Robert Duryea | Oppose HB1803

Dear Honorable House Education Committee, My Name is Robert Duryea. I am the father of Trinity Duryea. Trinity was able, through the CSFNH ETC and ESF scholarships combined, to be able to attend St Catherine's Of Sienna, for now her 4th year.. She is now completing the 6th grade. Her private school had changed her life. Instead of being warehoused, ignored, bullied in the public school system, and lack of pleas by myself as her father to protect my daughter, I was ignored. That is when I looked for alternatives and discovered CSFNH. I am on a limited income, a physically disabled father. Without the combination of ETC and ESF scholarships, my daughter's education would have been stagnant. Since first attending starting in 3rd grade, Trinity was able to attain individualized learning, thrive, and attain a grade point average of over 3.9 over the past 3years into her 4th. She was able to play Basketball for now her 4th year, and helped her team win the chamionship scoring almost half the points for the whole year, and win the championship game in the last 3 minutes. Experiences like these boosted her confidence, self worth, which her public schools did not accomplish since pre-K. Without both scholarships she would have to go back into public school. Her current school does not accept bullying and upon anything immediately. Her life has changed with the help of the CSFNH, and the ability to afford her attendance into a more structured private setting. I humbly ask to understand, how supporting both ETC and ESF, for this parent, My daughter, changed her life. She will attend 7th grade in private, but only if both ESF and ETC funds are available together. I am very grateful to CSFNH that made a huge difference in one child's life. Without the ETC and ESF funds available together she would go back to where she is afraid to go based on her exoeriences. She is one child of Many that had opportunity with ability to pay tuition costs, having just one scholarship, I could never afford to put her into 7th grade private.