Juanita Bell Memorial Scholarship
For her efforts and aims to "inform educators on how they can be more equitable to students of color, advocate for the rights of marginalized communities, and create safe spaces for people of color and their allies to foster discussion,” Patterson and DREAM have received recognitions from the NH Department of Education and the City of Dover. One of her teachers recently noted, “Gabby has limitless potential. She is tolerant, worldly, energetic, and self-motivated. She is eager to learn, succeed, and contribute to society. She is an absolute joy to teach.” In his letter of recommendation, Dover High School Dean of Students, Dr. Thomas Waldron noted that Patterson “contributed to making significant positive change to the culture of the school community.”
2021 Dominique Vernon, Exeter High School
2020 Raye Neil, Exeter High School, and Thethe Badibanga, Portsmouth Christian Academy
2017 Kerry Winfrey, Spaulding High School
2016 Stephen Reid, York High School
2013 Troi Graves, Portsmouth High School
2011 Bryana Clark, Portsmouth High School, Veronica Sterling, Portsmouth High School
2023 Gabrielle Patterson, Dover High School
Gabrielle Patterson stood out among other applicants first for her commitment to her education. At the national level, she received the National African American Recognition Award from the College Board for her performance in both the classroom and her PSAT exams. At Dover, she received the Outstanding Achievement Award for Honors Biology, Honors American Government, and Chorus, and she also took Honors English. For all four years she was on the Academic Honor Roll and the World Language Honors Society. She is President of the Music Council, and for her shining vocal talents, she was accepted to this year’s NH Jazz All-State.
Patterson has also made a major impact in her service to both her peers and the wider NH community. She is one of only four secondary school students to be part of the NH Legislative Youth Advisory Council which reviews bills and analyzes pressing issues affecting the state’s youth, of which Patterson points to gun control, climate change, and mental health. She is a leadership council member of DREAM a student-led social justice and racial equity group. With DREAM, she’s made presentations to the NH Department of Education, the Superintendents Association, Dover High School faculty, staff and students bout equity, cultural awareness in school curriculum, and implicit bias and racial microaggressions in school spaces.
