How cool is this?

Kacey

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Every year, my TKD association puts out a newsletter, with articles written by members of each class. I asked my senior color belt student to write our article this year, and she sent me this via email this evening. Please remember when you read this that it was written by a 14 year-old girl, who has been in my class for several years, and currently holds the rank of 3rd gup high blue belt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I always wonder when we go out to eat or have parties as a group, what people think of us. Here is a large group of people who seem friendly with each other, are of mixed ages, races and genders who call each other “sir and ma’am”.
I associate people who do TaeKwon-Do with super heroes. By day, we assume our secret identities; for instance, I am a 14 year old girl who chatters to her friends about boys and TV shows. Another could be prescribing medicine or putting criminals where they belong.
But then, at night, we suit up and meet in basements and cold gyms to practice and learn. We have some heroes experienced through time who help us go make the world a better place. We promise to do that. “I shall help build a more peaceful world.” I think we do it too. We educate our friends, family or maybe strangers on how they can protect themselves. We must stay humble to prevent ourselves form becoming super villains. We know more about the human body than most people and we can’t take advantage of it.
I’m told at school that knowledge is power. That’s true. I could maybe kill someone if I wanted to but I don’t. Super heroes help. They have great knowledge and in the words of Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
I guess that’s what I wish people understood most about TaeKwon-Do and martial arts in general, it’s not like soccer – an organized group game – and it’s not a quest for a black belt. It’s a responsibility (although it’s fun too). You have the responsibility to get to classes and get there on time. You have the responsibility to learn what your instructor teaches you. You have the responsibility to take what you learned and not use it to show off or most certainly not to hurt anyone. You have the responsibility to help and learn from other people in your class. So, heroes take forth your power and become a champion of freedom and justice but remember – when thanked, a real super hero always says “I’m just doing my job, ma’am.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Things like this are why I teach TKD. To my student: thank you. I am humbled to be your instructor. :asian:
 

Rich Parsons

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Every year, my TKD association puts out a newsletter, with articles written by members of each class. I asked my senior color belt student to write our article this year, and she sent me this via email this evening. Please remember when you read this that it was written by a 14 year-old girl, who has been in my class for several years, and currently holds the rank of 3rd gup high blue belt.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I always wonder when we go out to eat or have parties as a group, what people think of us. Here is a large group of people who seem friendly with each other, are of mixed ages, races and genders who call each other “sir and ma’am”.
I associate people who do TaeKwon-Do with super heroes. By day, we assume our secret identities; for instance, I am a 14 year old girl who chatters to her friends about boys and TV shows. Another could be prescribing medicine or putting criminals where they belong.
But then, at night, we suit up and meet in basements and cold gyms to practice and learn. We have some heroes experienced through time who help us go make the world a better place. We promise to do that. “I shall help build a more peaceful world.” I think we do it too. We educate our friends, family or maybe strangers on how they can protect themselves. We must stay humble to prevent ourselves form becoming super villains. We know more about the human body than most people and we can’t take advantage of it.
I’m told at school that knowledge is power. That’s true. I could maybe kill someone if I wanted to but I don’t. Super heroes help. They have great knowledge and in the words of Spiderman, “With great power comes great responsibility.”
I guess that’s what I wish people understood most about TaeKwon-Do and martial arts in general, it’s not like soccer – an organized group game – and it’s not a quest for a black belt. It’s a responsibility (although it’s fun too). You have the responsibility to get to classes and get there on time. You have the responsibility to learn what your instructor teaches you. You have the responsibility to take what you learned and not use it to show off or most certainly not to hurt anyone. You have the responsibility to help and learn from other people in your class. So, heroes take forth your power and become a champion of freedom and justice but remember – when thanked, a real super hero always says “I’m just doing my job, ma’am.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Things like this are why I teach TKD. To my student: thank you. I am humbled to be your instructor. :asian:

Sweet!

I liked it

Thanks
:)
 

Ping898

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She has a lot of insight for someone her age! Thank you for sharing it with us!
 

exile

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Kacey---to answer your question: that is way, way cool! Makes me feel very good, for some reason, that a 14 year old, who probably just appears to be a normal happy kid, had it in her to write that. Sometimes the world hits you with good surprises, eh? :)
 
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Kacey

Kacey

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Kacey---to answer your question: that is way, way cool! Makes me feel very good, for some reason, that a 14 year old, who probably just appears to be a normal happy kid, had it in her to write that. Sometimes the world hits you with good surprises, eh? :)
And she is a normal, happy kid - I knew she had more insight than most kids her age from other comments she's made, but that article was so far above anything I could have anticipated when I asked her to write this year's article. I am very impressed, and, as I said, humbled to have her in my class.

She also told me this evening at class that she had given it to the teacher at her middle school (she's in 8th grade) who runs the school paper, to get feedback on it, and the teacher thought she was trying to recruit members for the school TKD club... and interesting thought, given that there's not a club at her middle school!
 

Tez3

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I liked that very much! I've just come off another thread about the Iraq situation and was feeling old and sad. That article is so hopeful! It's made me feel that perhaps after all our future is in good hands.
 

ArmorOfGod

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Kacey,
You may consider sending that to Black Belt mag or TKD Times magazine. That is defenitely worth sharing.

AoG
 

King

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Very nice read Kacey, thank you for posting it. :ultracool I appreciate the insight and it's promising to see a 14 year old view martial arts in that way.
 

Shotochem

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Sounds like a real good kid and her parents should be proud to have a daughter with such values at such a young age.

Maybe, there is hope for a brighter future. If there is one there could be millions more.......:)
 

zDom

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Very cool essay! I enjoyed it very much: thanks for sharing it with us :)
 

Tez3

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It's given me a thought ( poor brain!), I'll think it through a bit then post on a new thread so as not to distract from this excellent one. Basically, setting up penfriends from our club's kids to any of yours that would like to write to each other. PM with any ideas!
 

morph4me

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Excellent article. Thanks for sharing it.

She sounds like a remarkable young lady with a bright future. I hope you're sharing the feedback here with her. She deserves all the encouragement and kudos she can get.
 

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