SHREWSBURY, Mass. - Students at a local preschool are learning some early and important life lessons on kindness by helping out the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

At The Learning Experience in Shrewsbury, teachers like Grace Giangaspro are helping their students write letters, create artwork and learn the value of giving back. It’s all part of the school’s philanthropy curriculum, led by two characters who help Giangaspro teach these lessons — "Charity Chihuahua" and "Grace the Greyhound."

“The whole month, I’ll bring those characters to circle time every day, and they know exactly what I’m going to be talking about,” Giangaspro said. “And then when I ask them questions, they’re so open telling me what they did at home and what they’ve done here to be kind today.”

The Learning Experience has locations throughout the country, and last month they managed to raise more than $2 million for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Meghan Ward, Area Center director, said students also helped out on fundraising events.

“All the schools have worked really, really hard to grant those wishes, it really means a lot to us because we can give back to the community and give back to the children who have critical illnesses,” Ward said. “In general, it’s a really cool thing to see children helping children.”

And while these kids have helped make a difference for others with Make-A-Wish, Giangaspro said her students have also taken this spirit of giving back outside the classroom and beyond the project.

“I had a child just the other day and we were talking about what we donate, and he actually came up to me and said ‘Mrs. Grace, I just went and donated some of my books and one of my toys,” Giangaspro said.

Giangaspro said kindness, helping others and giving back are valuable life lessons which will serve these kids well for years to come.

“It’s working, and that makes my heart soar because you know what is so important right now? To show that kindness, that empathy,” Giangaspro said. “And these kids are empathetic now more than ever.”