District News

On May 13, 2026, this year’s National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners were announced across the country. These Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 outstanding Finalists in the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program. Selected from Bernards High School was senior Dheirya Tyagi. He was judged to have a strong combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.

Scholarship recipients are chosen by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors who review the following: the academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®); contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official. 

Dheirya stands out for accomplishments across so many arenas: academics, athletics, community service and more. During his career at Bernards High School, he has taken a host of Honors and AP courses. In this, his senior year, he is carrying 5 APs, as well as a dual-enrollment Multivariable Calculus class, truly declaring his lean toward STEM. Dheirya is a very involved student at BHS where he is President of the Tech & Robotics Club, President of Math League, Recording Secretary for National Honor Society, and Varsity Captain of the Swim Team. He is a leader who prioritizes relationship building and effective communication. Dheirya is also a member of Varsity Tennis, JV Cross Country, and Science League. He is a goal setter, problem solver, and a positive team member. 

Outside of school Dheirya is quite active as a Research Intern & Section Leader for the NJ Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell and is a Section Instructor for Stanford Code in Place. He strives to uplift his peers and community as a Senior SAT Tutor and as a Code Coach at the Coder School teaching elementary and middle school children.

As an entrepreneur, Dheirya is Founder & Developer of Simple Explanations, an online education initiative he began to make STEM concepts more accessible through long-form videos on platforms such as YouTube and TikTok, along with a website featuring interactive tools he developed. The initiative has reached 1.2M+ learners so far and he hopes to continue the project in college by diversifying the content.  

Dheirya will be studying Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech in the fall and we are certain that the district and Somerset Hills community will hear about the future accomplishments of this bright and well-rounded young man!

“Dheirya is a most deserving recipient of a National Merit Scholarship.  Not only has he excelled in the classroom, but he has served as a student leader in multiple clubs and activities.  He is a talented yet humble student with a promising future ahead of him. BHS couldn’t be prouder of his accomplishments,” shared Dr. Scott Neigel, Principal of Bernards High School.