NEW SCOTLAND — Salutatorian John Bennett Mackay graciously included his classmates when discussing his selection by school officials as salutatorian.

“There’s a very bright group,” he said. “There are a number of people who were close. I feel pretty fortunate to be recognized.”

Mackay learned last month that he had edged out his friends for the honor at a school he enjoyed attending, he said.

“I had a great time with a great group of friends, and great teachers,” Mackay said. “I’m comfortable and ready for college.”

Mackay played “a lot of soccer” while at Voorheesville, and plans to teach swimming lessons in the village for his second year before leaving for Haverford College in Pennsylvania.

He chose his college “late in the process,” he said. “My dad suggested I look at it,” he said. Mackay applied to the school, was accepted, and then visited the campus.

“It was pretty exciting,” he said of his campus visit. “I just got a sense that it would be a good community.”

Mackay plans to study engineering in a program that will keep him at Haverford College for three years and at CalTech, in California, for his final two years, he said. The program offers a bachelor of science degree from Haverford in addition to a bachelor of engineering degree from CalTech.

“I chose Haverford because I feel it presents me with the most doors and opportunities going forward,” Mackay wrote in an e-mail.

Mackay said that he enjoyed his math classes and his time in the science department in Voorheesville. He spoke about the weather balloon his class launched for a physics project.

“We have not yet recovered it,” he told The Enterprise. “We were somewhat disappointed. The experience had more positives than negatives.”

His good friend, Erik Patak, was named valedictorian, Mackay said, and the two of them will address the student body at graduation on Friday.

“It’ll be fun to speak with him,” Mackay said.