When you've been to enough Senior Prize Givings, you start to get a sense of who the Dux might be when the prize winners in more than one subject start to be named. Oftentimes it becomes abundantly clear when you hear, "and top in five subjects..." is announced! This year, however, could have gone a number of ways as the standard of academic performance was so high, and it was not until Alexander Mayo was confirmed as Proxime Accessit that we realised this year's Dux would be Alex Liu. There has been intense competition for the top academic spot since Year 9, with Alex Liu holding an advantage until being toppled in Year 12 by Alexander Mayo. However, 2023 was once again Alex Liu's year, as he finished top in three subjects, Biology, Chemistry, and English. Alex found the whole ceremony almost dreamlike as he reflected on what would be his last official day at school. When his name was announced he felt relieved and satisfied that his efforts had been recognised, as well as a deep sense of gratitude towards his parents and teachers for supporting him in his academic goals over the years.

We asked Alex's teachers and fellow classmates for their thoughts on the kind of student our Dux of 2023 was, and their answers proved enlightening, but not at all surprising. According to his Chemistry teacher, Ms Young... 

Alex was a very independent learner - for the first part of the year he learnt the content of A2 on his own, but was always appreciative of any resources, feedback and the use of my office space to use during lessons. Alex picks up new concepts very quickly and is happy to help his peers to understand. When he did join the class he was always polite and humble, but also willing to contribute to discussions. He used the lesson times well, always with 100% effort to complete his work to a high standard.

Mr Gunn, who taught Alex in Physics, said he was friendly and obliging. He got on well with the others and had plenty of laughs. He was able to quickly grasp key points and apply his knowledge to unfamiliar contexts.

Alex's English teacher was of a similar mind, describing him as a nuanced, perceptive and meticulously precise commentator when writing about literature. He was always engaged and enthusiastic in class discussions, and willingly shared his considerable insights with us all.

Head Prefect and classmate, Hamish McKelvie, described Alex as being incredibly humble about his achievements, and works quietly day in day out to pursue his goals. He is also a great friend with a unique and infectious sense of humour. 

Alex's talents do not just lie in the realm of the academic. As Captain of Arts and leader of the Cultural Committee, he is a gifted musician, playing in the Piano Trio and this year conducting Wilson House to a House Singing victory. He has also participated in Global Issues Problem Solving, Debating, Badminton, Duke of Edinburgh, the Leo Club and the Multicultural Manaaki Centre in his time at HBHS. When he is not in the classroom or studying, he likes to switch off by going on hikes, or playing badminton and the piano. Alex credits his academic success to his intrinsic motivation and genuine interest in his subjects - success comes much more easily when you enjoy the journey. He makes the most of the friendly competition between himself and his classmates, and his older sister, to motivate him to do his very best, and his advice for others is to challenge themselves to make consistent progress - improvement is improvement, no matter how small!

Next year Alex is heading north to the University of Auckland, where he intends to study Biomedical Science with a view to becoming a surgeon. We wish our 2023 Dux every deserved success in his future endeavours, and we look forward to hearing about what we are sure will be his significant accomplishments in the years to come.