Last week, Olympian Julia Clukey reached more than 350 students as part of her new “Julia Inspires” campaign when she presented to students from Bath Middle School. As part of the assembly, Clukey encouraged students to find their passion, create a plan and go after their dreams. After the presentation, she honored eighth grader Macey Coffin with the Julia Clukey Courage Award. Coffin received the honor because of her ability to persevere in academics and athletics.

“Macey demonstrates many of the character traits that I talked about in my presentation today. Her positive attitude and determination to succeed in the classroom and in athletics make her a great role model for younger students. You can see from the reaction today by her teachers and peers that she is well-respected and very deserving of the award,” said Clukey.

Teachers also chose Coffin because she constantly thinks of others first and has handled adverse situations in her journey toward adulthood with grace and humor.

State legislators Sen. Linda Baker and Rep. Jennifer DeChant who serve the city of Bath joined Clukey at the event and helped present the Julia Clukey Courage Award.

To date, Clukey has shared her story at 60 Maine schools, reaching more than 18,500 students. The Augusta native is scheduled to present at several more schools this year.

The presentation was provided at no cost to the school as part of her “Julia Inspires” campaign that continues to build on her success as spokesperson for the Maine Beer & Wine Distributors Association (MBWDA). The new campaign is made possible by the MBWDA. Middle and high school administrators can request a presentation at clukeyluge.com.

Clukey, 31, continues to train for her 19th season in the sport of luge. She has set a goal to compete at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

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