Three Bethel Park High School seniors have been named Commended Students in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. They are seniors Katharine Tena, Lucas Varley and Jeon Varghese.
The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition scholarships that began in 1955. Approximately 1.5 million high school students from more than 21,000 high schools enter the program each year. Of that pool, some 34,000 receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic performance.
“Those being named Commended Students have demonstrated outstanding potential for academic success,” commented National Merit Scholarship Corporation president, Timothy E. McGuire. “These students represent a valuable national resource; recognizing their accomplishments and the key role their schools play in their academic development is vital to the advancement of educational excellence in our nation. We hope this recognition will help broaden their educational opportunities and encourage them as they continue pursuing academic success.”
Commended Students place among the top 50,000 students who entered the 2023 competition by taking the 2021 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSC) but do not continue in the 2023 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards.
“We are very proud of the students who achieved this national recognition," Joseph Villani, BPHS principal, said. "It is reflective of their hard work and dedication to learning.”