Red Belt

Joseph has been going to Tae Kwon Do for 16 months now - we are so please with the Dojang he goes to - it is full of loving and caring Master's and Instructor's. Wednesday night was Testing (AKA Graduation) we got to testing early so we could get a good seat (front row) and Joseph could stretch and warm-up. This was also the first time he would have to break a board in order to move up to the next belt level, even he was nervous about having to break the board. The way they lined everyone up and grouped them it looked like he would be testing with one red belt and 4 black belts.

When they called him for testing they called him with the purple belts who are one rank below him. They did all their kicks, poomsaes, chagi so and hansoo- Joseph had an extra poomsae that he had to do by himself in front of the crowd but I knew he would be fine with that.

Then they took out one board for him, typically the group of students being tested all break/try to break at the same time - ok so here is where panic set in for me!!! Master Evins said Ok Joseph break the board with a hammer fist whenever you are ready. He got in his stance and in one strike broke the board!!! I did shout a big "yeah" and the whole place was cheering and clapping loudly for him - the best part was the look on his face which was "Wow I just broke the board" Joe and I laughed because he looked like he was in shock. For the rest of the testing he held those boards and smiled. It was a great night.

The best part was when an older student (now in 4th grade) who was Joseph's reading buddy when he was in kindergarten came over to congratulate him - it meant a lot to Joseph.

The pictures are him with his first broken board and his new Red Belt.....