BEVERLY — Aja Evans is known as a "pusher" in her chosen sport of bobsledding.
The Olympic bronze medalist is also expected to push students to achieve their best as part of a commencement address at 4 p.m. Friday at the Beverly Arts Center.
Evans, a 2006 graduate of nearby Morgan Park High School, will deliver the address to the 75 graduates of Beverly's Sutherland Elementary School.
"The future is theirs. I hope to share my story and inspire them," said Evans, who won her medal in the two-man bobsled at the Sochi Olympics in 2014.
Howard Ludwig says Evans will remind kids that anything is possible:
The 15-minute speech is aimed at students and their families who will come together at the neighborhood arts center at 2407 W. 111th St. in Morgan Park.
Evans tore her anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, last year and has been busy rehabbing from the injury. She still lives in the Chicago area and is busy pursuing her master's degree and coaching high school athletes.
"I'm not really pushing it right now," said Evans, adding that the injury forced her to "grow up."
Fresh from a rehab session, Evans said on Friday that she's not yet focused on the 2018 Olympics set for Pyeongchang, South Korea.
"I still have a little time before those games," she said.
Regina M. Roberts is the associate principal at Sutherland Elementary at 10015 S. Leavitt Ave. in Beverly. She formed a graduation committee earlier in the year and sought parent volunteers who then brainstormed for potential speakers.
"Many of our students are also athletes," Roberts said. "We are excited and the students are excited too."
DeNalda Guice Gay was among the volunteers on the committee. Her daughter, Chandler, is graduating from Sutherland this year and headed to Whitney Young Magnet Academy High School on the Near West Side.
"Aja was interesting because she attended a local high school, and she is an athlete," Gay said. "Both of my children have been student athletes."
Gay called Evans' agent with the request and was pleasantly surprised when she agreed to speak to the graduates. In lieu of a speaker's fee, Sutherland will be donating to a charity of the Olympian's choice.
Evans seemed equally excited to be part of the big day and was already getting in the spirit of the commencement with some inspirational words.
"Anything is possible for them," she said.
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