When donors invest in educational freedom, the ripple effects can last for years. Few stories capture that better than Elizabeth “Lizzie” Orlowski’s. As a high school student, Lizzie received a CSFNH Education Tax Credit (ETC) scholarship that allowed her to attend a school where she could thrive. Today she has come full circle, now working at CSFNH to help families access Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs). Her journey mirrors the organization’s own growth from offering only ETC scholarships to now serving thousands of students through both ETC and EFA programs.
A Family at a Crossroads
When Elizabeth “Lizzie” Orlowski was a teenager, her family faced a crossroads. After years of homeschooling, difficult personal circumstances pushed her and her siblings into a public school environment that left them feeling unsupported and misunderstood. With nine children at home and a single mother carrying the weight of it all, Lizzie remembers those years as both formative and deeply challenging.
The turning point came when her mother discovered the Children’s Scholarship Fund New Hampshire (CSFNH). At that time, the organization offered Education Tax Credit (ETC) scholarships, which provide tuition assistance to families who want alternatives to their local public schools. For Lizzie’s family, the support meant the difference between staying stuck and moving forward. With the help of generous donors and the ETC program, Lizzie was able to attend Mount Royal Academy, a small private school where teachers, parents, and peers rallied around her family. The academic rigor challenged her, the community embraced her, and the scholarship opened doors that once seemed firmly closed.
Growth and Change
That was nearly a decade ago. Since then, both Lizzie and CSFNH have grown in ways that mirror each other. Lizzie went on to graduate from college, briefly taught third grade, and ultimately found herself drawn back to the mission that shaped her own life. CSFNH, meanwhile, expanded its reach beyond ETC scholarships. In 2021, the organization was chosen to administer New Hampshire’s new Education Freedom Accounts (EFA) program, which now helps thousands of families access the schooling that works best for them.
Coming Full Circle
Today Lizzie works on staff at CSFNH, supporting families who apply for EFAs. For her, the role is not just a job, but a calling rooted in personal experience. “These kids are my kids, these parents are my parents,” she explains. “I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of a scholarship that changes everything. Now I get to help make that happen for other families.”
The symmetry of her journey is striking. When Lizzie needed help, CSFNH was there with ETC scholarships. Now, as the organization’s mission has expanded to include EFAs, Lizzie is there to welcome new families into the fold. Her story illustrates the long arc of impact: how short-term help for a struggling student can echo years later when that student grows into a leader and advocate for others.
Lizzie’s path highlights the way CSFNH’s programs build on each other over time. As a student, she relied on an ETC scholarship to attend a school where she could thrive. Now, in her role at CSFNH, she helps families apply for EFAs, guiding them through the same kind of life-changing opportunity she once received. Having lived the impact of donor-supported scholarships herself, she knows just how powerful both programs are in opening doors for families.
Living the Mission
In many ways, Lizzie embodies the mission of CSFNH. She is living proof that scholarships don’t just change a school year; they can change a life. And now, working from the inside, she is helping to shape the future of education freedom in New Hampshire, one family at a time.
Lizzie’s journey is proof that educational freedom changes lives long after graduation. Join the Freedom Alumni Network today and help carry that mission forward.
