Supporters filled the room on September 18 as the Children’s Scholarship Fund New Hampshire (CSFNH) hosted its Fall Donor Appreciation Reception at the Colby Hill Inn in Henniker – a night of gratitude, celebration, and education freedom. The evening honored the generosity of donors who make Education Tax Credit (ETC) scholarships possible and celebrated the momentum of New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) program. At the heart of the evening were two champions whose leadership has shaped opportunity for families across the State Representative Glenn Cordelli, recipient of the Freedom to Thrive Award, and Commissioner Frank Edelblut, recipient of the Live Free and Learn Champion Award.
New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Moment
At CSFNH, our mission is simple but profound: to ensure every family can access the education that fits their child best. Through ETC scholarships and EFAs, thousands of students have found schools, programs, and learning environments where they can thrive – regardless of income or zip code. Families use these supports for tuition, curriculum, tutoring, and therapies that otherwise would be out of reach.
New Hampshire’s EFA program – enacted in 2021 and expanded in 2025 through SB 295 – has quickly become a national model for choice. SB 295 removed income caps, and established a 10,000-student enrollment limit with priority tiers. The result is a program that balances wide access with strong accountability. At every step of this progress, leaders like Rep. Cordelli and Commissioner Edelblut have been essential – turning policy debates into lasting opportunities for families.
Freedom to Thrive Award: Representative Glenn Cordelli
Representative Glenn Cordelli has been a steady hand on education policy since first winning election in 2012. Serving Carroll County communities including Ossipee, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro, he has held key leadership roles – formerly Vice Chair of the House Education Committee and now Chair of the Education Policy and Administration Committee. Across those roles, he helped turn school choice from rhetoric into workable policy, with a focus on parental rights, student-centered funding, and clear accountability.
Cordelli has championed practical expansions to education choice programs, protections and services for students with disabilities, and support for homeschooling – always with the view that student needs come first. He worked to advance and defend Education Freedom Accounts and to strengthen the Education Tax Credit scholarship program so families have real, usable options, not just promises.
In reflecting on the honor afterward, Rep. Cordelli shared, “For more than a decade, I’ve listened to parents from Ossipee, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro who want one thing – a fair chance for their child. Education freedom is not theory. It is accountability that begins at the kitchen table, where a mother or father can say this is not working and choose what does. Our goal is simple: every student deserves the education option that meets their needs. So we strengthened scholarships, implemented and defended Education Freedom Accounts, supported homeschooling, and opened new pathways so opportunity – not a line on a map – decides a child’s future. If we keep parents and students at the center, New Hampshire will keep leading, and more children will turn struggle into progress.”
Beyond the State House, Cordelli is a longtime Tuftonboro resident, a husband, and a father of three. His background in technology informs his interest in transparency, results, and flexible pathways for learning – the same qualities families say they value when EFAs and scholarships open doors for their children.
Live Free and Learn Champion Award: Commissioner Frank Edelblut
Frank Edelblut served as New Hampshire’s Commissioner of Education from 2017 to 2025 and became a defining voice for education freedom. A former CPA, CFO, entrepreneur, and state representative, he helped move Education Freedom Accounts from a legislative concept to a working program in partnership with CSFNH and other approved scholarship organizations. He also advanced initiatives such as Learn Everywhere, competency-based education, and performance-based assessments to broaden pathways for students statewide.
Outside his public role, Edelblut is married to Kathleen and is the father of seven; he and his wife homeschooled their children, an experience that shaped his focus on family-centered choice. He lives in Wilton, where he has served as a local water commissioner. Before public service, he founded and later sold Control Solutions International, then continued as an early-stage investor. He also holds a master’s in theological studies from Hellenic College Holy Cross and has competed in endurance events including triathlons and Nordic skiing.
Following the event, Edelblut expressed his gratitude, saying “Thank you for this honor. I accept it with gratitude and with the knowledge that nothing we celebrate tonight was achieved by one person. EFAs exist because New Hampshire families spoke up with clear and persistent voices. They asked us to build a system that recognizes the dignity of each child and the wisdom of parents. My job was to listen, to remove barriers, and to invite partners to help build something accountable, transparent, and worthy of the trust taxpayers place in us. Freedom in education is not freedom from responsibility. It is freedom ordered toward a purpose: students who flourish, parents who are empowered, educators who can say yes to what works. I am proud of what we built together and mindful of the work still ahead. May we continue to put families at the center and keep the focus where it belongs: on the growth and potential of every child.”
A night of gratitude and forward momentum
The Donor Appreciation Reception was also, at its heart, a thank-you to the ETC scholarship donors whose generosity continues to change lives. Every scholarship granted and every account opened begins with their investment. For students across the Granite State, that investment means more than access to a different school – it means confidence, belonging, and a brighter future.
As we honored Rep. Glenn Cordelli and Commissioner Frank Edelblut, we were reminded that the promise of educational freedom becomes reality when leadership and generosity meet. With champions like Cordelli and Edelblut (and with donors like you) New Hampshire is showing the nation what education freedom looks like when communities, leaders, and families work together.
Congratulations to our award recipients, and thank you to every donor, partner, and advocate who makes this mission possible. Together, we are building a future where every child can learn, grow, and thrive in the setting that fits them best.
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