Vergennes Union High School – Ben Eddington, 2007
Hometown, current residence, age: I grew up in Waltham, Vt.; currently living in Sydney, Australia; age 28.
Family: Son of Deb and Dave Eddington of Waltham, brother of Kristin Eddington of New York City.
What I am up to: I’m currently working for a large energy company in Australia, and am about to graduate with a Master’s of Economics from the University of New South Wales.
How I got to where I am now: I studied at UVM and did a semester abroad in Glasgow, Scotland, where I met my current partner, Isobel (an Aussie). After I graduated, I moved to Sydney, where I’ve enjoyed exploring a new landscape, meeting great people and embracing the Australian humor.
Adults to whom I can attribute my current success: The most influential teacher I had at VUHS was Meg Kapsch, who was my Humanities teacher and snowboarding instructor. Her classes were really engaging and sparked my interest in social sciences.
How my Vermont roots have influenced who I am today: I am absolutely influenced by my Vermont roots. Vermonters appreciate nature, are down to earth, are open minded and aren’t driven by consumerism. It’s also made me more ecologically aware.
My memories of high school: I was really lucky to have a great group of friends in high school, so I had a good high school experience.
My advice for this year’s crop of graduating seniors: I’d say that if you go to college, take the opportunity to study abroad. You don’t get many chances to live abroad and meet people from all around the world.