Who is in the picture at the front of the Academy?

The picture in the front of the Academy is of Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee. In 1969, he founded the American Taekwondo Association in Omaha, Nebraska. He was posthumously awarded the title of Eternal Grand Master after he passed away in 2000. Today the ATA has over 300,000 members worldwide.

The video below is a tribute to Eternal Grand Master.

Friday: Final Day of November Holiday Sale

This Friday is the last day to place an order from the ATA or Century Martial Arts Catalog and get 10% off and guaranteed delivery for Christmas. It is also the last day that our regular merchandise will be on sale.

If you have any orders that still need to be placed, the Merritt Island school will be open from 1-4 p.m. this Friday for your convenience. Also, the Titusville School will be open for regular classes from 5-7 p.m. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to call the school tomorrow at 452-7229.

Have a Safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

How to Enter and Leave the Academy, and collect stars for your next patch!

At the front of the school, you'll notice a Star Chart that tracks each student's progress towards reaching their next Karate For Kids Patch.

The first patch, which all students receive for bringing a friend to class has a Blue outline. The second patch, which student receive when they have 25 blue stars on their first patch has a Silver outline. The third patch, which students receive after they have 25 blue stars on their Silver patch has a Gold outline. And the final patch, which student will receive when they have 50 blue stars on their Gold patch, is Blue with a Gold outline.

Each blue star now represents a piece of knowledge about Songahm Taekwondo and our Academy. Each week, the assignment for one star will be posted on the website. Students can get one star each time they come to class.

The first star is for learning the Songahm Spirit of Taekwondo Oath.

The second star is for demonstrating how to enter and leave the academy. Remember: you stop at the door, put your feet together and your hands by your side, smile, bow and say, "Hello Sir, Hello Ma'am."

Make sure to show your instructor the next time you come to class! Even if you already have a Silver, Gold, or Blue Gold Patch, you need to be able to demonstrate the knowledge represented by each star.

Songahm Spirit of Taekwondo Oath

Make sure you know the Songahm Spirit of Taekwondo Oath. Recite it for your instructor the next time you come to class, and your instructor will give you a blue star!

As Taekwondo Event Begins:

"Sir,
I will practice in the Spirit of Taekwondo,
with Courtesy for Fellow Students,
Loyalty for my Instructor,
and Respect for my Juniors and Seniors,
...Sir!"


As Taekwondo Event Ends:


"Sir,
I shall live with Perseverance in the Spirit of Taekwondo
having Honor with Others,
Integrity within Myself,
and Self Control in my Actions
...Sir!"

Combat Weapons this Friday!

This Friday, Mr. Riordan will be teaching a combat weapons seminar at the Titusville school from 6-8 p.m. Students will learn sparring techniques using a specially designed Bahng Mahng Ee.

Sign up with your instructor today!

Great Job at Fall Nationals

Congratulations to all of our students who competed, tested, judged, or attended a seminar at Fall Nationals. As you can see, some of our students had the opportunity to meet Grand Master and compete.

Kamen Rider Movie Camp: November 27 (Day After Thanksgiving)

Parents: here is your chance for a day out of Christmas shopping without the kids. While you're finding just the right gifts, your child will be learning some cool techniques, watching movies, and relaxing. This fun and safe camp is exactly the excuse you need to get your Christmas shopping done for the kids, without them being by your side. And the Kamen Rider training will be an added gift for the Holiday season!

Camps will be held at the Merritt Island location on Friday, November 27 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and from 5 p.m.-9 p.m.

Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight

Visit http://ataonline.com/kamenrider/ for more information on the Kamen Rider sweepstakes and how you can win a training day with a Kamen Rider or one of three other prize packages.

Kidz 'n Power

This Saturday, we will be holding a Kid 'n Power safety seminar at the Titusville school from 2-3 pm. This event is free and open to the community, and we encourage all of our students to attend and bring their friends.

This seminar will teach students

• Simple Break Away Techniques
• Role Playing with Possible Stranger Dangers
• How to Deal with Bullies
• Internet Safety Tips

We will also have visitors from the Brevard County Fire Department as well as the K9 unit.

The Kidz 'n Power Open House is part of ATA Martial Arts’ worldwide initiative to help minimize the risk of child abduction through education. With active membership exceeding 350,000 worldwide and 1,200 schools in the U.S. and abroad, ATA is positively positioned to reach children and adults with the message of abduction prevention. As part of the safety campaign, ATA has partnered with AMBER Alert.com to increase AMBER Alert notification via e-mail and personal communication devices. Once an AMBER Alert is issued, AMBER Alert.com uses state-of-the-art technology to notify its subscribers of a missing child in a specific area.

November's Life Skill: Self-Control

November's Leadership Life Skill is Self Control. Put simply, self control means "making good choices," or as Eternal Grand Master H.U. Lee said, "Self-Control: When we can say 'yes' to what takes us closer to our goals, and when we can say 'no' to what keeps us from being great."

Last week, ATA Black Belt Hunter Williams demonstrated great self-control on The Dr. Oz Show. He was able to focus while demonstrating his weapon form in front of a live television audience and showed that he is a mature and respectful black belt even though he's young.

It's amazing what we can accomplish when we have the self-control and perseverence to reach our goals!