From the Desk of Kwan Jang Nim Garth Charland 11/16/2023
There is nothing like a Black Belt Testing to get me thinking about the impact that we, the Staff members of The Charland Institute have on the lives of our students. This past weekend 8 members of The Tang Soo Do Masters Alliance tested to and within the ranks of Black Belt. Trey Nihan (1st degree), and Habiba Qurbani (2nd degree) from Charland Institute. Jaelynn Medina (1st degree) from WTBY Police Activity league (the first Black Belt from that program). The Delaney Family, Jackson, Kelly and John (1st degree), Crystal Soper (2nd degree) from Bunker Hill Karate. David Spence (2nd degree) from Beacon Falls. Huge congratulations go out to these people, an incredible amount of hard work went into these achievements and everyone should stand up and take notice.
After nearly every event at CIKF, a parent or two, comes up to me and compliments me and our staff on what a great job we do. It might be a Birthday Party, Halloween Party, Movie night, Nerf night, or something like the Black Belt testing. Often, at or after a BB testing, I get very powerful comments on how deeply we have affected the life of a family member, and very often these comments come from the student themselves. I recall one mom of a student who had been with us for many years tested to I think, 2nd degree, she came up to me with her husband and teen ager, and said, “can I just give you a hug”? During the embrace she started to weep and told me just how much I and my staff, and our school had meant to their family through their child. She made me cry too. Where am I going with all of this? I just want you all to know, especially the parents of our members, that it is not lost on us that you are entrusting us with your children. Your children are your entire world, and yet you trust us with a portion of their personal development, you trust US to help them grow into adults that will have an impact on the next generation and so on. This school isn’t just kicks and punches, and we get it. Not only do we get it, but we get a great deal out of it too. Every one of us staff members works another job, including me. Yet we come here every night to teach classes and keep this place going after a long hard day. Why? Because its addictive, teaching martial arts feeds the instructor as much as it feeds the student. We understand how important this work is, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for entrusting us with your child, your world.
The Charland Institute of Karate is renowned for martial arts classes in Greater Watertown Area for preschool, kids, teens, and adults. You will find a