Olympic luge champion Julia Clukey will speak with students at Wiscasset High School Friday morning about the importance of good decision making and personal responsibility.

Clukey, a 28-year-old Augusta native, is a member of the USA National Luge Team. She has partnered with the Maine Beer and Wine Distributors Association to speak at schools throughout the state as part of their responsibility campaign on underage drinking and decision making.

Students will learn from Clukey's experiences having overcome obstacles and the lessons she has learned on and off the track. She has competed in luge events since age 13, after first catching the racing bug in 1997 at a USA Luge recruiting race in Portland. Read her full story online at: www.clukeyluge.com/.

Since 2001, Clukey has competed in Luge World Cup and the International Luge Federation World Luge Championships, ever reaching higher goals throughout her career. Most recently, she won two Silver Medals at the World Cup competition on Mount Van Hoevenberg in Lake Placid, N.Y., according to a press release.

The path to her athletic success has been swift, but has not been without its challenges. Clukey took a take a step back from racing following the death of her father, but she returned a few months later.

In 2009, she underwent knee surgery after receiving a torn meniscus during a training exercise. That same year, she suffered from a herniated disk and was diagnosed with Arnold Chiari Syndrome, a disorder that gives her headaches and causes her to monitor workouts more closely, according to her website.

In spite of these challenges, Clukey forged ahead with her dreams and pushed herself to reach higher goals.

“We are excited to have Julia come speak to our students,” Wiscasset High School Principal Deb Taylor said. “We know our students encounter obstacles to their own educational and personal goals and that perseverance and resilience are essential to overcoming them.

“Our hope is that Julia's message will encourage and inspire our students to stay the course and pursue their dreams.”

Clukey has been speaking at schools in Maine since 2010 to raise awareness about underage drinking and to talk about responsibility. According to the press release, she has logged over 2,000 miles, spoken with over 6,000 students and visited 20 high schools with the goal of reaching all high schools in Maine.

She just finished speaking at Fryburg Academy, and following Wiscasset, she will speak at Dexter Regional High School, Hall-Dale High School, Hebron Academy, Mt. Blue and Mountain Valley high schools.

In addition to giving presentations, Clukey will host the Julia Clukey Camp for Girls this summer and will train for the 2014 Olympics that are to take place in Sochi, Russia.

To learn more about the summer camp, her presentations and more about her story, find her on Facebook or visit www.clukeyluge.com/.