Whiz Kid: Meet Kara Lee, Stony Brook School Co-Valedictorian

Judging by her resume, Kara Lee will fit in just right at Harvard when she heads there for college in the fall. Following a competitive fencing schedule that took her to national and international tournaments, the Stony Brook School co-valedictorian was recruited to join the fencing team at Harvard. But it's fair to say Lee is multi-dimensional, and being named her school's co-valedictorian "means that all my hard work really paid off, that all the sleepless nights and stress were worth it," she says.

Age: 18

Hometown: Islip

College Plans: Harvard; considering a major in the sciences.

Hobbies & School Activities: Lee plays cello, piano and guitar, and says her passion is composing music. She played with the Stony Brook School's chamber music program and pit orchestra, and plans on auditioning for the Harvard Pops Orchestra. She also served as academic prefect, a group consisting of 14 seniors chosen to lead the student body.

What did it take to achieve co-valedictorian honors? Lots of hard work during both her junior and senior years, when she took four AP classes each year and went full force into fencing. "I really had to learn to manage my time and work ahead. ... And while the horrible disease of senioritis kicked in, I had to remind myself to keep doing my best and to keep working hard," Lee says.

Kara's key to awesomeness: "Try your best. The most important thing is to work your hardest, because despite the results, you yourself know that you did all you could to succeed and therefore, could live with no regrets. I also encourage everyone to pursue what they truly love, and to give yourself time to enjoy your high school years."