Alton Mies ’21 is Named as National Merit Semi-Finalist Posted on September 11, 2020 in Press Releases, Student News Alton Mies ’21 Saint John’s Prep Senior Alton Mies, son of Susan and Jeff Mies of Cold Spring, is a semi-finalist in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Alton is one of the 16,000 students nationwide to earn the honor as semi-finalist. Alton is among the academically talented high school seniors who now have the opportunity to continue in the competition for scholarships worth $33 million. He is one of the top scorers of the PSAT/NMSQT® in the United States and Minnesota. At Saint John’s Prep, Alton is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society and German Club. Alton is a member of the track and baseball teams and a captain of the soccer and basketball teams. During the 2019-20 season, Saint John’s Prep and our basketball team celebrated Alton’s achievement of scoring 1,000 points. Alton is an editor and writes for the Saint John’s Prep Triangle and the Prep Post. Alton tutors other students while volunteering for the Saint John’s Prep Writing Center. He founded the Chess Club and serves as its president. Jeff, Alton ’21 and Susan Mies Within the Central Minnesota community, Alton is a dedicated volunteer. For the Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum, he’s built and donated fisher nesting boxes and duck houses. Alton is a trail monitor for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Loon Monitoring program. In addition, Alton works with his siblings to serve the elderly with an ongoing project called “Papa’s Blankets.” Alton works with student groups to make colorful fleece blankets which he then delivers to area elderly care centers. The National Merit® Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®)–a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year–and by meeting published program entry/participation requirements.