Presidental Scholar Nominee Hails From Essex Tech

DANVERS, MA — An Essex Tech senior who started his own landscaping business in eighth grade, is a three-sport athlete and who organized the school's "Hawks Fan Section" is one of the state's nominees for prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholar in Career and Technical Education recognition.

State Education Commissioner Jeffrey Riley nominated senior Beck Hermann to be one of about 161 students set to be recognized nationwide. The U.S. Department of Education will name the finalists who will attend an awards breakfast in Washington D.C. in April.

The program was expanded to include career and technical students in 2015.

"An honor this high doesn’t happen overnight, and I am beyond blessed to have had the opportunity to develop myself in this way," Hermann said. "Encouraged by support from my teachers, school administration, co-op opportunities, family and the whole community, I have found that having the proper support makes excelling attainable."

Hermann is active in Essex Tech extracurricular activities and has served as a school ambassador and senior class treasurer. He intends to pursue a career in landscape architecture.

"We are incredibly proud of Beck and his accomplishments at Essex Tech," Essex Tech Principal Shannon Donnelly said. "He is an outstanding student, serves as a mentor for our new students, and dedicates his time to various community service activities.

"He exemplifies what we hope to see in all of our students and he is very deserving of this recognition."

Hermann is a member of the winter and spring track teams, has been on the golf team and plans to play volleyball in the spring. He also helped start the Hawks Fan Cheering Section, helped restart the school's Weighlighting Club and is working to start a Ski Club.

He began Beck's Landscapes and Gardens in eighth grade, has volunteered with Surfing with Smiles, which teaches deaf children how to surf, and volunteers with the Amesbury nonprofit Neighbors' Table.

"Beck has an entrepreneurial spirit," Essex Tech Superintendent Heidi Riccio said. "He is certainly the model student who is sure to excel beyond Essex Tech."

(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.)