NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT - November 5, 2010 - Last Friday, twenty-five students at New Haven's Elm City School on Dixwell Avenue achieved something special.  In front of parents, teachers and peers, they tested for, and were awarded, their first belts in Taekwondo.  Taekwondo is a traditional Korean martial art, but is popular across the US because the curriculum focuses not on fighting, but on traditional values like hard work, mutual respect, and courtesy, as well as on parental involvement.

"Our school focuses on high attendance and high student achievement," said Elm City School Principal Morgan Barth.  "That's why Taekwondo has been such a great fit for these students - it reinforces exactly what we're trying to do here at Elm City School."

The school and these students may just be psychic; they took their tests just a few days before Mayor DeStefano and Governor-Elect Malloy joined with Yale to announce a ground-breaking college tuition and education reform program.   Student responsibility and parent involvement are, of course, major themes in education reform; in the New Haven "Promise" program, college tuition benefits are dependent on academic achievement and attendance.  But while programs like "Promise" provide an incentive, they don't provide a set of tools or structure to achieve the requirements.

"This is just the beginning for these students.  Taekwondo 'class' at Elm City continues, and these students will be working on their yellow belt next," said Grand Master Park, President of World Champion Taekwondo, the organization that provides the student training. "We've really been impressed with their dedication and commitment."  Grand Master Park and black belt Jim Rutushni teach the class personally, because of how important Grand Master Park feels the program is.

Elm City College Preparatory School, located in New Haven, Connecticut, is a public charter school that serves grades K-9.  At Elm City College Preparatory Elementary, teachers find creative ways to encourage and reward hard work, such as taking students on trips to local book stores and participation in "Funtastic Friday" celebrations.

World Champion Taekwondo, headquartered in Milford, CT is an organization dedicated to bringing Taekwondo instruction and reinforcement of positive values throughout Connecticut and the Northeast. WCT operates 12 schools under the President Grand Master Sejin Park. The organizations slogan for Taekwondo sprit is CRISP – Determination (Courtesy, Respect, Integrity, Self-control, Perseverance and Determination). These qualities are central to WCT’s teaching technique, and are instilled in all WCT students and WCT Black Belts.  (Press Inquiries: Derek Koch, 1 (888) 224-1340)

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