Meet Miles Hong (’25), an exceptional student who embodies a blend of academic excellence, artistic talent, and community engagement. His remarkable accomplishments are the result of his passion for learning and dedication to his studies as well as a powerful sense of self and the importance of being an actively involved member of his community. 

Miles has always been fascinated by mathematics and science. Currently studying Multivariable Calculus, he aspires to a future in aerospace engineering and enjoys combining his intellectual interests with artistic pursuits such as creative writing, digital art, and sci-fi and fantasy worldbuilding. Exhilarated by the conversations possible between disparate topics, Miles has distinguished himself as a nimble learner whose interests cross the curriculum. We are very proud of his recognition as a Commended Scholar in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship program.

Miles’s interests are wide and varied, and include playing video games, drawing, and creating his own sci-fi or fantasy worlds, which inspired his participation in the Warhammer and LARP clubs. He has taken advantage of Grayson’s Open Studio to develop projects in keeping with this passion, including a combination of creative writing and digital art displayed through his exploration of Blender, a 3D modeling, animation, and virtual reality suite of software.

This year, he is pursuing an ambitious digital storytelling project based on the idea of a “picture within a picture,” where his reader will experience a dynamically unfolding narrative by “zooming in” through layers of digital artwork that slowly reveal a larger narrative. He is excited to see what kinds of stories he can create using these nested images and how they differ from traditional creative writing projects. Whether designing aircraft that can withstand space exploration or 3D modeling with Blender,  Miles pushes the boundaries of what’s possible with his unique blend of science, math, visual art, and writing! 

Outside the classroom, Miles has been a member of the Grayson esports team since ninth grade, which he credits for helping him develop strong leadership skills and appreciate the value of teamwork. Miles is also actively involved in Grayson’s VEX robotics team, contributing to his team’s success through his technical expertise and teamwork.  

In May of this year, Miles proudly spoke at the AAPI History rally at the state capitol in Harrisburg, advocating for HB 779 / SB 839. This legislation aims to incorporate AAPI history in all Pennsylvania schools, making a significant step toward educational equity by including accurate information about Asian American & Pacific Islander history and culture. He actively volunteers with NGO Make Us Visible Pennsylvania along with his family to support this compelling cause.  His political activity has also included work at the local level canvassing for his father’s successful school board campaign. Knocking doors armed with pamphlets, flyers, voter registration information, and neighborly warmth, Miles says he especially valued this fantastic opportunity to listen, answer questions, and inform voters about the issues facing their school district.  

Miles perceives himself as a “citizen of the world,” and has been fortunate to visit sites on many people’s “bucket lists,” including a family trip to the Galápagos in 2023 and a journey throughout New Zealand and Australia in 2024. He was especially eager to join the International Studies trip to Spain and Morocco as a junior, an experience which further reinforced his belief that travel is the best way to create intercultural understanding.  Miles’s passion for learning, his artistic talents, and his commitment to making a positive impact on the world will undoubtedly lead him to great success in the future. We wish Miles all the best as he embarks on the next chapter of his educational journey.