STUDENTS TESTIMONIES
Cecilia LeFebvre
1st Degree Black Belt
Hi. My name is Cecilia Alexis LeFebvre. I'm 11 years old and I am an assistant black belt. One day my mom had me consider doing taekwondo. She also had me think about joining other activities previously. Without thought, I blurted out,"Yeah!" That is how it all started.
My brother Spencer, and I did a 1 week trial. We loved it and couldn't wait to go back because now we made a commitment. I was 7 and Spencer was 5 at the time when we started. We would have many adventures ahead.
As I told you, I am now 11 years old and my favorite things in taekwondo are breaking boards, friends, and forms. My favorite form would either be brown or red belt because they have a variety of blocks and moves. Mostly everyone in our dojang is kind, especially our master. He likes to make us students laugh. He has helped me up to this point and I am very grateful. I enjoy the praise and try to make Master Chang proud of me.
Master Chang throws parties and lets us play a game he calls ninja ball which is related to dodge ball. He even threw a dojand sleepover which I found really fun. I also like how the CTL is a family business. He has a really good family. I usually take breaks in the summer for swim team which throws me behind a few months. That's why Spencer is ahead of me. The CTL makes t-shirts, sweatshirts, and different uniforms. They made a Black Belt Club, a Leadership Team, and the Tiny Ninjas too.
Testing is about an hour to an hour and a half. Tesing is where students break boards, spar, and show their forms and what they have learned. It is how you get your next belt. Master Chang always makes testing fun. He has us earn "stripes" which each color means something. For example: red=good form, yellow=good trait vocabulary, blue=good job on being good, and black means you're testing. We also have weapons including nunchuks and sais. The only weapons I have are double nunchuks. You learn self-defense which is really big in Taekwondo.
I have learned not just taekwondo, but self-discipline, honesty, manners, self-control, and respect. When I think back to when I started. I notice how much I have improved. I am more brave, strong, kind, problem-solving, and social. I feel good about myself. I want to thank my master and family for helping me get here. I will always try my best and never give up.
Katie Cisar
1st Degree Black Belt
Hello, my name is Katie Cisar. I began Tae Kown Do in July of 2011. After finishing my first class, I began developing a passion for this sport. I cannot thank Master Chang enough for the gifts that he has given me. Master Chang has taught me so much about Tae Kwon Do but more importantly, he has taught me how to have confidence in myself. Before starting Tae Kwon Do, I was very shy and lacked confidence. Master Chang reminded me everyday to be confident in myself and always do my best. He has also taught me that confidence is not only important in the Tae Kwon Do classroom, bu8t also in the other parts of my life. School, home, even just when talking to other people, Master Chang has taught me to always be proud and confident.
The road to my black belt has been difficult. It has taken me two years to reach this day. I am very proud of myself for using the strength Master Chang has taught me and working hard in every class to do my best. Tae Kwon Do is an amazing and fascinating sport. This sport has allowed me to do things I have never done before.
Two years ago, when I was in the fourth grade, a boy in my school told me that "Getting a black belt is like getting a piece of construction paper! You toss it into the garbage." I am able to say today that the boy was wrong. with hard work and determination, a black belt is earned, not juts given to you. Every time i accomplish something new in Tae Kwon Do, I feel as if I am proving that student wrong. It is exciting to see how all of my hard work has paid off. I would love to continue to work hard and one day, become a Tae Kwon Do master. Maybe I could even compete in the Olympics in Tae Kwon Do and win a gold medal!
I would like to thank my dad. He has helped me train. On days when I might feel shy and unconfident, he has helped bring out the confidence inside of me. I would also like to thank my sister, mom, and grandparents for always supporting me. Thank you all!
Tae Kwon Do has also helped me accomplish many other goals. since beginning Tae Kwon Do, I've won two school writing contests and competed in a State writing contest. I have also found the courage and confidence to try out and get a part in a play. This past year I joined my school's cross country team and used confidence to compete my very best in running meets. These are accomplishements that I could only have dreamed of before starting Tae Kwon Do. Chang's Tae Kwon Do Learning Center is like home. I love my home and everything inside of it!
Once I earn my black belt, I want to continue to compete in Tae Kwon Do for as long as possible. I might not be an Olympic champion but I know that I have worked hard and done my best. As long as I follow the lessons taught to me by Master Chang, I know that nothing is impossible. I am confident that I will earn my black belt and I hope to inspire others in the process!