February 2019 Testing and News

New bo dans Isaac Bacon and Malek Alkasrawi

Two  Stevens Taekwondo Academy students earned deputy black belts in testing at the YMCA recently.

Malek Alkasrawi and Isaac Bacon successfully joined the black belt ranks following their performance of five taegeuk forms, demonstrating advanced kick and sparring skills and then breaking boards.  Alkasrawi and Bacon used a working step back spinning side kick to smash their boards.

Red belt Corrine Milonovanic

From the successful color belt students testing, Corinne Milonovanovic was awarded the trophy for testing excellence as she advanced to red belt level.

The testing was judged by school master instructors Mark and Hilde Henkel, assisted by Master Karen Johnson of Stevens Taekwondo A New Way of Life.

For the first time, the testing had to be postponed as the YMCA closed for severe weather on the first date.  With February 2019 the snowiest month on record for the area, and some dangerously cold days, it was heartening to see how many students continued to get to classes and work hard on their skills.

Masters Mark and Hilde Henkel  thank the many black belts who assist at testings in so many ways.  In addition to those pictured, Teri Jenkins sews stripes on belts and Master Johnson helped judge and took the picture!

Also in February, word was received that Master James Lowe had died in Milwaukee.  Master Lowe most recently earned his sixth dan black belt from  Dr. Stevens in 2012 and was present at the Stevens birthday celebration in 2013.