Talent is universal, but opportunities for that talent are not. That gap between the two is the reason the Light Up the Queen Foundation exists: to provide deeply supported pathways through which Delaware youth can hone their talents and showcase their abilities through skills training, mentored learning, and performance opportunities at local, high-profile venues.
In 2026, the Foundation is proud to support two organizations that are knocking down barriers at opposite ends of the educational spectrum: Kingswood Community Center and The Grand Opera House.
For the Littlest Learners
Music is becoming a developmental superpower at the Kingswood Community Center. Through a partnership with the Wilmington Children’s Chorus, Light Up the Queen Foundation grants are bringing music, movement, and play-based instruction to toddlers as young as 12 months old. Last year alone, the center shattered projections by delivering 90 engaging classes that served over 60 children.
Foundation volunteers witnessed the joy of “Buddy Day” at Kingswood, when preschoolers are mentored by older kids from the Neighborhood Choir, creating a chain of inspiration that starts in diapers and potentially lasts a lifetime through their love of music.
For Students Ready to Explore
Meanwhile, at The Grand Opera House, the “Stages of Discovery” program offers students incredible live theater experiences. But such opportunities mean nothing if students cannot get to the venue. Light Up the Queen Foundation grants are solving this very real logistical problem. In 2024-2025, the Foundation awarded grants that helped to offset admission costs for 1,306 students, and subsidized bus transportation to these live performances for 252 students who otherwise would not have been able to attend.
From the first beat on a drum at Kingswood Community Center to the hush of the crowd at The Grand, your support ensures that no child in Wilmington is left out of the audience.
