From a Student's University Scholarship Application:
Karate is the one sport that I have been doing my entire life. I started when I was six, and started officially teaching at around 14. My favourite task is greeting children at the door, they always have tremendous amounts of energy which is infectious. I start class with a traditional bowing then proceed to lead various workouts and activities. Volunteering at my karate has made the greatest impact in my life. I have learned communication skills that allow me to converse with children and parents. There have been many times where I have had to talk to a parent regarding a student's behaviour or progress of their child. After my years of teaching, I have perfected skills such as reliability and honesty. Based off of these skills my Sensei has entrusted me with a key to not only our dojo, but to his business. Even after receiving my black belt, I continue to train and teach because I wish to impart the same values to my students as my teachers gave to me. One of my life's proudest moment was when my first student advanced to her next belt. The happiness I felt from seeing her happiness trumped the tantrums and outbursts. That is a feeling I get after every class when the students give me high fives or leave the dojo with big smiles on their faces. This is why I continue to teach because the kids benefit from it physically and emotionally.