Leo arrived in the United States and joined Karate about two and a half years ago. Being a Beginner Karate student is hard enough for anyone. It’s something brand new, feels a bit awkward to your body, and you have no idea what’s going on. It was even harder for Leo. He could neither speak, nor understand English.

It was hard for Leo everywhere, especially at school. Because he was unable to communicate, he quickly became the target of bullies. This made Leo very sad and he often came to Karate class feeling down. As Instructors, we tried our best to help Leo as much as we could (although it was very difficult for a few of us that know little Spanish). The language we could all speak and that is universal, is the language of love and caring.

It took some time, but little by little, Leo’s vocabulary and confidence began to grow. Leo started to smile. Turns out, he was and is a very happy, sweet, and caring boy. It just took a little bit of extra care and effort from everyone around him to trust that Karate was a safe place.

Today, Leo is now a Purple Belt and an active member of our Leadership Team, helping both English and Spanish speaking students alike. He often bridges the gap of communication between Sensei Kyra and students that are just learning English, working alongside them making sure that they, too, understand that they are in a safe place to learn and grow.

Thank you Leo! We love you!

Sensei Kyra Arnold - Colorado Karate Club