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 21st birthday 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.