From my experience, two things are imperative to a young person succeeding. The first are parents. Read to your kids. Numerous studies have shown that kids who arrive at school with a basic reading ability are ready to learn and are at a huge advantage from day one. The second thing is for teachers. Teachers must genuinely care about their students. Kids are perceptive and won't want to come to school if they think that the teacher doesn't really care. Truancy isn't just a school problem. All of those involved in a young person's life—parents, whānau, other agencies, and teachers—have a part to play in ensuring that a child has the best opportunity to fulfil their potential. Kids haven't changed, but the way we treat them has. Gone are the days when police dropped students off to school in their pyjamas—I did that a few times—but we adults need to step up. Attending school regularly will go a long way to helping all kids to succeed, and I'm actually pretty optimistic about the future.