Ninja and Samurai Martial Arts Dojo

Posts Tagged ‘at risk youth’

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I’m excited to be speaking at the Mira Mar Rotary club this Thursday about how to reach At Risk Youths. Every year the number of kids who become “at risk” for getting involved in gangs increases. Especially in these tough economic times, parents are working as much as possible and unfortunately away from home for longer periods of time than ever before. Many parents cannot afford after school programs for their kids and some kids who do attend them, are not getting the attention and mental stimulation they need to stay out of trouble.

A traditional martial arts program can help kids of all ages stay out of risk and out of trouble. One of the main reasons it works is due to the focus on self-improvement. This leads to higher self-esteem and when you feel good about yourself, you are not looking for ways to act out for negative attention. Martial arts classes motivate kids to work hard and improve themselves, day by day. An ethical instructor provides a strong role model so the children learn important life lessons. When kids don’t have a role model to learn from, they try to learn right from wrong from their peers which doesn’t work. This can lead to gang situations and lots of trouble for society.

In a good traditional martial arts program like the one we teach at Poway Samurai Martial Arts, everyone participates and supports each other. Unlike many sports activities, there are no teams. Everyone learns together and excels together but each in their own way. Kids can even help each other learn as the older ones can become role models for the younger ones. All the students learn positive life skills and values to help them succeed in whatever they choose to do in life.

I will be emphasizing this information to the Mira Mar Rotary club tomorrow because it really is a simple matter of “Pay Now” by sponsoring kids to take martial arts classes and save them while there is still time or “Pay A Lot More Later” as their actions cause society to suffer with crime and violence. If you have a group interested in learning more about how to support “At Risk Youth Programs” or, if you know of an organization ready to provide a sponsorship for kids now, please contact me at #858-486-0059.

Thank you!
Tony Whetstine (The Bushido Guy)

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One of the programs I am currently working on is a program to reach at risk youths. Every year, especially in hard financial times, the number of kids at risk increases, as parents are required to work longer and be away from home for longer periods of time. Many of these youths can’t afford to be in after school programs or simply don’t get what they need from those programs.

There are many great things about a good traditional martial arts program. A big one is the focus on self-improvement-self-esteem-personal growth. While it seems like these should be three separate things, they really are so intertwined that our language does a disservice to us in using different words. Self improvement is not about getting better at fighting so you can win a trophy or a competition or be better than someone else. It is about being better than you were yesterday and without the right motivation, role models, and lessons, many kids begin to learn these important roles from each other. Where the problem occurs is that counting on kids to teach other kids right from wrong doesn’t work, and they often come up with and use inappropriate examples and role models.

In a good traditional martial arts program like ours, that focuses and the lessons and teachings of the samurai and ninja, is that everyone participates. Unlike a lot of sports there is no A and B squads, no “Starters” and “Backups”. Everyone learns together and excels together but each in their own way and they help each other learn as well.

I am currently reaching out through speaking engagements and other avenues to help find candidates and sponsors who are willing to provide scholarships to at risk kids to participate in my programs. It really is a simple matter of “Pay Now” and save these kids while there is time or “Pay A Lot More Later” through paying for the court filing fees, defense attorneys and in some cases jail and prison terms that can occur when these kids get older and into trouble and your tax dollars are allocated to help them. Please contact me at #858-486-0059 to schedule a speaking engagement on “At Risk Youth Programs” or, if you know of an organization ready to provide sponsorship now.