Ben Condit is the valedictorian of the Edward Little High School Class of 2023. He will attend Williams College this fall. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
AUBURN — Edward Little High School senior Ben Condit was thrilled to receive an acceptance to Williams College last December, never mind that the lifelong Nordic skier had not yet earned a spot on the college’s team.
One way or another, Condit knew he would find a way in.
Friends and family knew it too. If all else failed, they envisioned him showing up for the first day of practice, as if he was meant to be there all along.
That, or he would have trained for triathlons, Condit said.
The Edward Little valedictorian has a way of achieving his goals, no matter how unlikely. As a sophomore, he set his sights on earning the top spot in his graduating class of more than 200 students. To get there, Condit took the hardest classes available, while balancing various extracurricular, athletic and academic pursuits.
“(Ben has) that intrinsic motivation to always want to do the best that he can and challenge himself,” said Edward Little Guidance Counselor MaryBeth Galway. “Whatever it may look like, he always strives to be the best.”
But in the world of athletic recruitment, performance is key.
Condit ultimately earned a spot on Williams’ team following a breakthrough performance at the Doublin Double Eastern Cup in February, one of his last races of the season. In a weekend that started with a broken pole, Condit placed seventh in the 10-kilometer classic, far better than his previous top-placement of 23rd.
It was the cumulation of months — even years — of effort. Although the competitive ski season lasts just a few months, serious athletes like Condit train year-round. During the ski season, Condit would travel over an hour five or six days per week to train with the Quarry Road Ski Club in Waterville; in warmer weather, he trains on the roads with roller skis.
“When you’re (skiing) and you’ve hit a good stride, it’s just like the best thing ever,” Condit said. “When you have good technique and you can get out there and just ski well and smoothly, it’s magical.”
Outside of skiing, Condit is an all-around outdoor enthusiast who also enjoys biking, running and hiking. Last summer, he was a part of a team creating mountain bike trails from Auburn to Farmington.
Condit said his decision to apply early decision to Williams wasn’t a sophisticated one. He visited William’s campus with a grandfather who still bleeds purple and gold decades after graduating from the college, and he liked what he saw.
That spirit may very well be hereditary. Clad in a Williams T-shirt and socks with the college’s signature purple and gold cow print Monday, Condit said he can’t wait to move to Massachusetts and start college this fall.
Earlier in the day, he even snuck into Galway’s office to hang a large Williams flag on her wall. To her credit, she’s happy to show it off.
“As serious as he is about his academics, and his athletics and his music, he also has a really good, fun personality,” Galway said. “He’s a little bit of a jokester.”
Condit said he’s not sure what he’ll major in at Williams, but he said he’s interested in learning more about architecture and design.
This is the third article in a series featuring high school seniors as graduation season nears. In the series, the Sun Journal will profile a randomly chosen top 10 student from 16 high schools in central and western Maine.
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