A Legacy Lesson

Kate Syme’s life’s work has been as a teacher and educator, and she believes strongly in the opportunities education can provide. Back in the 1960s, she says, there wasn’t much in the way of career options for young women. “Basically, it was teaching or nursing. I made up my mind that education was the way I would go and found that I really enjoyed working with students.”

Kate met her husband Derek (or “Doc”) at Teacher’s College in Christchurch, and together they worked for many years in education, including in Cannons Creek, Porirua. There, Kate worked with many children of Pasifika and Māori descent and saw first-hand the barriers they can face in education. “We always wanted to ensure that everyone had a fair go, and found that there were many children who, in spite of their efforts, never got equal opportunities in education.”The couple later returned to Ashburton to retire but, laughs Kate, “After two months of retirement, we went back to education.” Doc worked at Ashburton College and Kate continued training teachers through the College of Education.

In Ashburton, they learned about Advance Ashburton Community Foundation and began considering their legacy. After Doc passed away, Kate decided to create a fund to help “particularly Māori and Pasifika students to succeed.” “I’ve been influenced by local people who set up scholarships while they are still alive and were able to enjoy the pleasure of seeing how their money was used. Seeing who it went to and, perhaps establishing a relationship with those people, I thought made far more sense than waiting until after you were gone.”

The Kate Syme Scholarship will be managed as an invested fund with the Advance Ashburton Community Foundation. Annually, it will provide tertiary education opportunities for a student, in the first instance of Māori or Pasifika descent, from Ashburton College.

We recently met Chloe Robinson, a recipient in her second year of study to hear about the impact Kate's fund is having on her tertiary education journey.

“I find pleasure in knowing somebody is going to benefit from my giving,” said Kate. “I’m particularly happy that I’ve made the decision to start my fund before I die. I find a sense of excitement with that.”

Thank you, Kate, for your aroha and care for your local community and the future of our young people, ngā mihi nui.

Story adapted from Advance Ashburton Community Foundation