My Journey to Black Belt
We believe the best testimonial comes from students (as young as 7 to 72 years old) who have taken the classes and have persevered through Black Belt. Please take some time to read what each student wrote when they were asked to write an essay about THEIR journey to Black Belt…What Tae Kwon Do means to them and how Tae Kwon Do helped them improve their lives mentally, physically, socially, and emotionally.
Here are some excerpts from their essays:
Becoming a black belt is more than just forms and self defense. It’s about being in the best physical shape I can be in, doing the best I can, and having a strong, positive spirit. It’s about viewing a board as a thin fragile object instead of something doors are made of. It’s about showing courtesy, integrity, perseverance and self-control, and having an indomitable spirit in class and in all other areas of my life.
-Faye Vorick
I have a great appreciation of the school’s atmosphere of acceptance, respect, support and encouragement. I respect and admire Master Kim, who keeps the school accountable to a higher standard and serves as an example of that standard. This is a sport that you will get out of it whatever you put into it. It is a chance to challenge yourself and set goals. Actually, it is more than a sport because it instills values and ethics for conduct and behavior expected in real life. It promotes person development on many levels. I believe that the children who are participants at this school will receive lifetime benefits because of the instruction they are receiving now. I believe that adults that participate will find it fulfilling when they challenge themselves and accomplish what seemed daunting.
-Rebecca Netzel
Every child is told to be kind. However, that maxim is often challenged in the spirit of “competition”—except here at Tae Kwon Do studio. Here, students are expected to challenge each other, yet with courtesy and kindness. It is never about improving yourself at the expense of another.
- Margarita Geleske
I have learned a lot in Tae Kwon Do. I learned that it is more than just punching and kicking. Tae Kwon Do is about being able to focus and use your mental ability to do your best. I am learning how to be a good leader. To be a good leader you have to have the right path.
-Max Gilchrist
Tae Kwon Do has helped me by learning to have self-discipline, patience, and sportsmanship. It has also given me a great deal of courage to help defend someone who is in need of it.
-Vincent Lobo
After I got to my green belt I realized that there was more to Tae Kwon Do than just kicks and punches and I made a commitment to becoming a black belt. As I earned more belts I also learned to help others, to never give up and to strive for self discipline. During my journey, my instructors always encouraged me by giving me high fives, saying good job and helping me focus on what I needed to work on.
-Rebecca Paul
What is there to NOT like about Tae Kwon Do? I can run, kick, yell, punch, and burn lots of energy.
-John Peters
Tae Kwon Do has taught me to be a good leader; I feel it is my responsibility to look after those younger that me and to help them in any way that I can. I have learned that perseverance and self control are the most powerful tools to reaching a personal goal. Self control has helped me reign in my emotions and express them in a more positive way.
-Jon McMillan
My family and I appreciate the values W. Kim teaches: courtesy, respect, honesty and positive attitude. I would recommend W. Kim Tae Kwon Do to all of my friends!
-Christopher Winkler
I thank W. Kim Tae Kwon Do for teaching me what can be accomplished when focusing the strength of the mind, body and spirit toward a life of balance.
-Nina McIlree
Tae Kwon Do has helped me in a lot of ways. It has helped me in school by teaching me to keep sitting in class and not talk too much. I also know that if something is hard to do the first time that if I keep working on it I will be able to do it.
-Christopher DeSort
I work hard at keeping the tenets of Tae Kwon Do a part of me even when I am not at Tae Kwon Do, I feel it is important to make them a part of who you are, and not just what you do when there are instructors around. Tae Kwon Do has helped me be better at respecting my parents, other adults and coaches, and my brother and two sisters. I have also done better at school because I know what it means to have to be focused.
-Kristen Ottesen
When I was a Brown Belt, I took a break from Tae Kwon Do. This was a big mistake. I realized that Tae Kwon Do meant a lot to me, and how much I missed it. When I came back, I practiced very hard and joined the Demo Team. After six years of dedication, I am at the end of my Black Belt Journey, and ready to begin another journey as a black belt. I am very proud to be part of the W. Kim Tae Kwon Do School.
-Nick Longo
While having fun, without realizing I was actually learning the awesome art of self defense!
- Siddarth Nair
I think Tae Kwon Do teaches you respect towards others and yourself and helps you to act appropriately. It also teaches you how to defend yourself if needed from others. It has taught me how to handle situations at school and with my friends.
- Morgan Sjogren
Tae Kwon Do has helped me with a lot of things. It has helped me mostly with respect. Now, I respect my parents more than before I started. I also have improved on confidence. I could barely talk to anybody I didn’t know before I started taking Tae Kwon Do. Now, I can talk to almost anybody.
- Philip Hansen
As I have progressed through the ranks I have learned to set goals, I am proud of myself when I achieve them. The testing process has been a challenging part of my training. I have learned to handle the stress of performing in front of, what feels like, a million people and to concentrate on doing my best. This has helped me in school while giving speeches and making presentations. Since beginning Tae Kwon Do, at the age of four, I have grown in many ways and have learned to respect my parents, instructors and family. It has taught me to work hard and improve my moves, but also to set goals and work hard to achieve them
- Ryan Rodriguez
TKD has not only increased my self confidences, but helped increase my determination to reach my goals. TKD has also increased my leadership abilities.
- Eddie Graham
