The Learning Experience (TLE), an early learning academy for children 6 weeks to 6 years old, announced that its TLE Newtown Center is the winner of its annual Outstanding Achievement in Community Service Award.

Danielle Van Riper, TLE Newtown franchise owner, was honored during TLE’s annual convention January 23 to 27, for her wide-ranging philanthropic events to benefit local community and charitable organizations.

TLE partnered with Make-A-Wish to develop the what is believed to be the nation’s first preschool philanthropy curriculum focused on advancing the required skills to properly effect social change by instilling philanthropy into the day-to-day lives of preschoolers through continual acts of charity in their local community, according to TLE.

As part of the program, TLE Newtown recently granted its first “Wish” through Make-A-Wish to a little girl named Aurora who has cancer. Aurora’s wish was to see Mickey Mouse, and so Ms Van Riper and her team worked hard making and selling stars, hosting bake sales, and running profitable lemonade stands. 

“After a year’s worth of hard work and dedication we were able to make little Aurora’s wish come true,” said Ms Van Riper. “With the help of my team, our preschoolers, and the local community, TLE at Newtown was able to send her to Disney World!”

TLE Newtown was up against 120 centers nationwide and was one of only two centers honored with the award.

“The Outstanding Achievement in Community Service Award is for those centers that offer the best support within a community by implementing a project worthy of recognizing and representative of the goodwill of the TLE brand,” said Richard Weissman, president of TLE. “I am so pleased that this award goes to someone who had extraordinary strength and empathy.”