Actually, she. I THOUGHT, 'STUFF IT. I'M BUYING MYSELF A MOTORBIKE NOW.' WHEN WHEELS REPLACE LIMBS ` ON A BIKE, HE'S FREE. A LESSON IN TAKING YOUR LIMITS AND THROWING THEM OUT. HOW MUCH CONTROL DO YOU HAVE? (LAUGHS) NOT A LOT. DEBATEABLE. PLUS ` TRYING TO TRAIN A WOMAN WHO'S GOT NINE BRAINS AND EIGHT ARMS TO DO WHAT YOU WANT. AND JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT DIDN'T GET ANY WORSE... SHE'S PROBABLY EQUIVALENT TO TWO MEN IN TERMS OF THE STRENGTH THAT SHE CAN PULL WITH. BUT CAN SHE TAKE A PICTURE? AND... YEAH, DID YOU ASK FOR THE CLUE? ...A MARRIAGE PROPOSAL WITH A TWIST. SHE'S IN THE BUILDING NOW? YES. SHE'S HERE RIGHT NOW. ONE NEWS CAPTIONS BY JOHN LING AND AMY PARK. CAPTIONS WERE MADE POSSIBLE WITH FUNDING FROM NZ ON AIR. COPYRIGHT ABLE 2015 DUE TO THE LIVE NATURE OF SEVEN SHARP, WE APOLOGISE FOR THE LACK OF CAPTIONS FOR SOME ITEMS. It is a miracle we get here sometimes. Flat batteries. Dove the soap brand have done a brilliant experiment. It is a choice of two doors ` it is your choice to choose. One is titled average and one is titled beautiful. People all around the world look at this. Been there confronted with without they are beautiful Or average. You went straight to the beautiful door. You are not normal. We will show it to you later on. See what you think of it. WE SHOULD PROBABLY TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOUTH CAROLINA, AS PROTESTERS HAVE GATHERED IN NORTH CHARLESTON. ALL CHANT: NO PEACE! MAN: NO JUSTICE! NO PEACE! THE PROTESTS COME AFTER VIDEO EMERGED OF A POLICEMAN SHOOTING A BLACK MAN IN THE BACK AS HE RAN AWAY. PEOPLE CHANT: BLACK LIVES MATTER. THE PROBLEM WITH THE POLICE HERE IN NORTH CHARLESTON IS THEY TAKE AN ADVERSARIAL APPROACH TO EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY. WE CAN ALL AGREE THIS BABY IS CUTE AND SO IS THIS PUPPY, SO COMBINED IT'S JUST TOO ADORABLE. INTERESTINGLY, THOUGH, NEW RESEARCH HAS FOUND THAT PEOPLE'S BRAINS REGISTER ANY BABY REGARDLESS OF SPECIES AT THE SAME LEVEL OF CUTENESS. AND TALK ABOUT CATCHING THE BIG ONE, ALTHOUGH IT WAS A LITTLE TOO BIG IN THIS CASE. A GOLD COAST FISHERMAN MANAGED TO HOOK A TIGER SHARK WHILE FISHING AT THE BEACH. IT TOOK MAX MUGGERIDGE THREE HOURS TO REEL THE 4M BEAST IN, ONLY TO LET IT GO AGAIN. That is why I never understand fishing. If you catch them, Eat Them.. SO, LET'S START WITH A QUESTION. WHAT DO YOU RECKON YOU WOULD DO IF THE SPORT YOU LOVED LEFT YOU WITHOUT THE USE OF YOUR LEGS? WOULD YOU HIDE AWAY FROM LIFE, OR WOULD YOU EMBRACE SOMETHING THAT PUT YOU IN A WHEELCHAIR? WE'RE ABOUT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO A MAN WHO, IF YOU LIKE, GOT BACK ON THE HORSE, BACK RACING MOTORCYCLES AFTER A BIKE ACCIDENT LEFT HIM A PARAPLEGIC. SO HOW'S HE DONE IT? HERE'S MATT CHISHOLM WITH A MAN WHO AIN'T GOING TO DIE WONDERING. SPIDERBAIT'S 'BLACK BETTY' ON A BIKE HE'S FREE. HE'S NO DIFFERENT TO ANY OF THOSE OTHER GUYS. 'BLACK BETTY' CONTINUES IT'S RACE DAY ON THE BIG BIKES. IT'S LIKE BEING A LITTLE KID WITH NEW TOYS. AND WHILE THOSE OTHER GUYS ENDURE A SAFETY BRIEFING,... I PRETTY MUCH KNOW IT ALL, SO... (LAUGHS) ...PARAPLEGIC PAUL GARRETT RUNS TO THE BEAT OF HIS OWN DRUM. HOW MUCH CONTROL DO YOU HAVE? (LAUGHS) NOT A LOT. DEBATEABLE. 'BLACK BETTY' CONTINUES THE 59-YEAR-OLD'S BEEN RACING HIS HAND-CONTROLLED 675CC TRIUMPH DAYTONA IN THE AUCKLAND MOTORCYCLE CLUB CHAMPS FOR A YEAR AT SPEEDS OF MORE THAN 200KM/H. 'BLACK BETTY' CONTINUES THAT'S HUGE KAHUNAS. SO QUICK, OUR CAMERA CAN BARELY CATCH 'EM, SO HOW IS IT EVEN POSSIBLE FOR A MAN PARALYSED FROM THE CHEST DOWN? I TIE MYSELF ON TO THE BIKE WITH THE VELCRO ROUND MY LEGS. THAT STOPS MY BOTTOM SLIDING OFF AND SOME MORE TO STOP MYSELF SLIDING TOO FAR FORWARD. THE REST YOU JUST RELY ON PHYSICS, I SUPPOSE, TO KEEP YOU ON BOARD. DO YOU WORRY ABOUT YOUR SAFETY? ONLY WHEN YOU GET YOURSELF INTO TROUBLE, YEAH. IT WAS TROUBLE ON THE BIKE AT PUKEKOHE EIGHT YEARS AGO... 'BLACK BETTY' CONTINUES ...THAT LANDED PAUL, APPARENTLY THE ONLY PARA RIDER IN AUSTRALASIA, IN A WHEELCHAIR. THE BIKE HIGH-SIDED, AND IT JUST FLIPPED AND HIT HIM SQUARE IN THE BACK YOU KNEW THE RISKS RACING THE MOTORCYCLE, SO IT WAS A LOT EASIER TO ACCEPT. THOUGH PAUL ACCEPTED HIS LOT REMARKABLY QUICKLY, AS YOU'D EXPECT, LIFE WAS AT TIMES FRUSTRATING. TENSE MUSIC AND HE RECKONS HE WAS ALWAYS GOING TO GET BACK ON A MOTORCYCLE. HE FALLS OUT OF HIS CHAIR ENOUGH AS IT IS, SO THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING TO LET HIM GET ON A RACE BIKE. BUT SEVEN YEARS AFTER HIS ACCIDENT... RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE'S 'RENEGADES OF FUNK' WE PROBABLY HAD A BIT OF AN ARGUMENT, AND I THOUGHT, 'STUFF IT. I'M BUYING MYSELF A MOTORBIKE NOW.' SO WE WENT OUT, CHOSE A BIKE AND HID IT FROM MUM FOR PROBABLY ABOUT SIX MONTHS, YEAH. THOUGH, MUM, AS THEY ALWAYS DO, EVENTUALLY FOUND OUT AND SAID... YOU <BLEEP>ING IDIOT. BUT WHEN SHE SAW HOW HAPPY IT MADE HIM, SHE SOON CHANGED HER TUNE. YAY! WHOO-HOO! WHAT ELSE CAN HE DO OTHER THAN KILL HIMSELF? HE CAN'T INJURE HIMSELF VERY MUCH MORE. HOWEVER, A FEW MONTHS AFTER STARTING OUT, PAUL CAME OFF AGAIN IN THAT SAME NOTORIOUS SPOT IN PUKE. THE BIKE JUST WENT DOWN THE ROAD, AND IT JUST FLIPPED AND FLIPPED, SO HAD THE VELCRO NOT GONE, HE WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN STUCK TO THAT BIKE. (LAUGHS) HE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN HERE TODAY (LAUGHS) THAT WASN'T ENOUGH TO PUT YOU OFF? NO, NO. IT WAS QUITE FRUSTRATING, ACTUALLY, COS YOU HAD A RACE COMING UP IN TWO WEEKS' TIME AND THE BIKE WAS VIRTUALLY A WRITE-OFF. 'RENEGADES OF FUNK' CONTINUES GUYS GOT TOGETHER, DONATED PARTS, MONEY, TIME TO GET THAT BIKE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN. SO WITH THE HELP OF THAT RACING COMMUNITY AND AMAZINGLY SUPPORTIVE WIFE AND DAUGHTERS... WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'D BE WITHOUT REALLY GOOD FAMILY AND FRIENDS? PROBABLY STILL IN BED. ...PAUL WAS SOON BACK IN ACTION, HITTING THE TRACK EVERY WEEK. I'D IMAGINE THAT MOST PEOPLE WHO HAD A MOTORBIKE ACCIDENT RENDERING THEM PARAPLEGIC WOULD NEVER WANT TO GET ON A MOTORBIKE AGAIN. NO, THAT'S THE FURTHEREST THING FROM YOUR MIND. YOU REALLY WANTED TO GET BACK, AND I SUPPOSE PART OF IT WAS TO PROVE THAT MAYBE THE INJURY WASN'T QUITE AS BAD AS YOU THOUGHT IT WAS. 'RENEGADES OF FUNK' CONTINUES YOU SEE, WHEN THE RUBBER HITS THE ROAD, PAUL'S PAUL AGAIN. LIKE HE'S THE HAPPIEST HE'S BEEN IN YEARS. AND NEXT MONTH HE'LL BE EVEN HAPPIER, AS HE AND HIS GIRLS HEAD TO ITALY FOR AN INVITATION-ONLY DISABLED RACE ` IT'S THE BLIND GUYS YOU'VE GOT TO WATCH OUT FOR, EH? WHAT HE BELIEVES WILL BE THE HIGHLIGHT OF HIS POST-ACCIDENT LIFE. IT'LL BE AMAZING COS YOU'RE IN ANOTHER COUNTRY, YOU'LL BE IN WITH A GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT ARE FOCUSED ON THE DISABILITY THING FOR THIS EVENT. WHERE DO YOU HOPE PAUL AND THE FAMILY TAKE THIS? I RECKON HE'S PROBABLY GOT ANOTHER FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AS LONG AS HIS BODY... STAYS TOGETHER. BOTH LAUGH 'RENEGADES OF FUNK' CONTINUES A sense of humour will get you far. It is only a disability if you allowed to be. I don't know a lot about riding bikes, but I thought you would need... you need your league. As like a horse. COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` 100% EXCITED. A MILLION PER CENT EXCITED. HOW TO MAKE SCHOOL PHOTOS A LOT MORE FUN. THE OCTOPUS IS GONNA PUT HIS TENTACLE IN THE... TUBE-Y THING AND PRESS THE BUTTON. TWO SECONDS DOWN THE STREET, AND YOUR FANS ARE ALREADY HERE. YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WHO THIS IS, BUT HE'S ABOUT TO BE A REALITY TV MEGASTAR. JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE OFFENDED DOESN'T MAKE YOU RIGHT. The great shot would be to go through. Artistic direction. OK, SO THANKS TO PHONES, EVERYONE IS A PHOTOGRAPHER THESE DAYS. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO A PHOTO INVOLVING SOME KIDS AND AN OCTOPUS? NO BIG DEAL? HOW ABOUT IF AN OCTOPUS IS TAKING THE PICTURE? YES. AN OCTOPUS. THAT'S A WORLD FIRST, IF IT HAPPENS. TIM WILSON WITH THE KIDS OF WESTMERE PRIMARY, THE GUY WHO GAVE YOU DRIVING DOGS AND RAMBO. WHEN SHOOTING PHOTOS, SO MUCH DEPENDS ON THE SHOOTER. MUM'S GREAT. NO ONE KNOWS THIS LIKE THE KIDS OF AUCKLAND'S WESTMERE PRIMARY. WEE TACKERS BOARDING A FUNNY SHARKY BUS, FIZZING AT THE BUNG. DRAWING THEIR CHILDISH DREAMS ON THE WINDOWS; PULLING FACES. WE'RE SO EXCITED. WE'RE 100% EXCITED. NO, A MILLION PER CENT EXCITED. A MILLION PER CENT EXCITED TO SEE A KIWI PHOTOGRAPHIC ICON AT WORK. SORT OF LIKE BRIAN BRAKE, WITH A GREATER AFFINITY FOR NATURE. CLASSICAL MUSIC THIS IS RAMBO. SHE ` YES, SHE ` HAS EIGHT ARMS, NINE BRAINS, SIX HUNDRED MILLION YEARS OF EVOLUTION. RAMBO IS SMART. SHE LEARNT THE BUZZER IN THREE REPETITIONS. BUZZ! THE BUZZER IS THE CUE FOR ACTION. A DOG, IF IT DID IT IN TEN, I'D BE VERY HAPPY. A CAT WOULD TAKE TWENTY, AND A HUMAN WOULD TAKE FIFTEEN. ANIMAL TRAINER MARK VETTE IS THE GUY WHO BROUGHT YOU DRIVING DOGS. FRANKLY, HE'S STRUGGLED WITH RAMBO. THE DEFINITION OF A MASOCHIST IS A GUY WHO'S TRYING TO TRAIN A WOMAN - WHICH IS WHAT SHE IS- WHO'S GOT NINE BRAINS, AND EIGHT ARMS TO DO WHAT YOU WANT. RAMBO WAITS, 600 MILLION YEARS OF EVOLUTION POISED TO SHOOT. THESE GUYS ` AROUND 200,000 OF EVOLUTION. ARE YOU GUYS EXCITED? YES! DO YOU WANT TO GET AN OCTOPUS TO TAKE YOUR PICTURE? YES! LET'S GO! IT'S THE MOMENT OF TRUTH. CAN RAMBO TAKE A PHOTO? THE OCTOPUS IS GOING TO PUT HIS TENTACLE IN THE TUBEY-THING AND PRESS THE BUTTON. ONLY... SHE DOESN'T. WHEN YOU'RE TRAINING ANIMALS, IT ALWAYS TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF PATIENCE. EVER WONDER WHY SHE'S CALLED RAMBO? WHO IS THIS JOHN RAMBO? YOU SEE, RAMBO HAS AN ANGER PROBLEM. BASICALLY, HE FOUND THE CAMERA, AND HE REALLY LIKED IT. HE RIPPED IT OFF, HAD A PLAY WITH IT, AND HE RIPPED IT APART. SHE'S PROBABLY EQUIVALENT TO TWO MEN IN TERMS OF THE STRENGTH THAT SHE CAN PULL WITH. JUST AS RAMBO STARTS GETTING RATTY ` HERE WE GO. ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU READY? ARE YOU READY? SAY CHEESE! ALL CHEER That is awesome. I'm glad it worked out. You're sitting there and smiling... IF YOU WANT THE OCTOPUS TO TAKE YOUR PICTURE, HEAD ON DOWN TO KELLY TARLTON'S TOMORROW BETWEEN 10 AND 12. that is when he works. She. That is not a very evolved animal with nine brains. You think you're beautiful in the real world? COMING UP ON SEVEN SHARP ` IT WAS JUST GOOD TIMING. MORE THAN GOOD TIMING ` HOW SOCIAL MEDIA'S MADE EDISON INTO A SUPERSTAR. THIS GUY IS ABOUT TO PROPOSE TO HIS GIRLFRIEND ON NATIONAL TV, BUT SHE DOESN'T KNOW IT YET. Come on through. Very slick. That is what I envisaged before. Robbie Williams is coming. The game I like to play is how much would you pay? Fleetwood Mac is 300 A ticket. I-mate wants to go. Would you pay for a Robbie Williams?I like him. With the Seekers of the last group the ever saw? $100 A QUESTION NOW ` WHICH DOOR WOULD YOU CHOOSE? IT WAS A BIT CONFRONTING, ACTUALLY, TO BE HONEST. I WALKED INTO THAT DOOR AND THAT SAID 'AVERAGE', AND I DIDN'T FEEL REALLY GOOD, BECAUSE, OBVIOUSLY, I HAD RATED MYSELF AVERAGE AND NOBODY ELSE. A DOVE SOCIAL EXPERIMENT GAVE WOMEN IN FIVE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES TWO OPTIONS, AND SADLY THE MAJORITY OF WOMEN CHOSE AVERAGE. THE VIDEO'S HAD NEARLY TWO MILLION VIEWS ON YOUTUBE. FROM OUR 'RUSSIAN DASH CAM' FILE, CHECK OUT THE MOMENT THIS CAR HITS A ROAD BARRIER AND THEN IS LAUNCHED OFF THE OVERPASS. THE CAR FALLS 6M BEFORE ROLLING TO A STOP. BOTH THE MEN INSIDE WALKED AWAY FROM THE WRECK. is an incredible how often it happens? AND IF YOU'RE NOT A FAN OF THE KARDASHIANS, TURNS OUT YOU'RE NOT ALONE. 'NO KARDASHIAN PARKING ANY TIME' SIGNS HAVE BEEN POPPING UP AROUND LA. IT'S THE WORK OF STREET ARTIST PLASTIC JESUS, WHO'S HATES THE TRAFFIC CAUSED BY THE PAPARAZZI WAITING TO SNAP A KARDASHIAN. SOMETHING THE KARDASHIANS CERTAINLY KNOW A LOT ABOUT IS SOCIAL MEDIA, AND IF THERE IS ONE GOOD THING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA ` AND LET'S FACE IT, THERE'S A LOT OF BAD THINGS ` IT ALLOWS YOU TO OPEN DOORS FOR YOURSELF THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BE CLOSED. TAKE THE GUY IN OUR NEXT STORY. HE'S GONE FROM CIVIL ENGINEER IN AUCKLAND TO HOSTING A TV SHOW WITH A POSSIBLE AUDIENCE OF 600 MILLION PEOPLE. HOW? HERE'S EMMA KEELING. ROCK MUSIC HIS FACE IS NOT FAMILIAR. SURE, HE'S A HANDSOME MAN, BUT MOST WILL WALK PAST HIM WITHOUT STOPPING. HOWEVER, TO SOME, EDISON FAN IS A CELEBRITY. TWO SECONDS DOWN THE STREET AND YOUR FANS ARE ALREADY HERE. WHERE WOULD SHE HAVE RECOGNISED YOU FROM? FROM WEIBO, WHICH IS THE CHINESE VERSION OF TWITTER. EDISON HAS MODELLED AND APPEARED IN THE ODD AD, BUT WEIBO MADE HIM. TO DATE I HAVE 480,000 FOLLOWERS. WELL, I'M VERY CLOSE COS I'VE GOT 669 TWITTER FOLLOWERS, SO I'M RIGHT ON YOUR TAIL. ELECTRONIC MUSIC IT'S BECAUSE OF SOCIAL MEDIA EDISON'S BECOME A JUDGE ON CHINESE MODEL SEARCH SHOW I SUPERMODEL. MY FOLLOWERS ARE MOSTLY GAY MEN AND WOMEN, WHICH FITS A PROFILE OF THEIR DEMOGRAPHIC FOR A SHOW LIKE TOP MODEL, AND IT WAS JUST GOOD TIMING. HE'S ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN FASHION AND CREATIVE ARTS. MY GENERATION IN CHINA ARE VERY PAMPERED BUT NOT ENCOURAGED TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES. AND IT'S NOT EASY TO BE OUT AND GAY IN CHINA, IS IT? NO, IT'S NOT. IT WAS COMEDIAN ELLEN DEGENERES WHO EMPOWERED EDISON TO COME OUT. I THOUGHT, SHOULD I TALK ABOUT IT? AND HE USED WEIBO TO HELP OTHERS. CAN YOU BE OPENLY GAY ON CHINESE TELEVISION? YOU DON'T HAVE TO HIDE IT, BUT YOU CAN'T TALK ABOUT IT, WHICH IS KIND OF WHAT MY MUM WANTS. AT LEAST NOW HE'S FOUND HIS CALLING. I THINK IF YOU DON'T BE YOURSELF FROM DAY ONE, IF YOU MAKE IT IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD ONWARDS AS WELL, COS YOU'RE GONNA KEEP PRETENDING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE. Couple of hundred ` she still going on about a concert ticket. You play 200+ these days are less as a minor player. Anyone an arena, 200+. How do people afford that? Then babysitters EDISON SAID THEY MIGHT COME AND FILM WITH THE MODELS IN NZ AT SOME STAGE, SO WE'LL CATCH UP AND SEE HOW HE'S GOING. what I was saying about the dove thing ` it is just a door. WHO DOESN'T LOVE A GOOD LOVE STORY? A FLICKER OF PASSION, ROMANCE AND EVENTUALLY A PROPOSAL. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A YOUNG FRENCHMAN WHOSE FACE YOU WON'T RECOGNISE, BUT WHEN WE HEARD HOW HE WANTED TO POP THE QUESTION TO HIS GIRLFRIEND, OUR RESIDENT ROMANTIC JEHAN CASINADER COULDN'T HELP BUT TAG ALONG. MICKHEL IS A MAN IN LOVE WITH LOOOVE. I'VE HAD JUST FEW GIRLFRIENDS ALL MY LIFE. I'VE HAD MAXIMUM EIGHT GIRLFRIENDS. JUST EIGHT GIRLFRIENDS, OK? AND HIS CURRENT ONE IS 'THE ONE'. HER NAME IS JESSICA KING. THEY MET WHILE ON HOLIDAY IN JAPAN. HE'S A FRENCHMAN; SHE'S A BRIT. AFTER OUR FIRST MEETING, WE COULDN'T LET EACH OTHER GO. THEY MOVED TO WELLINGTON. ROMANCE BLOSSOMED. FOR THE FIRST TIME OF MY LIFE, I'M JUST MYSELF, REAL. YES, IT'S TIME TO POP THE QUESTION, BUT WHERE TO DO IT? BUT, NO, HE'S PICKED OUR NATIONAL MUSEUM. IT'S OUR FAVOURITE PLACE. AMONG COOK ISLAND WEDDING QUILTS, JESSICA IS ABOUT TO GET THE SURPRISE OF HER LIFE. I THINK SHE'S GOING TO CRY A LOT, AND I THINK SHE'LL BE SURPRISED AND PROUD AS WELL. HE'S LED HER HERE USING A TREASURE HUNT. DON'T WORRY. IT'S GONNA BE EASY. WELL, MAYBE NOT. HER PHONE DIED, THEN SHE GOT LOST. DID YOU ASK FOR THE CLUE? BUT FINALLY... SO SHE'S IN THE BUILDING NOW? SHE'S HERE RIGHT NOW. AND AFTER ALL THAT PLANNING, ALL THAT ANTICIPATION, WHAT IF SHE SAYS NO? Will you explore the world with me and stay for the rest of your life? They will have a happily ever after. A total surprise? Yes. # I think I Wanna marry you. She said yes! There is something lovely about the French anD expression of love. That is what they do. I'M GLAD THEY SAID YES. Jahan is embarrassing at social functions. Casinova Casinader. SO, A FEW MINUTES AGO YOU GOT TO SEE A SNIPPET OF DOVE'S 'CHOOSE BEAUTIFUL' VIDEO CAMPAIGN. IT'S A GOOD WATCH. DOVE HAS MADE A BIT OF A NAME FOR ITSELF MAKING THESE THOUGHT-PROVOKING CAMPAIGNS. SURE, IT'S ADVERTISING, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU NEED TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS IS THAT IT'S ABOUT WOMEN MAKING A CHOICE TO FEEL BEAUTIFUL AND IT GOES FAR DEEPER THAT PHYSICAL APPEARANCES. THAT SAID, WHILST I SPEND A LOT OF TIME TELLING MY DAUGHTERS AND MY SON THAT THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL, WHAT I LIKE TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO BE IS STRONG. IDEALLY MY HOPE FOR THEM IS THAT THEY'LL BE CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO CHOOSE THE BEAUTIFUL DOOR. IF YOU HAVEN'T CAUGHT UP WITH IT TODAY, LOOK IT UP. THE STORY OF JAMES COOK HIGH SCHOOL OF MANUREWA. LAST YEAR IT WAS LABELLED THE WORST SCHOOL IN AUCKLAND. 12 MONTHS ON IT IS ONE OF THE CITY'S TOP NCEA PERFORMERS. THEY HAVE ACHIEVED AMAZING RESULTS ` LEVEL 1, 95% NOW PASS. LEVEL 2, 90% PASS. LEVEL 3, 80% PASS. THE PASS RATES ARE UP ABOUT 25%. WHY? THE PRINCIPAL SAYS WHEN HE JOINED, THEIR YEAR 9 KIDS WERE UP TO 4 YEARS BELOW WHERE THEY SHOULD HAVE BEEN, AND HE PUTS A LOT OF IT DOWN TO HARD WORK. HARD WORK. ONE OF THE GREAT LESSONS OF LIFE, ISN'T IT? THERE ISN'T MUCH THAT CAN'T BE ACHIEVED IF YOU'RE WILLING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN, AND I SUSPECT THIS IS FURTHER EVIDENCE THAT A GREAT PRINCIPAL IS THE KEY TO EVERYTHING. GREAT LEADERS MAKE GREAT DECISIONS. GREAT DECISIONS LEAD TO GREAT OUTCOMES. JAMES COOK IS PROOF. I COULDN'T BE HAPPIER FOR THEM. MAY THEY INSPIRE MANY OTHERS TO DO THE SAME.