KIPP Center Senior Valentines Day Card Project

The Details
All students are invited…This Saturday February 9, 2019 from 10 am to 11 am we are performing a martial arts demonstration for the senior citizens at The KIPP Center located in the parking garage right behind TheDOJO on Kipp Ave in Rutherford.  Meet at TheDOJO by 9:30 am, we will rehearse and then walk across the parking lot to the KIPP Center for the event.  Adult Students - The Saturday Adult Class will take place afterwards at 11 am to 12 pm.

The Love
We will also be handing out Valentine’s Day Cards, which all the students this week will be making as a part of their karate classes.  All students, siblings and parents are invited to this event on Saturday.

The Experience
Last year we did this and it was amazing!  One senior citizen mentioned to me, “This will be the only Valentine’s Day card I get this year.”  Think about it, some senior citizens have spouses and friends who have passed away.  Aging can be lonely but not if you have 30 kids in karate uniforms hand you a Valentine’s Day card with their bright smiles and laughter.  

The Lesson within The Lesson
In a real village, people look out for one another through a strong sense of interdependence which is needed for everyone’s prosperity.  These days it’s easy to get caught up in our “busy bubbles” (I know I can), this is a chance for us to commune with the senior citizens of our community.  

This project sets a stunning example for our children to show respect, kindness and love to our elders.  In “parenting” we call this a teachable moment and teachable moments are always an opportunity for children to learn and experience life lessons which shape their character.  Childhood is the training ground for later on adult behavior and as a parent I constantly think of what I am teaching our children today which shapes who they are in the future.

The Idea
I’d like to thank Vanvian Hoo and the Conway Family for spearheading this projecting for the second year!  Thank you for your inspiring idea of connecting children with senior citizens to make a difference!

TheDOJO
At TheDOJO we Unleash Human Potential through our Martial Arts Education of Intelligent Curriculum.  It takes a village to raise a child, we are honored to be a part of that village.

Thank you,

Sensei Dan Rominski
TheDOJO