Ezra Green had already committed to Columbia University when Harvard came calling.

Green, a Palmerton Area High School senior set to graduate Thursday night, is the school’s valedictorian, a National Merit Scholarship Finalist and holds a perfect PSAT score. He was admitted to four Ivy League institutions — Brown, Cornell, Columbia and Harvard — but his path to Cambridge was anything but straightforward.

“I got into Brown, Cornell and Columbia, and then I was waitlisted at Harvard,” Green said. “I visited Cornell and Columbia. I liked both of them a lot, but I liked Columbia a little more so I committed.”

That commitment didn’t last long. On May 4, just after the commitment deadline passed, Harvard reached out.

“Harvard reached out to interview me because I had accepted my spot on the waitlist,” Green said. “I kind of had a feeling that meant they were considering me because they don’t really re-interview everyone. Then about a week after that interview, they just emailed me. I was admitted off the waitlist. I visited that weekend, because they only gave me a week to decide.”

A visit to campus and a financial aid package sealed it.

“I got my financial aid back and I just really liked everything about the school, so I decided to switch,” he said.

Green plans to study engineering at Harvard, with an eye toward medical technology.

“I always really loved my math and science classes and engineering is sort of the intersection of both of them,” Green said. “I’ve always enjoyed helping people, and engineering is a good way to do that, because I’m really interested in medical technology — prosthetics, or something similar — where I could help build things that actually impact people.”

Among Green’s most notable achievements is his designation as a National Merit Scholarship Finalist, an honor that requires finishing in approximately the top 1% of PSAT scores in the state. Only a few thousand students earn the distinction nationally each year. Green achieved it with a perfect PSAT score of 1520 and also earned a 1580 on his SATs, just two points shy of a perfect mark.

Principal Paula Husar introduced Green before the school board in March when he was recognized for the distinction.

“This recognition highlights not only Ezra’s extraordinary academic ability, but also his dedication, perseverance and pursuit of excellence,” Husar said. “Ezra’s accomplishments truly reflect the phrase ‘the very top of the top,’ and we are incredibly proud to celebrate his hard work, his leadership and remarkable achievements.”

“I was just really proud, because it’s a difficult distinction to get on its own, but being from such a small town and small school, we don’t even know if we’ve had someone get that before,” Green said. “How proud it made all my teachers and my principal; it felt like it meant a lot to not just me and my family, but to the school as a whole.”

The achievement came as something of a surprise.

“I was aware of National Merit, but I didn’t really go in thinking about it,” he said. “My guidance counselor gave me my score back and I was very surprised.”

The valedictorian honor, on the other hand, was something Green eventually set his sights on. After finishing tied for first in his class following his freshman semester, he said the goal came into focus.

“Ever since then I just knew it was something I wanted, so I definitely worked pretty hard toward that,” Green said.

He finishes with a cumulative GPA of 4.5457.

Husar noted that Green’s record was built while remaining fully immersed in school life.

“He achieved all this while fully engaging in high school life at Palmerton — challenging himself with the most rigorous courses, as well as advanced dual enrollment coursework, and even, truthfully, courses we don’t have,” she said.

Green was also recognized at the school’s Senior Awards Ceremony, earning several scholarships including the $5,000-per-year C.D. (Bud) & Jamie Hay Charitable Foundation Award for students pursuing an engineering degree, the $2,500 Andrew D. Behler Engineering Award, the $1,000 Concourse Club Award for the senior with the highest scholastic average and the $500 Junior N. Haupt Scholarship for aptitude in mathematics. He also received the John Boyer Helmuth Award for the highest scholastic average in four years of social studies, the Science Faculty Award and the Towamensing Elementary PTO Award, along with a plaque as Boys’ Track Outstanding Senior.

At Palmerton, Green served as treasurer of Future Business Leaders of America, class treasurer, president of Game Club and Chief Science Officer of the STEM club. He was a member of the National Honor Society and ran cross-country and track for four years, serving as track captain his senior year. Outside of school, he taught himself to code and work with circuitry.

One teacher stood out during his four years. Green credited his calculus teacher, Tammy Muniz, with shaping him beyond the classroom.

“We just got along very well. I really enjoyed her classes because those are the foundation for engineering, basically,” Green said. “She taught me a lot outside of the classroom with self-confidence. She kind of helped me grow into myself.”

Not every course came easily, even for Green. He pointed to AP U.S. History as his most challenging.

“It was definitely the hardest one I took, but at the same time I’m very glad I took it,” Green said. “It helped me realize that it doesn’t have to come super easy for me to enjoy a course. There’s merit in being challenged.”

As graduation approaches, Green offered some advice to younger students at Palmerton.

“I think it’s really important to find balance in high school, because there’s a lot of pressure to really focus on school and on your future,” he said. “It’s definitely important to think about those things, but it’s also important to enjoy your four years before you have to go be in the real world. My first years in high school I tended to stress out more than I needed to, but this year I just kind of realized that it’s important to be happy.”