Christopher Luxon - Leader of the National party and CBHS Old Boy

Only a few people know that Christopher Luxon, leader of the Opposition party, was a pupil at Christchurch Boy's High School. Christopher Mark Luxon, born 19 July 1970 in Christchurch, moved to Auckland at age 7, where he spent a year's schooling each at Saint Kentigern College and Howick College. The family then returned to Christchurch, and Luxon spent three years at CBHS from 1986 to 1988.At school, Luxon had a passion for history, encouraged by a teacher called Mr. Ash. 

In an interview with the CBHS media team, Luxon said, "We had a great teacher here called Mr. Ash. And he made it fun- tremendously fun to learn history, and I love history. It's my favourite thing." Accordingly, he won the History Pollock Essay Prize in 1986. Mr. Luxon says he got turned on to economics at CBHS as well. "We had another great teacher, Mr. Pearce… it was through the late 80s when the country was being liberalized economically. … Lots of big debate about how it works, and that was just a real privilege."In his first year, he also played Hockey for the second eleven, a team that "practiced well and tried hard" and only lost one game. Luxon was a newcomer along with Simon Hay and made "Considerable improvement with each game.", according to their coach, Mr B. Maister. Information was much sparser in 1987. Interestingly, Luxon was in Mr Dacre's form class- a teacher still with us today. 

He participated in Athletics Day, running the 100m, and was once again a member of the Hockey 2nd XI, coached by Mr B. Maister. They played 15, won 10, lost three, and drew two this year. 

In his 3rd and final year, Luxon got much busier. He was made monitor, and in the 1988 Boys High Magazine, evidently in a joking manner, his monitor profile writes: Chris "Ronald" Luxon, Alias- Ronald McDonald.

• Ambition- Unknown.
• Future Occupation- Garden gnome at Portstone Nursery.

Luxon's second-ever job was, of course, as a worker at McDonald's, and he perhaps needed to figure out his future occupation.He was in Mr Pearce's Form class, previously mentioned as the teacher who turned him to economics. 

In his last year, Luxon was a vital member of the CBHS debate team, which Mr M. Reid headed. The debate team had a "resounding victory" over the staff team at the beginning of 1988, then participated in the Jaycee competition. They triumphed over Mairehau and Burnside before finally succumbing to Shirley Boys High in round three. During the annual inter-school fixtures, they suffered a "narrow and disappointing loss to Waitaki Boys," writes Mr Reid, offset by a resounding victory against Otago Boys. This team had earlier defeated the Waitaki boys. 

Regarding Luxon, Mr. M. Reid writes, "Chris Luxon showed, throughout the year, a maturity of style and reasoned argument." He won the Southland Old Boys' Prize for Senior Debating in 1988. In the University Junior Scholarship Examination 1988, he received a "B" BURSARY- An "A" Bursary was awarded for scores over 300, and a "B" Bursary for scores between 250 and 299.Luxon also participated in squash this year, managed by Dr M. Viney, and received a Blazer in Squash and debating.