Kentokukan Karate helps kick bullying out of schools

On October 15^th the Shorinjiryu Kentokukan Karatedo karate school held its junior jamboree which was open to the public in the Sun Youth gymnasium. The event was focused on demonstrating karate to children who may be interested joining the Kentokukan karate school. By showcasing sparring between the Black Belt students as well as the instructors, the sparring was followed by a full session of karate practice to give the spectators an idea about what an average session would look like. The practice focused primary on perfecting skills, physical fitness and finally putting it to uses against a padded instructor acting as an attacker, the part where generally the participants seemed enjoy the most. Following the jamboree Sun Youth provided everyone with a pizza lunch which was nice touch to a great morning. Karate can offer anyone an opportunity engage in extreme discipline, gain strength, coordination and finally learn self-defense skills that can save one’s life.

The Jamboree was a great warm up for the upcoming Kentokukan Fall Classic, which is an event where hundreds of kids from dojos across Quebec and Ontario gather to take part in a tournament for the benefit of Sun Youth’s Youth and Social Mentor’s Anti-Bullying and Conflict Resolution program. Last year the tournament raised over $1,200 for the program, the idea behind the program is to place a Sun Youth Mentor in various elementary and high schools to work with the student body on preventing and intervening in cases of bullying, taxing, intimidation and other conflicts among students. The Mentors are able to work directly with a given school’s staff to foster positive relationships where they can offer guidance to help develop extracurricular programs for students as well as prevention measures.

If anyone is interested in attending the Kentokukan Fall Classic it will be held on November 19, 2016 from 8:30 am – 4:30pm at LaurenHill High School’s Junior Campus, 2355 Rue Decelles, Saint-Laurent, QC, H4M 1C2. This year the Kentokukan will be collecting food for Sun Youth, anyone attending is encouraged to bring non-perishable items that will be distributed to those in need.