Citizen Spotlight: Sherry Duncan
Posted on: Jun 26, 2026
Citizen Sherry Duncan has been awarded the prestigious Jaye Fredrickson Award for Teaching Excellence at NorQuest College, the highest honour an instructor can receive at the college. The award recognizes exceptional commitment to teaching excellence, student advocacy, innovation, and transformative learning.
A proud Métis educator, keynote speaker, and advocate for Indigenous and early learning education, Sherry’s career spans from grade school classrooms to post-secondary instruction. She previously served as Chair of Childhood Studies at Keyano College and has dedicated her work to supporting learners, uplifting Indigenous voices, and advancing relationship-centred education.
This recognition reflects the heart of Sherry’s work alongside Treaty 8 communities and learners, work grounded in relationship, reciprocity, respect, and truth. Through her teaching, she strives to honour Indigenous ways of knowing and create spaces where students feel seen, valued, and empowered to bring their whole selves into learning. Her work has never simply been about curriculum; it has been about walking alongside communities and helping learners understand the importance of connection, history, land, and belonging.
Sherry’s work with KPSquared Innovative Child Care was integral to the establishment and success of Alberta’s first 24-hour child care model, contributing to policy and legislative changes that continue to shape the future of child care. Most recently, Sherry presented Beyond the 9-to-5: Family Engagement in 24-Hour Care at the 2026 World Forum on Early Care and Education in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, sharing her knowledge and experience on an international stage. She was also nominated for the 2026 Association of Early Childhood Educators of Alberta Early Childhood Educator Award of Recognition, recognizing her longstanding contributions to the early learning and child care field.
As a Métis woman, this ongoing work carries generations of resilience, strength, and story. Sherry accepts this honour with deep gratitude for the students, Elders, communities, and fellow educators who have shaped her journey, and for the transformative power of learning when people feel truly valued and connected.