Bernards High School Senior Named 2026 National Merit Scholar

BERNARDSVILLE, NJ - A Bernards High School senior is among this year's National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners, announced May 13 as part of the 2026 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Dheirya Tyagi was selected from a pool of more than 15,000 finalists nationwide. Scholarship recipients are evaluated by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors on academic record, PSAT/NMSQT scores, school and community involvement, a personal essay, and a recommendation from a school official.

"Dheirya is a most deserving recipient of a National Merit Scholarship," Bernards Principal Scott Neigel said. "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."

Tyagi is carrying five AP courses and a dual-enrollment Multivariable Calculus class in his senior year. He serves as president of the Tech & Robotics Club and Math League, recording secretary of the National Honor Society, and varsity captain of the swim team. He is also a member of the varsity tennis, JV cross country, and science league teams.

Outside school, Tyagi works as a research intern and section leader for the NJ Cybersecurity & Communications Integration Cell and as a section instructor for Stanford Code in Place. He also tutors students in SAT prep and coaches coding to elementary and middle schoolers at the Coder School.

Tyagi is the founder and developer of Simple Explanations, an online education initiative that makes STEM concepts accessible through long-form videos on YouTube and TikTok and a website featuring interactive tools. The initiative has reached more than 1.2 million learners.

He plans to study computer engineering at Georgia Tech in the fall.

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