The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced that Bethlehem Central High School seniors Eva Ho and Isha Narang are among this year’s National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners.

A panel of judges selects National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners for having the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies. Only 2,500 students nationwide were named National Merit Scholars.

Ho will attend Cornell University in the fall and plans to major in food science. Narang is enrolling at the University of Vermont and plans to pursue a degree in animal science on a pre-veterinary track.

This year’s National Merit Scholarship Program began in October 2022 when high school juniors took the PSAT/NMSQT, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. Last fall, the highest-scoring participants in each state, representing less than one percent of the nation’s high school seniors, were named National Merit semifinalists. Eva Ho and Isha Narang were among nine BCHS students who were named 2024 semifinalists.

In addition to high scores on the PSAT, National Merit Scholars are judged on their academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; and a written essay. College admissions officers and guidance counselors from across the country serve as judges.

Congratulations to National Merit Scholars Eva Ho and Isha Narang!