Lee's Summit preschool raises $6,666 for Make-A-Wish

Preschoolers, families and staff at The Learning Experience in Lee's Summit raised $6,666 during an April fundraising campaign for Make-A-Wish. The effort tied early childhood learning to kindness and service while supporting wishes for children with critical illnesses.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned a local preschool fundraiser into direct support for Make-A-Wish and children living with critical illnesses. - The effort also used classroom activities to teach empathy, generosity and community service at an early age. - The Learning Experience has made philanthropy part of its education model, linking fundraising with real-world lessons for children and families.

What happened: - Preschoolers at The Learning Experience in Lee's Summit, Missouri, raised $6,666 during the center’s annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign. - The fundraiser ran for a month in April. - Preschoolers, families and staff members contributed through donations, events and classroom activities. - The campaign benefited Make-A-Wish.

The details: - Children wrote encouraging letters to wish children. - Children also took part in fundraising events and classroom lessons centered on compassion and helping others. - Center leaders Kelly Winton, Randy Winton, Lindsay McCorkendale and Mary Maloid guided the effort. - Philanthropic mascots “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua” also helped bring the campaign to life. - The Learning Experience said the fundraiser reflects its mission to make a positive difference in the lives of children, families and communities. - The company said the campaign is part of its proprietary philanthropy curriculum. - That curriculum introduces children to kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate experiences. - The company said its hands-on approach helps children understand that small acts of giving can strengthen communities. - Since 2018, The Learning Experience centers nationwide have raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish.

Between the lines: - The fundraiser is also a branding play for The Learning Experience, showing how the company positions early education as both academic and character-building. - The Make-A-Wish partnership gives the curriculum a tangible outcome, which may help families and centers see direct impact from participation. - The program uses children’s involvement to connect classroom learning with visible community service, which can deepen engagement beyond standard preschool activities.

What's next: - The Learning Experience is expected to continue its annual Make-A-Wish fundraising campaign at centers nationwide. - The company will likely keep using philanthropy activities as part of its early childhood curriculum. - The broader network of more than 480 centers and over 240 additional locations in development gives the campaign room to scale further.

The bottom line: - A local preschool fundraiser in Lee's Summit became part of a larger nationwide effort that has raised more than $11.5 million for Make-A-Wish since 2018.