Huntington Beach preschool raises $5,198 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience in Huntington Beach raised $5,198 during its April “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign for Make-A-Wish. The fundraiser mixed classroom activities with family participation to teach preschoolers kindness and philanthropy while helping grant wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign tied early childhood education to real-world philanthropy. - The $5,198 raised will support Make-A-Wish efforts for children living with critical illnesses. - The fundraiser also gave preschoolers a hands-on lesson in kindness, empathy and community service.

What happened: - Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Huntington Beach took part in the center’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff raised $5,198 for Make-A-Wish. - The campaign included donations, fundraising events and classroom activities.

The details: - Center leaders Martha Gonzalez and Araceli Navarrete guided the campaign. - The preschool’s philanthropic mascots, Grace the Greyhound and Charity Chihuahua, helped bring the effort to life. - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Children also participated in activities focused on compassion and helping others. - The campaign is part of The Learning Experience’s proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - That 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 have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish.

Between the lines: - The fundraiser shows how The Learning Experience uses community campaigns to reinforce lessons taught in the classroom. - The effort also gives the company a visible local example of a broader national philanthropy program. - The fundraising total is modest compared with the national figure, but the educational value appears to be a key part of the model.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is likely to continue the annual campaign as part of its philanthropy program. - The company’s broader network of more than 480 open centers and 240 additional locations in development suggests more fundraising potential ahead. - The Learning Experience will keep using hands-on service projects to connect learning with community impact.

The bottom line: - The Huntington Beach preschool turned a charity drive into a lesson in empathy, while sending cash to Make-A-Wish and reinforcing the company’s community mission.