00:00In a dojo, there is order, rank and decorum.
00:05At Blackhawks Martial Arts Academy, these athletes found benefit in paying tribute to
00:09the status quo.
00:11Coming from different backgrounds, they were honored for more than just their discipline
00:15to the practice of martial arts, but also their duty as law-abiding citizens.
00:20In keeping with the standards of their schools and guidelines set forward by their parents
00:24and leaders, Professor Christopher Francis led the charge.
00:28The students who have done the National Martial Arts Exams, who have crossed the hurdle of
00:36being disciplined, stop fighting in school, stop gambling, stop disrespecting, disruptive,
00:43and so on, they would have been a year, two years in transition and would have done a
00:47psychosocial intervention.
00:49So those students would have done tremendously well and made those changes.
00:53So they moved on to the Yellow Belts, the Orange Belts, the Green Belts, the Brown Belts
00:56and so on.
00:57And we are proud to present them today, not only with belts, but they're getting awards
01:01like trophies for outstanding, you know, being a good citizen and so on.
01:05He has decorated the hall at Oranguez North Secondary School with influential figures,
01:10both local and foreign.
01:12It's perhaps inspiration for them to follow in their footsteps, although a martial artist
01:17tends to gain pleasure in finding his own path.
01:20If you look at when those children would have started our program to where they are now,
01:24I mean, it's like 160 degrees turn around, their parents have to be much more proud than
01:29me who would have done the work, because you bring now children back into a home who would
01:33have been settled, well disciplined, well mannered and so on, best accomplishments anybody
01:38could want.
01:39There were a few names that came to mind as he sought to recognize the efforts of those
01:44under his wing and to acknowledge their growth in the discipline.
01:48They can defend themselves for one reason, but the point for them learning martial arts
01:52is not the importance.
01:53The importance of them using the martial arts to better themselves in life.
01:57So they look forward to their career, those who want to go into meds, those who want to
02:00go into agriculture, those who want to go in to be a vet, those who want to go in to
02:05do mathematics and so on, doing law, that's what they want to do, and this martial arts
02:09would have an avenue in helping them to do that.
02:12Francis says he has been doing martial arts for over 60 years, and a certificate or a
02:17belt is only just a sign of transformation and a promise of greater things to come.
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