New Tampa preschool raises $10,157 for Make-A-Wish

The Learning Experience in New Tampa raised $10,157 in April through its annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign, with preschoolers, families and staff supporting Make-A-Wish. The effort ties fundraising to early childhood lessons in kindness, empathy and community service.

Why it matters: - The campaign turned a preschool fundraiser into a real-world lesson in generosity and service. - The $10,157 raised will help Make-A-Wish grant wishes for children living with critical illnesses. - The program shows how early childhood education can connect classroom learning with community impact.

What happened: - The Learning Experience in Tampa ran its annual “Let’s Grant Wishes” campaign during April. - Preschoolers, families and staff members raised $10,157 for Make-A-Wish. - The fundraiser was part of the preschool’s philanthropy work and community service curriculum.

The details: - Children took part in fundraising events, classroom activities and letter-writing for wish children. - Center leaders Jhana Pardue, Nadine Box, Dana Dooley, Sonila Duhanxhiu and Patricia Ayala guided the effort. - The preschool’s philanthropic mascots, “Grace the Greyhound” and “Charity Chihuahua,” were part of the campaign. - The Learning Experience’s philanthropy curriculum introduces children to kindness, inclusion, generosity and community service through age-appropriate activities. - The company says the 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 reinforces The Learning Experience’s broader brand message that early education goes beyond academics. - The campaign also functions as a family engagement tool, bringing parents, staff and children into the same charitable effort. - The partnership with Make-A-Wish gives the preschool a visible cause that links local activity in Tampa to a national philanthropy effort.

What’s next: - The Learning Experience is expected to continue the annual Let’s Grant Wishes campaign as part of its nationwide philanthropy program. - The company’s broader expansion remains underway, with more than 480 centers open and over 240 additional locations in development across the U.S. and U.K. - The Learning Experience also continues to extend learning beyond the classroom through its Bubbles and Friends educational media platform.