Scholarships and Assistance

  
  Scholarships for our program at the Christian Martial Arts Center are made available to those who qualify for one of the following:  
 

Short Term Scholarship

  
  In some cases a "Short Term" scholarship may be made available to a student experiencing financial difficulty. These scholarships are not intended to exceed 90 days.  
  In order to qualify for this assistance the student must have:  
 
  • A record of continuous participation in the program for over 6 months with no absences other than those excused by the Instructor.
  • A satisfactory previous payment history.
  
 

Reciprocal and In-Kind Assistance

  
  From time to time there are a limited number of slots available to someone who can provide a service that would normally be an expense to CMAC. In essence this would simply be a "trade of services".
Examples: Custodial Services for the Dojang, Carpentry, Painting and other Maintenance Services, Advertising, etc.		  
  In order to qualify for this assistance, it must be a service needed by CMAC, there must be a slot available (we limit the number of Reciprocal and In-Kind slots) and the student must have:  
 
  1. An attitude that demonstrates the "Tenents of Taekwondo" and the "Tenents of Christianity".
  2. A desire to excel and lead.
  3. A commitment to the program.
  
  All Reciprocal and In-Kind Assistance Applications must be recommended by the Instructor and approved by the Board of Christian Martial Arts Ministries.  
 

"Mentoring Through Martial Arts (c)" Scholarships

  
  Our Mentoring Project is more complex in its scope and is designed to benefit individuals in unique and sometimes extreme circumstances.  
  The intention of "Mentoring Through Martial Arts (c)" is to provide positive role modeling by adult mentors and same age peer groups to children who might stand to benefit from this program but for financial and/or other reasons would not be able to participate.  
  Who would benefit? Most every child could benefit from our program. However, our interest in this project is to try to help the child who might be having problems as a result of:  
 
  • one or both parents not present in the home
  • victimization by abuse, neglect, or bullying
  • low self-esteem
  • "acting out"
  • being disrespectful
  • lack of self-respect
  • oppositional defiance
  • lack of anger control
  • poor concentration
  • lack of motivation
  • poor grades
  
  We make no claims of being able to correct these emotional and behavioral problems, nor do we claim to be behavioral specialists. However, through experience, we do know that the self-confidence that can be gained by having someone, often outside of the "institutional home" or "school" environment, take an interest and show care, can make a tremendous difference. That is our objective.  
  Why Martial Arts? Some martial arts programs, it seems, encourage "show off" behavior which in itself can lead to problems. This is far from our intentions at CMA. In fact, the 'Tenets of Taekwondo' discourages such behavior and encourages the opposite.  
  These Tenets are: Courtesy, Integrity, Self-control, Perseverance and Indomitable Spirit.  
  Courtesy is displayed in classes when students are taught to help each other learn techniques, help a partner up who has fallen, and respond with "Yes, Ma'am" or "Yes, Sir" when asked a question. Integrity is defined as having honesty and as doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. Through sparring (light contact kicking and punching) in protective gear, students learn the Self-Control to not show anger when their opponent wins a match. They are also firmly taught that their new skills are only to be used for sport at the dojang or in a true case of self-defense. The martial arts can not be mastered quickly, so students see the results of Perseverance and as students advance through the ranks, they come to realize the meaning of courage and Indomitable Spirit.  
  As we teach the "Tenets of Taekwondo", we also teach and show the correlation between these Tenets and the "Tenets of Christianity".  
  These Tenets are: Goodness, Knowledge, Self-control, Perseverance, Godliness, Brotherly Kindness and Love.  
  These are the characteristics that we wish to strengthen in all of our children, especially those who exhibit the undesirable and inappropriate behaviors mentioned earlier. We want to instill in these young people the confidence found in self-restraint and the power of being able to say "no" at the right time.  
  In fact, if we only make improvements in one or two of these areas it can have a remarkable difference in the outcome of a child's daily routine and life, affecting peer relations, relations with authority figures, self-respect, and perhaps even grades.  
  Our goals include: respecting each student as a valued unique individual with distinct interests and opinions; being sensitive to the students varying abilities and learning styles; and providing students with the foundations for learning with opportunities for choice, experimentation, creativity, and problem solving.  
  We are not a counseling agency and it is not our intention to offer "professional" counseling. We are a martial arts center that provides an environment where a child can feel safe and empowered. Our staff and board of directors are comprised of people who have a wide range of experience and training in working with children with special needs and behavior problems. This gives us a unique ability to be able to communicate and most often "just listen" when a child wants or needs to talk. We respect confidentiality. We will use any information volunteered by School Administration, Teachers, Therapist, Counselors, and Parents/Guardians but we will not pry into a child's private home life to gain information.  
  Our program is one that is based on physical training that demands and models a particular kind of behavior and discipline. In our classes we are able to observe behavior in a wide variety of situations that may allow us to offer helpful information to counselors. The vigorous exercise, races, and games can cause uncontrolled actions to surface. This permits us to teach the necessity of control by use of positive and negative reinforcement, natural consequences, and peer pressure. Sparring practice teaches healthy competition and anger control. Aggression can safely be channeled into positive experiences of success. Students go home tired, relaxed, and mentally stimulated.  
  Our Objective with "Mentoring Through Martial Arts (c)" is to be able to offer this program to as many children in need of it as possible.  
  Our current capacity allows spaces for approximately 60 students. We would like to allocate 25% of our spaces to our "Mentoring Through Martial Arts (c)" Project. We are seeking funding that will allow us to do this.  
  Through volunteers and donations from the private sector and our Board of Directors, we conducted a "pilot program" over the last 12 months with students referred to us by local school principles and counselors. We discovered an incredible need and found that our program will work.  
  Who will we accept into the program? Our Board of Directors would give consideration to Applications for any child between the ages of 6 and 17, referred to us by a School Counselor or Principle, Pastor, State or County Child Care Advocate or Counselor. Any other child would be considered provided they could obtain a referral from one of the above or another credible source.  
  It would also be incumbent upon the referring agency/school/source to impress upon the parent/guardian of the child the value of the opportunity and the importance of regular attendance and participation. In fact, it should be stated that upon two absences within one month the child would be subject to termination from the program.  
  We would also rely upon the referring agency/school/source to work with us to develop an appropriate rubric, workable within their "system of understanding" as a method of measuring our success, level of improvement, or lack thereof.  
  We believe that we are making a difference in a unique and rewarding way in the lives of our children and youth. We hope that you will agree and assist us in furthering this effort.