Rebecca Hooker has made it through to the finals of Miss Universe New Zealand.
Rebecca Hooker has made it through to the finals of Miss Universe New Zealand.
Rebecca Hooker signed up to Miss Universe New Zealand to step out of her comfort zone and show the young people she worked with they could too - but she wasn't expecting to make it all the way to the finals.
Now the 20-year-old Whangarei woman has cancelled her 21stbirthday plans as she will be heading to the Philippines as one of 20 Miss Universe New Zealand finalists.
Miss Hooker, a suicide prevention coordinator at Ngati Hine Health Trust, has done modelling but never thought she would be in a pageant.
"No, no way. This is way out of my comfort zone. People were tagging me in the post [on Facebook] and so I did it. I run the Raid Movement, a youth suicide prevention group, so I wanted to show them you can give things a go, hoping entering was enough. But then I got the call saying I had made the semifinals."
When Miss Hooker found out she was one of the top 20 she didn't exactly jump for joy but she is up for the challenge and excited to represent Northland.
"It was funny, I was like no no. I'm definitely not a makeup person at all. I'm quite chilled, I never go out and I keep to myself. There is a stigma about beauty pageants but it's not like that at all," she said.
Miss Hooker, of Ngapuhi and Ngai Takoto descent, said she also wanted to shine a light on youth suicide prevention. She was one of the original members of the Raid Movement, which was established in 2012 after a cluster of youth suicides in Northland. She lost two of her classmates during that time.
Rebecca Hooker works as a suicide prevention coordinator at Ngati Hine Health Trust.
"I want to raise awareness about youth suicide and normalise the conversation on suicide. I also wanted to have the opportunity to show the world our indigenous side."
As part of the competition Miss Hooker will be raising money for Variety, the children's charity, and as part of that she will be required to host a fundraising event.
"It's quite good for me because I plan events for my job," she said.
