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Langley teacher recognized for her work towards social equity and diversity

She was invited to Victoria to meet then-premier John Horgan
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REMSS Teacher Balroop Dhanoa receiving recognition as a finalist at the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education for the category Social Equity and Diversity. The ceremony was held earlier this month in Victoria. In photo (L-R): Minister of Education and Child Care, Jennifer Whiteside, John Horgan, Premier of BC, Balroop Dhanoa, REMSS teacher, and Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of BC. (Special to Langley Advance Times)

An Aldergrove teacher was surprised after getting nominated for the Premier’s Awards for Excellence in Education.

R.E. Mountain Secondary School’s Balroop Dhanoa was recently invited to a ceremony at Government House in Victoria, where she was recognized as a finalist in the social equity and diversity category.

Premier John Horgan provided awards to the winners and recognized the “exceptional” work of teachers, support staff and administrators throughout the province, shared Ministry of Education and Child Care through a press release.

Dhanoa was among the 34 finalists who received a $1,000 taxable personal bursary for professional learning and a $1,000 contribution to their school community for professional education. The 28-year-old teacher plans on spending the money on books.

“As teachers, we are always trying to expand our thinking and add to our worldviews and perspectives by reading as much as we can. The social justice work we engage in is primarily anchored in the story, so we are eager to read, learn, and share more.”

Though Dhanoa didn’t win, she said it was an honour even to be considered.

“I know how many amazing educators work just in my building alone, so I can barely wrap my head around the number of excellent teachers there are in the entire province.”

Jennifer Koehler, the school’s vice principal, offered her support throughout the application process and even attended the ceremony in person with Dhanoa.

“The experience [in Victoria] was amazing and being able to share it with my mom was especially valuable since she has always fostered a love of learning and empathy in myself and my brothers.”

She was also overwhelmed by the “kind and generous” support from students, who shared the news on social media and congratulated her with “pride.”

“It honestly caught me off guard.”

Jinder Sarowa, principal of R.E. Mountain Secondary School, later congratulated Dhanoa for her achievements and said: “Ms. Dhanoa is one of our leaders who inspire colleagues and students. She works every day to ensure our students feel safe, valued and that they belong. Through her actions, we see how deeply she cares about our students. We are so proud to have her in our district.”

Dhanoa has been teaching at R.E. Mountain as a social studies teacher for five years. A few years ago, Dhanoa and her colleagues saw a need for more “meaningful and authentic conversations” about issues of race and equity in the world.

It was at this time she started engaging students and staff in social justice work through staff book clubs, interactive gallery displays, cultural celebrations, student surveys, and more.

“The goal is to expand our understanding of our student population, and in doing so, expand our knowledge of the world.”

She concluded by encouraging other teachers to have conversations about social equity and empower the voices of marginalized students.

“Teachers have the power to shape young minds to be critical thinkers who are equipped with the tools and passion to be effective activists. Students should all have the confidence to be agents of change in both small and big ways in their homes, at work, and in the world.”

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Tanmay Ahluwalia

About the Author: Tanmay Ahluwalia

Tanmay Ahluwalia is a journalist with a digital mindset and a proud alumnus of the University of Delhi.
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