When Pearl Yeo and Pascal Millaire sat down with the Herald's editorial team to brainstorm what we should do to take forward the lessons from the Knowledge Wave conference, "Proud to be a Kiwi" was quickly born.
On a one-year sabbatical from Auckland's Diocesan School for Girls where she is headof ICT, Pearl's perspective as a teacher has been hugely valuable to our project team. Her quiet determination masks a passion that the educational recommendations from the conference should not be "just words on paper and easily forgotten".
Pascal, headboy at Auckland's King's College, brought his own unique experience. As one of the group of seventh formers who galvanised the conference with thought-provoking addresses, Pascal suggested questions that are pivotal for New Zealand's future - such as "Who are we as New Zealanders"? and "Where do we want to be?" Questions that are surprisingly rarely asked.
"As a high school student I do not presume to have better answers to economic problems than the prominent foreign politicians and economists who spoke, but without a united vision and the right attitude these changes will not occur," says Pascal.
"For real change to occur it must encompass and excite all New Zealanders in every socio-economic group."
Adds Pearl: "New Zealand's future lies in our children and they must be given every opportunity to develop the skills needed to be competitive in today's world."
Writer Adam Jones and designer Kate McGougan added their magic as they interviewed and captured the inspirational stories of some young New Zealanders who have taken the initiative to lift their skills, and the organisations that can give a helping hand.
