DELMAR—Three seniors from Bethlehem Central High School have been named National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, joining the ranks of top students from the class of 2025 recognized in New York State.
The students — Armen Amirbekian, Zara Pattison, and Sophie Wang — earned this distinction as some of the highest-scoring entrants in the state, gaining entry into a program known for its recognition of academic excellence since 1955.
These students now have the opportunity to compete next spring for approximately 6,870 National Merit Scholarships, with awards totaling over $26 million. Scholarship winners will be announced by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation between April and July 2025.
More than 1.3 million students from over 21,000 high schools nationwide entered the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test during their junior year. This test serves as an initial screening for the prestigious scholarship program, which names fewer than 1 percent of high school seniors nationwide as Semifinalists each year.
An additional 34,000 students receive recognition as Commended Students, based on their performance on the qualifying exam.
In addition to its three Semifinalists, Bethlehem Central High School celebrates nine seniors who achieved Commended Student status in the National Merit Scholarship Program. These students are Alice Chen, Ariel Chen, Nolan Devejian, Anika Kalam, Mairead McPhillips, Clare Megahey, Aaditya Ojha, Justin Sherer, Molly Wladis, and Joy Wu.
This academic recognition reflects the high standards of achievement within the Bethlehem Central High School community and highlights the dedication of these students as they continue to pursue future opportunities.
