appreciates the many opportunities and benefits of his school days. Awarded the SN Johnstone Memorial Cup for Outstanding Condell’s Man in his final year, the Somes Exhibition Scholarship recipient was also Deputy Head of House, a member of the Chapel Choir from Year 9, and involved in House Music – “a personal highlight of my time”. Among his other high points, Luke was awarded an Honours Tie in choral music and the academic Gold Badge (twice), having achieved NCEA Excellence at all levels. Describing himself as an “all- rounder’’, Luke enjoyed taking a broad range of subjects, including Calculus – completing Level 3 in Year 12; French – winning the Year 13 Neave Memorial Prize; English, Physics, History, and Statistics. Today, Luke reflects that the House environment at Christ’s College has prepared him well for post-school life. “Condell’s House was excellent, and I was fortunate to have two good Housemasters, Paul Duggan and Tony O’Connor,” he says. “During my senior years, Tony helped to instill many good values and was an excellent House mentor and teacher, so I learnt so much during my time in the Condell’s environment and the classroom. “Having come from Medbury School, arriving at Christ’s College felt like a continuation straight from one space into another. My first thought on coming through
the gates and seeing the Dining Hall was ‘gosh, this looks like Hogwarts’. I was struck by the architecture and how the campus looked so different to anywhere else in New Zealand. When I arrived, there were still Portacoms dotted around the campus and lots of post-earthquake rebuilding. While I knew many boys from Medbury, I also met new friends along the way. You soon discover
Dining Hall on practice nights. It was a great way to socialise outside of the normal routine.” His personal approach to life can probably be summed up by the quote “there are no problems, only solutions”. “It can be so easy to focus on all the reasons why something can't happen or won't work, but I find it better to explore the ways of how it can.”
that each boy has his own strengths and interests.
“I was also able to see a whole different side of College, having to traverse various rabbit warrens to access some of my classrooms. However, College made it work for me. And it was thanks to the Christ’s College Old Boys’ Association that there was funding for a lift in the Science block so that I could move around the building.” Of his best times, Luke points to his academic studies and the choir. “Academics and the choir were definitely my preferences,” he says. “I so enjoyed my time in the choir and having dinner in the “I was able to see a whole different side of College, having to traverse various rabbit warrens to access some of my classrooms.”
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