Congratulations to Luke Sharp, a teacher at SOAR Academy! He has been recognized as one of five recipients of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award for Outstanding Public Service Benefiting Local Communities. This national award is one of the Jefferson Awards, which have been the highest and most prestigious honor recognizing public service in the United States for over 50 years. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Award is designed to recognize a handful of the countless individuals across the country who are performing extraordinary public service in their local communities. Media partners recognize 1,000+ local grassroot unsung heroes each year, and the Jefferson Awards Board of Selectors chooses five for national recognition. Luke was nominated by WPDE, ABC15.
Luke is one of the founders of the Adaptive Surf Project. This non-profit organization began as a way to help individuals with disabilities surf by adapting surfboards, but it has evolved into an ongoing mission to make beaches accessible to everyone. They host events that teach individuals with disabilities how to surf, reach out to other countries to bring adaptive surfing worldwide, and raise money and campaign for beach-accessible wheelchairs and wheelchair-friendly beach access.
As a founder of the Adaptive Surf Project, Luke has volunteered hundreds of hours over the last decade. He says the inspiration came when his friend, professional surfer Brock Johnson, was in an accident that left him a quadriplegic. Luke believes that “anyone can, and should, be able to experience every part of life that brings joy, regardless of the current human condition. As long as there is gumption and there’s help, anything is possible.”
View the Multiplying Good 51st Annual Jefferson Awards ceremony with Mr. Sharp's introduction beginning at 10:28.
