50 Remarkable Alumni: Nerlap Kaur Sidhu builds bridges between students and community

“All that we are is story,” Indigenous author Richard Wagamese once wrote. For Nerlap Kaur Sidhu, Vice Principal at William A. Fraser Middle School and one of UFV’s 50 Remarkable Alumni, these words serve as both inspiration and blueprint for an educational philosophy centred on connecting students with their communities through powerful storytelling projects.

Since earning her BA in geography from UFV in 2004, Nerlap has built an impressive career dedicated to community engagement and social justice in education. Her journey from UFV graduate to recipient of the 2022 Prime Minister’s Award in Teaching Excellence reflects her commitment to innovative educational approaches that extend beyond traditional classroom walls.

Throughout her career progression from teacher to vice principal, Nerlap has remained true to her grandmother’s teaching that “giving back to community is what makes a life.” This philosophy has fueled a series of impactful community-centred projects including Lean on Me (2020), We Are Canada (2020), Character Matters (2019), Walk of Integrity (2018), Random Acts of Kindness (2018), Voices of Courage (2017), Empathy Fence (2016), and the Antiracism Education Project (2020).

Most recently, Nerlap launched an Equity Leadership League at W.A. Fraser Middle School, engaging more than 50 students in creating equitable, inclusive spaces. While now serving primarily as vice principal, she continues to teach one day per week and design projects that foster meaningful community connections.

Currently, Nerlap is stewarding two significant initiatives: a video project aimed at uplifting educators through stories of their impact, and a community art installation focusing on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls, where students, community members, and families will paint hummingbirds on wood for a public display.

“All of these student-centered projects are focused on exchanging lived experiences through stories and building bridges between communities,” Nerlap explains. “They create moments where students can connect with community members to make the world an even better place.”

Sidhu credits her own UFV professors with shaping her educational approach.

“I think back to the classrooms on the Chilliwack campus and the care and instruction that professors like Doug Nicol and Ken Brealey provided,” she recalls. “It was so inspiring. They modeled giving back to the community in an authentic way.”

These mentors recognized her potential early. Shortly before his passing, Doug Nicol left her a voicemail saying he’d provided her a reference to the teacher education program at SFU. Ken Brealey wrote on one of her papers that he looked forward to seeing her complete her master’s degree. Nerlap has achieved both those goals and is now pursuing her PhD in educational theory and practice with a focus on social justice.

Throughout her journey, Sidhu emphasizes the collaborative nature of her work. “Everything I’ve worked on could not be possible without a huge team effort that includes educators, administrators, families, and community,” she notes. “When we work together, we can move mountains to make a difference in the lives of our students.”

Guided by visionary colleagues like Dr. Ian Levings and Deputy Assistant Superintendent Nathan Ngieng, Sidhu continues to implement her grandmother’s teachings to uplift students, families, and community — changing the world, as Wagamese would say, “one story at a time.”