When Caitlin de Beer was preparing to enter high school, her family was grappling with the heartbreak of her father’s ALS diagnosis and the mounting financial challenges that followed. The plan had been for her to attend Nashua South, their local public high school. But in the wake of personal tragedy and the uncertainty of COVID-19, her family hoped to preserve one source of stability: a values-based, faith-driven education like the one she’d experienced at Presentation of Mary Academy.
That next step – Bishop Guertin High School – seemed like the right fit. But for a newly widowed mother raising two daughters on a single income, it felt entirely out of reach.
It was the Education Freedom Account (EFA) program that made it possible. And for Caitlin, it changed everything.
EFAs are sometimes misunderstood as a luxury for families with means. Still, in Caitlin’s case, it served exactly the kind of family these scholarships are designed to support: one navigating hardship, seeking stability, and striving to match a child’s needs with the right environment. The program gave them access to a school that challenged Caitlin academically, surrounded her with mentors, and helped her discover both purpose and direction during some of the hardest years of her life.
Caitlin’s education had begun at Presentation of Mary Academy, a small Catholic elementary and middle school that became a second home. “We were immediately comforted by the warm, welcoming environment and the high standard of teaching,” her mother Suzanne recalls. “It was a place where Caitlin truly thrived.”
In 2017, that world was upended. Caitlin’s father was diagnosed with ALS – a terminal, degenerative disease. Two years later, he was medically retired. Suzanne suddenly found herself a full-time caregiver, and eventually, a widow raising two daughters alone. Yet through it all, she remained committed to keeping life as stable and grounded as possible.
When it came time for high school, the decision to apply to Bishop Guertin was made with care, but the financial burden was daunting. “Even with financial aid, the tuition felt completely out of reach,” Suzanne says.
That’s when the school’s financial office introduced her to the Education Freedom Account program. “Without an EFA, I wouldn’t have been able to send Caitlin – and now Kiera, who is a rising sophomore – to Bishop Guertin. This support has been life-changing.”
From the very beginning, Caitlin recognized what made her high school special. “The small class sizes, supportive teachers, and strong sense of community made it feel like home,” she says. “I was challenged academically and encouraged to grow personally. None of this would have been possible without an EFA.”
Over the next four years, she thrived. She participated in Campus Ministry, played sports, and explored new strengths in AP art and science. A mission trip to the Navajo Nation proved transformational. “As I worked on one of the service projects, I realized I was surrounded by people who shared my values and wanted to make a difference. That was the moment I thought, ‘This is where I belong.’”
Academically, Caitlin earned Honor Roll consistently and was accepted to Salve Regina University, where she will begin studying nursing this fall. The desire to serve others through healthcare is deeply personal – a career shaped by the journey her family walked during her father’s illness.
“Bishop Guertin’s curriculum and community gave me the confidence and foundation I need,” she says. “Without an EFA, I wouldn’t be as prepared as I am today.”
For Suzanne, the impact goes far beyond test scores. “Caitlin embraced mentorship, leadership, and formed strong bonds with peers and teachers alike,” she says. “Her confidence grew every year. And now Kiera is following that same path, already making Honor Roll in her first year.”
“As a parent, it’s incredibly comforting to know that both of my daughters feel truly at home in their school environment. They are confident, supported, and unafraid to ask for help.”
As the debate around education policy continues across New Hampshire, Caitlin’s story offers a powerful reminder: EFAs are not about privilege; they are about possibility. For families facing hardship, they provide breathing room. For students with dreams, they provide access. And for the state, they help shape the next generation of contributors, leaders, and compassionate citizens.
“Behind every dollar, there is a future,” Caitlin says. “These programs don’t just fund education. They shape people.”
