What do you see in the above picture?
A room with tables, chairs, and things on the walls?
Perhaps you see a linoleum floor and fluorescent lighting?
Or maybe you see a classroom?

It is, indeed, a classroom. It is the Art room in the Middle School.

For now, it is empty, but come time for KaraTe and the classroom transforms into a traditional Okinawan Goju-Ryu Dojo.

The students bow upon entering and say: “Please teach me”. And when they exit, they say: “Thank you very much.” They perform this ritual to show respect and to acknowledge that this classroom is indeed different. It transforms into a place to learn the way of KaraTe. It is a place where the students find their weaknesses and their strengths. They find trust and confidence to face the things they fear. They find respect for themselves and their classmates. They find respect for the teachers. And finally, they find respect for the knowledge I am imparting upon them.

Knowledge is power, and with power, they learn they can do great things and achieve great heights in whatever they put their effort into doing. It is the way of KaraTe.

Learning the art of KaraTe is a demanding process that begins upon entering this space, this special place we call our Dojo.