Mrs. Paula Sidler has been a part of the Canyon staff for years now serving as one of the main counselors on campus. She has helped so many different students in her time at Canyon. Along the way, she learned more about them to ultimately help them be ready to continue their journey in life after high school. 

  Outside of Canyon, Sidler has had quite the memorable life. She majored in dance at UCI and saw it as the perfect path for her. Over the years she said to have had amazing dance teachers who helped her with her love for dance. Her favorite type to choreograph was modern dance. To this day, she will amaze you with her tap dancing! 

  A love story straight out of a fairy tale is how one can describe Sidler’s first job as a Disney character in Disneyland! She was the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland and another colleague was the Walrus. That colleague ended up being her husband in the future! 

  With her family, Sidler likes to watch That Thing You Do, which was shot in Old Town Orange. Her father was actually an extra in the movie. He had to go all the way to Hollywood just to find clothes that resembled the ‘60s style. However, currently Sidler enjoys watching Stranger Things and is awaiting for the fourth season to be out.

  If Sidler was able to teach any class at Canyon, she said that it would have to be Math I, II, or III. While enrolled in the counseling program, she had to take Algebra II and then Statistics. Although, she claims to be a little “rusty” on the subject, she has come to terms with the subject and how much she was able to accomplish with her skills. She knows that she would be able to provide good explanations and would not give up on her students until all of them understood the material. 

  As a counselor, Sidler believes that all students have gifts/talents; however, throughout the years it’s noticeable that kids are becoming harder on themselves and not able to see their own strengths. She loves to help students throughout their journey to high school to see their true capability and spark that she sees in them. Seeing students grow from freshmen to sophomores, Sidler states that it is something amazing and special to be along for their ride in an important part of their lives. 

  Mrs. Sidler always says, “ Remember to always be true to yourself and enjoy the journey because that’s what life is really about. Seek help if you ever need it because you are not alone.”