Swampscott Students Earn Top Honors At Essex Tech

SWAMPSCOTT, MA — Class of 2021 graduates Swampscott students Molly McDonald and Helen Clark will be honored with top academic recognitions at Essex Tech at next week's commencement ceremony.

Molly McDonald, an environmental technology student, is the class valedictorian. McDonald will attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute where she plans to major in engineering and environmental science.

She also intends to play lacrosse and will serve in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Helen Clark, a biotechnology student, is a salutatorian. She plans to attend Salisbury University where she intends to study biology.

State Sen. Joan Lovely, a school alumna, will deliver the school's commencement address. She last spoke at graduation ceremonies at the school in 2011.

Kevin Rush, an advanced manufacturing student from Salem, will speak as the winner of the Massachusetts Vocational Association Outstanding Vocational Student Award. He will attend the University of Rhode Island and study mechanical engineering in the honors program.

Class president Tyler Geary, a carpentry student from Salem, will be the closing speaker. He plans to attend the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and study civil engineering.

Graduation ceremonies are scheduled for June 4 at 6 p.m. with attendance by invitation only.

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(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)