At the Children’s Scholarship Fund (CSF), we’re honored to stand with the parents and students who have fought, hoped, and planned for this day. Because now, educational freedom belongs to every New Hampshire family.
When Isabella Ciriello looks back on her early high school experience, one thing stands out: she didn’t feel like she was learning.
“I wasn’t challenged,” she remembers. “It felt like I was just going through the motions. I wasn’t reaching my full potential.” Despite her natural curiosity and drive, Isabella felt stuck in an environment where lessons felt more like worksheets than engagement, and where the connection between students and teachers was thin at best.
Her father, John Ciriello, noticed it too. As a single parent and sole provider, he watched his daughter come home discouraged – feeling unsupported, uninspired, and unmotivated. “She used to complain that there was no purpose in the curriculum,” he says. “It was just handed out, not taught.”
So they took a leap. Isabella applied to Tilton School, a local independent school known for academic rigor and strong mentorship, even though neither of them believed it was financially possible. That’s when they learned about New Hampshire’s Education Freedom Account (EFA) program – a statewide initiative that allows eligible families to access funds for approved educational expenses, including private school tuition, tutoring, instructional materials, and more.
To their surprise, the Ciriellos qualified for an account.
“I still remember how shocked we were,” Isabella says. “That’s when everything changed.”
Today, Isabella is thriving at Tilton School, where the smaller class sizes mean more individual attention and her teachers know her – not just as a student, but as a person. She just completed her junior year. She’s no longer shy. In fact, she enjoys making new friends and speaking in front of a classroom – something she never thought she’d be confident enough to do.
And her academic growth? It’s undeniable. “I’ve won awards for my hard work,” Isabella says proudly. “I just made National Honor Society.” She’s involved in clubs, service projects, weekend events, and sports. The school, she says, has become a full part of her life – not just something she attends during the day.
For John, the transformation has been emotional. “She used to dread school,” he recalls. “Now she looks forward to it. Her attitude completely changed. She’s blossomed – socially, emotionally, academically. Instead of isolating in her room, she stays on campus, gets involved, and connects with her community.”
That transformation goes beyond academics. It’s about confidence. It’s about purpose. And it’s about building a future.
“Having an Education Freedom Account showed me that no goal is out of reach,” Isabella says. “You should never give up before you even try. I never expected to be in a school like this. But now I am – and I know it’s preparing me for whatever comes next.”
For John, the gratitude runs deep. “Education is the single most important gift a child can receive,” he says. “It’s something no one can ever take away from her. The intensity of her school work is preparing her for college, for adult life, for the high expectations that come next. Without the EFA, this simply wouldn’t have been possible for us.”
Critics of the program sometimes claim EFAs only help families who were already in private schools, or that they aren’t necessary. But Isabella and her dad are living proof of a different reality.
“They don’t understand what families like ours go through,” Isabella says. “I came from public school. This has changed my life. I am a different person than I would have been without this opportunity.”
John puts it even more bluntly: “Unless you’ve lived it, it’s hard to understand. As a single parent, there’s no way I could have provided this kind of education without help. But thanks to the EFA, my daughter has a chance at a better life. And that affects more than just her – it affects our whole family, and future generations too.”
To everyone who made the EFA program possible, Isabella and John have just two words: thank you.
“You’re not just funding education,” Isabella says. “You’re helping kids who want to do better, and giving them the chance to do it.”
“You’re changing lives,” John echoes. “This kind of support doesn’t just help a single student – it builds a stronger future for everyone around them.”
Want to learn more about how EFAs are opening doors for families like the Ciriellos? Visit our website to explore eligibility, understand how the program works, or hear more real stories from New Hampshire families.
