Lee Kiefer, the most decorated female American foil fencer of all time, returned to Dunbar on Dec. 10 to receive the FCPS Andy Beshear Distinguished Alumni Award. The 2012 graduate of PLD is the second person to receive the award after Governor Beshear himself.

Kiefer is a graduate of the Math, Science, Technology Center (MSTC) program at Dunbar.

Her teachers remember her as a dedicated and talented student.

“She could be out of school for two weeks and come back and be ahead of everybody else with her assignments and then ace her test,” former MSTC director Bev Smith said. “She was incredible.”

While she was still in high school, Kiefer became the only athlete in the world to earn individual podium finishes at the senior, junior and cadet World Championships.

In high school, she said that she balanced both academics and athletics, but that she couldn’t have done it without asking for help.

“Even to this day I’m always learning how to manage my time and how I can make my top priority things get done,” Kiefer said.

She also said that she remembers being in the MSTC program and how hard it was to maintain all of the expectations.

“I’m still learning, I’m not perfect,” she said. “I just want to emphasize that.”

Kiefer is currently pursuing a medical degree at the University of Kentucky School of Medicine. Current MSTC students were impressed by her achievements and inspired to continue to pursue their dreams.

“I think it was really cool that she was able to balance both rigorous academics, especially with med school going on at the same time as her being an Olympian and competing at a global stage,” MSTC senior Arimitsu Horikawa said.

It was not easy and Kiefer said that she remembers her “zero hour” experiences. Zero Hour is an extra class MSTC students take before school every morning.

“Once in a while, I’ll still have anxiety dreams about being late to class and just like trying to run through the hallways,” she said.

Overall, she emphasized that the hard work pays off, and the importance of friendships and fellowship with other students to take some of the pressure off.

“I do remember loitering in the hallway with some of my friends who I’m still friends with to this day,” Kiefer said. “Something about being delirious in the morning with everyone else sums it up.”

She said that late in high school is when she really knew she had a chance at [the Olympics], and at such an early age, the dream came alive.

“I have a lot of support, from my teachers, my coaches, and my parents,” Kiefer said, but she also wants students to know that “ anyone can win and have success.”

This story was originally published on The Lamplighter on December 12, 2024.