Bowers, Walnut Hill students passionate about afterschool martial arts
The sounds of kicking, blocking and punching fill the gyms after-school these days at Bowers Elementary and Walnut Hill Elementary in Harriman. No, it’s not children out-of-control. Quite to the contrary, it’s children learning self-control, discipline, respect, as well as many other physical and life-skills in the after-school martial arts program.
“By far, this has been one of our most requested after-school programs. The children just love it, and the discipline they’re learning in karate has translated to improved behavior in the classroom,” said Candace Lett, Principal of Bowers Elementary School. And, according to Glenna Treece, Walnut Hill Elementary School’s Principal, “Since offering the karate class we have not had one incidence of misconduct anywhere on campus by anyone participating in the program. In fact, behavior of many of the students enrolled in the class has actually improved.”
The martial arts program is being taught by the Roane School of Isshinryu Karate in Harriman, under the direction of Mr. Tommy True, the school’s owner and Chief Instructor. True is a 9th Degree Black Belt and has operated the Roane School of Isshinryu Karate for over 42 years in Harriman. Additionally, True’s school is the oldest active Isshinryu School in the State of Tennessee.
True’s Head Instructor, Ridge Richardson, a 5th Degree Black Belt, is responsible for the implementation of the after-school program in both elementary schools. Richardson, accompanied by Steve Edwards, a 3rd Degree Black Belt, take the lead at Bowers Elementary while Ed Turnington and Justin Edwards, both 3rd Degree Black Belts, work with the children at Walnut Hill Elementary.
Classes are held one afternoon each week, and are divided into two, one-hour-long sessions with the first class beginning at 3:20 in each location. Classes at Bowers Elementary are mixed among Kindergarten through 5th grade and Walnut Hill classes are divided among 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students.
The goal of the after-school program is not only to introduce children to karate but to teach them discipline, respect, self-control, physical conditioning and coordination. “Aside from teaching them basic blocking, punching and kicking techniques, a large part of the program deals with awareness issues from a safety perspective,” said Richardson. Richardson went on to add, “At their ages, it’s not realistic to expect that a 2nd or 3rd grade elementary student is capable of physically defending themselves against an adult; however, we can teach them what to do if and when confronted by an adult as well as how to be more alert and aware of their surroundings, thereby, improving their odds of avoiding any potential problems.”
The Roane School of Isshinryu Karate held the first after-school karate program at Bowers Elementary during the spring semester of 2008 with over 120 children enrolled in the program. Due to the overwhelming success of that initial program, after-school karate programs were just completed during the fall/winter semester and are scheduled for spring semesters 2009 at both Bowers and Walnut Hill Elementary. The after-school karate program is funded, like all after-school programs, by grant money petitioned for by individual schools.
During “Celebrate Me Night,” an evening when all the students participating in after-school activities have an opportunity to showcase what they’ve been learning, 1 student from each class at both Bowers and Walnut Hill Elementary were chosen to receive complimentary karate lessons for 3 months under the Roane School of Isshinryu Karate’s Scholarship Program. The recipients were chosen by the karate school’s instructors and awarded the scholarships based on their attentiveness during class, attitude, work ethic and interest level.
When talking about the karate school’s Scholarship Program, Chief Instructor True said, “This is just one of many ways we give back to the community for all the support our school has received over the past 42-years.” True concluded by saying, “For some of these young people, this is the only exposure to martial arts they will ever have. We want to make sure it’s fun for them and instill some basic self-defense principles they will be able to use throughout life.”
