community service while helping grant wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The Fairfax campaign turned a preschool fundraiser into a real-world lesson in empathy, generosity and community service. - The $5,060 raised will support Make-A-Wish’s work for children living with critical illnesses. - The effort also shows how early childhood programs can connect classroom learning with charitable giving.

What happened: - Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Fairfax took part in the annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign during April. - Children, families and staff raised $5,060 for Make-A-Wish. - The fundraiser included donations, events and classroom activities. - The campaign ran for one month.

The details: - Center leaders Grace Huxtable-Mount, PhD, Jason Mount, Trinace Grant, Kaitlin Kellison and Ebony Malave guided the campaign. - The preschool’s philanthropic mascots, “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua,” also helped lead the effort. - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Preschoolers took part in fundraising events tied to compassion and helping others. - Classroom lessons focused on kindness, empathy and service. - 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. - The Learning Experience said the campaign reflects its mission to make a positive difference for children, families and communities. - Since 2018, The Learning Experience centers nationwide have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish.

Between the lines: - The campaign gives The Learning Experience a way to reinforce its brand promise with visible local action. - The fundraiser also helps children connect abstract values like compassion to concrete behavior. - The nationwide total suggests the Fairfax event is part of a larger, long-running partnership rather than a one-off drive. - Brad Wahl, chief operating officer of The Learning Experience, said the company is committed to early education that goes beyond academics and wants to inspire the next generation of philanthropists.

What's next: - The Learning Experience will likely continue the annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign across its centers. - The company will keep using its philanthropy curriculum to pair learning with service. - Make-A-Wish will continue benefiting from donations raised through participating centers.

The bottom line: - The Fairfax preschool raised money for Make-A-Wish while teaching young children that giving back can be part of everyday learning.