Mary Grace Nelligan

I am a mother of a student who currently benefits from the EFA and ETC scholarships, and of four other children who previously benefitted from these scholarships. Being a single mother with a low income who pays property taxes, I would not be able to afford to send my children to a private school unless they were offered the assistance of both scholarships. Their education at our private local school has given them outstanding opportunities to grow academically and emotionally due to the high standards and excellence of their school. They have found success in their studies because of the small classes and dedicated teachers which has allowed them to pursue further opportunities of work outside of school to better the community and find a path forward towards their vocations. Prohibiting the use of both scholarships would negatively impact students and prohibit parents like myself to afford the same opportunities as other families in New Hampshire. These scholarships together form a guaranteed avenue for students to grow and make New Hampshire a more strengthened and skilled state. NOT approving this bill would be a greater benefit to New Hampshire families and therefore the entire well-being of our state.