We would like to thank our community for the support they have shown towards our teachers and tamariki over the past week. To help bring some closure at this difficult time, we would like to share the final words from Whaea Becks to Matua Ashley.
We met you last year, Ash, Kelsi had trained at Uni with you for the three years prior, and Pou, a family friend. You were a newly graduated teacher with all the excitement and passion one would expect from a first year. You couldn't wait to get into our learning space and 'Just do it'.
You graduated from uni and chose Rotorua Intermediate, Hurungaterangi Whānau. For this we thank you.
Then January rolled around... it's on!!! You came into our space with your beautiful, larger than life personality, and a laugh that would lighten any room. For this we thank you.
You were ready with hugs for us when we needed them, and boy, sometimes we needed them, and sometimes, so did you. For this we thank you. You were the male member of our Hurungaterangi Whanau that Pou had never had, his boy buddy in our meetings when the women talk got too much. For this, Pou thanks you.
You built incredible relationships with the kids. They loved you, trusted you and wanted to learn with you. For this we thank you.
You believed in our kaupapa, you believed in our whānau, and you believed in us. For this we thank you.
You let slip that it was your happy birthday and we celebrated you. For this we thank you.
We spent Friday remembering the kaiako, who was more to our students than just someone who wanted them to learn. This was so in the stories they shared about you. You touched their lives, Ash, and many will never forget you. You will be that kaiako, when they turn 27, sitting with their friends saying, remember that teacher we had? How he would give us lollies after he'd try and growl at us, the teacher who blasted his music when we were meant to be quiet, the teacher who gave us a hug when we really needed it, the teacher who actually cared about us as little humans because of his big heart. The teacher who we celebrated on his special day, his birthday, and we touched his soul with the surprises we had for him and performed our haka, that we knew was so loved by him.
On Friday we shed many tears, Ash, tears that showed just how much you meant to our students. Tears that showed how much you will be missed, tears that were mixed with emotion of confusion, sadness, and loss. But we also smiled and laughed through those tears as we recalled stories about the big man with the extra big heart.
For this we thank you
We miss you.
We love you.
We celebrate you.
Matua Ashley.
