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Rebekah Cornelius

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     Through my journey of Martial Arts, I have learned confidence,

self-discipline, and honor.  I believe that I have learned these

attributes from the instructors that I have had over the course

of my martial arts journey.  So I have to thank Kick Start Kids

for introducing me to 4 amazing instructors that I have had the 

pleasure of learning from; Master Alice McCleary, Master Alberto

Borjas, Master Brandon McRae, and Master Dona` Pettway Sr.

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     i officially started taking classes in January of 1998.  However,

I attended karate classes' months before then just to hang out.

You see, my best friend Patricia was in the final weeks for training

for her black belt.  To support her, i went to her classes, and this

is where I first met Master McCleary.  After that first class, I was 

always asking Patricia to teach me something, anything.  Of course,

she started off with Design Kata Form #1.  Master McCleary started

an adult class that following January, so I just had to sign up.  She

saw in me a desire to learn, and had many times taken me aside

to personally instruct me in the martial arts and in my personal

life.  She is someone I would like to mold myself after for all of her

qualities; strength, confidence, insight, and patience; especially

with me.  From her I learned confidence.  I'm no longer the shy little girl who was afraid to be myself instead of the person everyone else wanted me to be.

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     Master McCleary was given a promotion and Master Borjas took over her classes.  At the time, I was in college dealing with the pressure of managing studying, working, and somehow make it to karate.  Master Borjas taught me self-discipline, which helped me juggle all these commitments.  I learned that you have to make time for the things you really want in life.  I also learned how to slow down and concentrate on one thing at a time.  Suddenly, certain events in my life came up that caused me to postpone karate for a couple of years.

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     In 2001, my grandfather passed away.  He was and remains my bestfriend!  After his death, i was just going through the motions of just living.  Nothing mattered any more to me.  The following year, i started working at Patrick Henry Middle School, and if your wondering, yes, the entire staff thought Master McRae and I were brother and sister.  One of his students asked if I knew karate and I told him I knew a little.  In fact, I actually went through the same program that he was going through.  That student later told Master McRae, which lead to a discussion about who my instructors where, and why I was no longer training.  He told me about his after school class and said that I should check it out.  At the time I was dealing with the loss of my grandfather.  It was several weeks before I showed up for that first class.  I still didn't feel the passion for karate I had felt once before, but I kept going thanks to Master McRae's constant "I'll see you after school", I owe alot to Master McRae.  He has done more for me than I will ever know.  Through him I rediscovered the joy and desire that I once had for karate, but the most important thing he helped me find inner-strength.

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     In 2008 I was given the opportunity to teach Martial Arts full time.  I was able to give back to the program that helped me find myself.  It was through teaching students that I wanted to better myself to give more to them.  That is when I started training with Master Pettway.  Through Master Pettway I have learned honor.  The honor of being part of the Martial Arts and what it means to help the next generation find their place in the legacy.

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     My training in Martial Arts has changed my life completely, it's not just a sport or an activity that I go to twice a week.  It's how I live my life, and it has changed my attitude and how I think.  My life is more organized, and it has given me a future.  It has also helped me achieve things I would never have thought possible.  I am more confident, ambitious, determined, and focused than before, and I can only continue to grow stronger from here.  I know I would not have accomplished any of this if it weren't for these amazing instructors.

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