Since last year, a mentorship program has existed in Roselle to help students who may not be doing well academically, socially, or are having a difficult time managing academics and building confidence--especially students with big personalities and passion that have been missing opportunities to use these traits for improvement and steering clear of trouble.
Grappling has been a huge part of my life for nearly a decade, helping me see my potential as a critical thinker and a good person through the virtue of hard work. I started the Jiu-Jitsu program with one student last year, and we practiced on a small 4x6 mat for 6 months. The student flourished academically and socially, going beyond anecdotal claims and helping my class claim the title of largest margin of reading level improvement in the school, his case being one of the biggest claims for winning. This student returned this year, training with us and relaying his knowledge, and all students are developing so rapidly that we are eyeing competition in June.
Our only problem is uniforms. We have solved the mat situation by getting gymnastic mats and taping them to create a bigger space on our gym's stage, but uniforms are still the only that I cannot afford on my own. Having uniforms will help present us as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners--a new set of rules, possibilities, grips, and complexities open with them. The sport is not widely devleoped yet, there are no gyms in the community, and between transportation and monthly fee of Jiu-Jitsu ($150/month), the progress these students have seen in the mentorship program would be out of reach, so we are excited to see what help we can get in developing our students who are on the verge of becoming their best selves.
About my class
Since last year, a mentorship program has existed in Roselle to help students who may not be doing well academically, socially, or are having a difficult time managing academics and building confidence--especially students with big personalities and passion that have been missing opportunities to use these traits for improvement and steering clear of trouble.
Grappling has been a huge part of my life for nearly a decade, helping me see my potential as a critical thinker and a good person through the virtue of hard work. I started the Jiu-Jitsu program with one student last year, and we practiced on a small 4x6 mat for 6 months. The student flourished academically and socially, going beyond anecdotal claims and helping my class claim the title of largest margin of reading level improvement in the school, his case being one of the biggest claims for winning. This student returned this year, training with us and relaying his knowledge, and all students are developing so rapidly that we are eyeing competition in June.
Our only problem is uniforms. We have solved the mat situation by getting gymnastic mats and taping them to create a bigger space on our gym's stage, but uniforms are still the only that I cannot afford on my own. Having uniforms will help present us as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu practitioners--a new set of rules, possibilities, grips, and complexities open with them. The sport is not widely devleoped yet, there are no gyms in the community, and between transportation and monthly fee of Jiu-Jitsu ($150/month), the progress these students have seen in the mentorship program would be out of reach, so we are excited to see what help we can get in developing our students who are on the verge of becoming their best selves.
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