We’re looking back on the wise words shared by our students when they were awarded their black belts. Today, we share the essay written by Ms. Kira who received her black belt on January 25, 2020.

Kira’s essay discusses the attributes of a martial artist that she acquired on her journey to Black Belt: respect, confidence, dedication, resilience, teamwork, and leadership. Each of these qualities were earned through hard work and each felt like leveling up as they crystalized in her mind.  She recounts the struggles that many students encounter early on–learning to tie your belt, breaking your first board, becoming more focused on your goals. Reflecting on failing her Yellow Solid test and needing a retake, she writes:

“I learned resilience because I saw that even if I fail, I can try again and succeed. I retook the test and made it. This lesson helped me in my other sports. About three years ago I tried out for the team, which is a summer softball team. I didn’t make the team not because I wasn’t good but because I was goofing off. When I heard that I didn’t make the team I was devastated but when I didn’t pass my martial arts test I tried again. A couple of months later I went out for Sage. That time I didn’t goof off. And guess what? I made the team! I learned to never give up when you fail because next time you will get better.”

Her full essay is below.

Butterflies in my stomach… I was so terrified of the board. I took a deep breath and everybody yelled “3…2… I … ” I used my tiny hand and punched the board exactly as we had practiced for so long but this time. I put in every ounce of power that I had to break that board. At that moment l felt like I was going to collapse and DIE! I almost knocked the wind out of myself! It felt as if I had hit a brick wall. I couldn’t see that well because of the tears streaming down my face. My mom was holding the board, and when I broke it, she screamed in excitement because I had broken my first board as a white belt! I was so proud of myself, I had done it, I conquered my fear.

This was the beginning of my martial arts journey. Today, at age ten as I take my final tests to become a black belt, I realize that I have evolved into a different person because of my experiences in martial arts. Through the years, I have learned so much throughout my journey. The most important things I have learned are respect, confidence, dedication, resilience, teamwork, and leadership.

One of the things I have learned throughout my journey is respect. Respect is to care about people’s feelings and other things that are important to them or to someone you know. One example I have had in my life that show respect is when I first started teaching I didn’t know all kids very well. Therefore I didn’t know what they could or could not do. I knew what they were working on but I didn’t know how hard it is to go on some kids and how to act differently around those kids. Another example I have is when I was younger I used to goof off in class but I didn’t know how hard the instructors worked. They have to teach around 100 kids a day and that’s crazy. I can barely help in class. Now I know how hard they work and I have respect for that. If we all did not respect the instructors, class would be unorganized and nobody would learn.

The second thing I have learned throughout my time at EvolveAll is having confidence whenever you do something. I know you will never get anywhere without confidence because you won’t believe and if you don’t believe you’ll most likely never succeed. I have gained confidence through lots of practice and repetition. I have had to perform at many growth ceremonies, black belt test, and in Creative Forms Crew (CFC). I have to perform in front of a lot of people so I need confidence to do everything correctly. If you don’t have any confidence in landing tricks you won’t land them.

The third thing I have learned throughout EvolveAll is dedication. EvolveAll means so much to me. I have been doing it for 6 and a half years and go to class 3 times a week. I became a red solid on August 8, 2017, so I have been a red solid for 2 and a half years. It’s CRAZY. EvolveAll has felt like a second family to me and supports me through everything, and I love it. If you know me you probably know I have an extremely busy schedule. The worst thing about it is I HATE missing anything (even school), which is kind of weird. But if I had just one sport to do, it would be martial arts. Even though I LOVE softball I have been doing martial arts for my whole life and it means the most to me. Even when my softball schedule conflicted and I couldn’t make martial arts, I did private lessons with Mr. Christian to make sure I wasn’t falling behind. When my mom was teaching yoga, I practiced my form and my tricking moves.

The fourth thing I have learned in my journey through EvolveAll is resilience. When I was a yellow solid I didn’t pass the test because I didn’t know how to tie my belt. I had to take the test but I still didn’t know how to tie my belt so a couple of days before the makeup test I asked Janine if she could help me learn to tie my belt and she said yes. She told me a different way to tie my belt then many other people, but I didn’t care, all I just wanted was to pass that test. I learned resilience because I saw that even if I fail, I can try again and succeed. I retook the test and made it. This lesson helped me in my other sports. About three years ago I tried out for the team, which is a summer softball team. I didn’t make the team not because I wasn’t good but because I was goofing off. When I heard that I didn’t make the team I was devastated but when I didn’t pass my martial arts test I tried again. A couple of months later I went out for Sage. That time I didn’t goof off. And guess what? I made the team! I learned to never give up when you fail because next time you will get better.

The fifth thing I learned at EvolveAll is teamwork. I have learned to work with other students on forms for tests. It’s difficult having to find other people’s tempo and playing with my speed to get to theirs. I also had to work with other people when we played team games because we had to work together to win. The last example I have to show that I have shown teamwork is in CFC. In CFC we work together to come up with forms, come up with tricks, and if you get really good go into championships.

The last thing I have learned at Evolveall is leadership. Leadership is heavily stressed at Evolveall. Every kid or adult eventually has to be a leader. The reason I chose Charlotte to be my mentor was that I saw her as a leader. To be a leader, you help out in class and help teach the other kids. You always offer to do anything, and help the instructors in any way possible. All of that was what I saw in Charlotte. One way I’ve shown that I’m a leader is that I had the confidence to run for president at my school. When we found out that I won I was very surprised. So now I run the SCA at my school and that is a big responsibility because I have to run part of the school. The leadership I learned at EvolveAll helped me in other areas of my life.

I hope all of this information helped you understand what I have learned throughout my time at EvolveAll.

What does a Black Belt mean to me? In my opinion, becoming a black belt means taking responsibility, having confidence, being dedicated to finishing what I start, having resilience, working well with others and lastly being a good leader. All of these characteristics are those I think a Black Belt should have. Thank you for reading my essay and understanding my journey and all of my feelings throughout my time here at EvolveAll.

Confidence: Confidence is the foundation of success in all aspects of life. Our program is designed to instill unwavering self-assurance in our young members. Through mastering martial arts techniques, setting and achieving goals, and engaging in positive peer interactions, our students develop a sense of confidence that radiates through every facet of their lives.

Discipline: Martial arts demand discipline, and at EvolveAll, we make it fun and engaging. Our skilled instructors guide students through structured classes that teach the importance of discipline, focus, and dedication. These invaluable traits translate into improved academic performance and better decision-making skills.

Physical Fitness: We believe that a strong mind resides in a strong body. Our youth martial arts classes offer a fantastic opportunity for children and teenagers to stay active, improve their coordination, flexibility, and overall physical fitness in a supportive and inclusive environment.

Self-Defense: Safety is paramount in today’s world. Our program equips students with effective self-defense techniques, empowering them to protect themselves and others should the need arise. We foster a sense of awareness and teach practical skills that bolster confidence in challenging situations.

Community: At EvolveAll, we are more than just a martial arts studio; we are a community. We foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie among our members, encouraging teamwork and mutual support. Lifelong friendships are forged here, and our inclusive atmosphere ensures that everyone feels welcome and valued.