Kaikorai Valley College pupil Louie Bernhardt has just been named dux for 2017, making him the third person in his family to be dux at the school.
He follows in the footsteps of his older brothers, University of Otago strategy and policy adviser Peter Bernhardt who was dux at the school in 2008, and Wellington Hospital paediatric registrar Isaac Bernhardt who was dux in 2006.
Adding to the pressure to perform this year was the fact another of his older brothers, Chris Bernhardt, was an Otago Daily Times Class Act award winner in 2010, and is now a crown prosecutor in Christchurch.
Louie (18) said he had studied hard this year in calculus, statistics, physics, chemistry and music, and was delighted with his achievement.‘‘I feel pretty stoked. Also a bit relieved.
"There was just a little bit of pressure there, but not from my brothers.
"There wasn’t necessarily a drive for dux specifically. I just aimed to do well generally.
"The dux was the icing on the cake really."
Louie said his younger brother Edward was just finishing year 11 at Kaikorai Valley College, and after seeing three of his older brothers win dux, he was now motivated to try too.
"It’s easy for me to say now, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. It won’t make him any less of an achiever.
"Obviously it’s good to push yourself, but I don’t think he [Edward] should stress over it.
"The dux award comes with enjoying school in general."
Louie said one of the perks of winning dux was it came with a $6000 university scholarship.
Next year, he planned to study calculus at the University of Otago.
While he was not yet sure what career he wanted to pursue, he was certain it would involve mathematics.
In the meantime, he has his head buried in books, preparing for his first NCEA level 3 examination which is next Wednesday afternoon.
