Community Service at HiYa Karate

HiYa Karate

Community Service

As part of the HiYa Karate curriculum, each student must complete several community service hours to obtain their black belt. We believe it is important to give back to the greater community, as well as the martial arts community.

Community service ranges from volunteering at school, making blankets for babies at a hospital to helping an elderly neighbor rake their leaves. They always find it just as rewarding as earning their belts.

We not only give back to our greater community, but the martial arts community as well. The students also must volunteer to teach for a certain number of hours to earn their black belt. You can also find them helping other students at different dojos or at tournaments as well.

When our local foodbank posted a message about needing donations, HiYa Karate became a drop off location and was able to help fill up the shelves with supplies.

As a studio, each year HiYa Karate has a Giving Tree to donate gifts and everyday things needed for families in need.

All students and families always step up to help!

If you are interested in becoming part of the HiYa Karate family, try two classes at no charge.

Testimonials

Great instructors. Supportive of special needs. Kids have fun while learning and adults can always count on getting a lift of energy in HiYa's classes while progressing with their curriculum.

Anna Rosenfeld, Facebook

HiYa is like a second family. The instructors are amazing and the owners, Susie & Mark are incredible. My oldest has been with HiYa since she was three (she will be 11 in December). As of today all four of my daughters are enrolled at HiYa and love it. Truly a gem in the heart of Mt. Airy.

Christina Christiansen, Google

Our family has been part of HiYa since the kids were in elementary school. They are now young adults and all would agree that their lives have been positively impacted because of the true care and mentorship they received at HiYa. The martial arts training is fantastic, but the positive impact on the kids are invaluable. A great investment!

Ena Bromley, Google

Family orientated, Caring instructors, My child has a blast while learning.

Jayde Lynn Kelly, Facebook

HiYa Karate is the perfect family atmosphere to learn martial arts for adults and children. The owners and instructors genuinely care for their students and do everything possible to bring out the best in each and every person. I have seen the efforts of the instructors result in a positive impact on the lives of not only my children but hundreds of others in the community. HiYa is second to none.

Mark Kline, Google

My grandson has taken Karate here since he was around 5 or 6. He is almost 12 now. He loves it and they all are like family. Highly recommend!�

Sharon Rea, Facebook

We enrolled our 6-year-old son in HiYa Karate to help him with his gross motor skills and overall confidence. A year later we are ecstatic to say he has improved in both of these tremendously and so much more, all thanks to the talented, caring, and wonderful instructors at HiYa. He is more outgoing at school with his peers and is willing to try new things because he now has the confidence he so needed. The atmosphere at HiYa is family-oriented and always welcoming. They truly want every child to succeed in emotional growth, as well as learning correct karate techniques. They have a winning combination!

Allison, School Review

Our son has been with HiYa Karate for over 2 years now. We love Hiya because they take a personal interest in each child at their studio and make you a part of their family. Ms. Susie and Mr. Ian have done a wonderful job of helping our son achieve his goals and set new ones for himself. Our son has participated in both the Panthers Demo Team and HiYa’s Competition Team and both have been positive experiences for him. I was truly impressed the year my son participated in the Junior Olympics with HiYa. HiYa did a wonderful job of making it a fun experience for everyone involved and really did an outstanding job of team building. Every child at HiYa that attended Junior Olympics came home with at least 1 medal. I think that says a lot about their coaching! We are pleased that our youngest son has chosen to become a member at HiYa and he has had a wonderful first year with them as well.

Cheryl Buratowski, School Review

HiYa Karate's Aware Kids Safe & Defense Program was absolutely amazing! The program encompassed personal safety, how to identify and respond to threatening situations, basic lifesaving self-defense moves, fire safety, and poison control. The material presented to the children was not used to scare them, but to teach, empower and make them aware of their surroundings. The guest speakers from the Mount Airy Fire Department and Montgomery County Police Department provided age-appropriate teachings and memorable hands-on experiences. As a parent, I was extremely impressed with the quality and content of this program and I even learned new information. I’ve referred to this program multiple times this summer as teaching moments with my son. Thank you to HiYa, Ms. Susie, and all the wonderful instructors who continue to make positive differences in our children's lives!

Jeanie, School Review

Seneca has been taking karate at HiYa for several years and the difference in his attitude and behavior is REMARKABLE! For the longest time he would fight us on every little thing, but with the instructors guidance, along with some behavior modification at home, he has become an outstanding young man. He is helpful, respectful and encouraging to his fellow HiYa friends. He now looks forward to going each week, and has absolutely fallen in love with the sport. Thank you to the Klines, and the rest of the instructors for taking the time to show these kids they care.

Jessica, School Review

My son takes a class at HiYa and I love watching him. The instructors know the children well and tailor the lessons to meet the needs of each child in the class. My oldest son has gained more body sense, self-control, and confidence. During his lessons, he is constantly encouraged and praised, and is respected. This is modeled so well that he has picked up these traits and I see him showing encouragement, praise, and respect to others, including his brother. This growing confidence has helped him choose friends at school and make positive choices about school work and treating others kindly.

Jennifer Stile (Mom of a Panda), School Review

My 14 year old son has been doing martial arts for many years. He often competed in tournaments at the local, state and national level. Early in his martial arts journey he hated sparring and flat out refused to do it. In 2017 he took gold at the AAU National Tae Kwon Do tournament in sparring. We are so thankful to the instructors for knowing when to push him and help him achieve his goal. He learned to focus on the end result, work hard for it, move outside his comfort zone, and persist even when you don't reach the desired outcome. It is through those attempts that success finally comes.

Parents of AJ, School Review

My son Ryan joined HiYa Karate in Mt. Airy just a month or so after it opened its doors. He had tried several sports and really hadn’t liked any of them. Right before we began going to HiYa, he had been involved in a martial arts class through another provider. He tried, but it looked like that wasn’t going to be something he enjoyed either. So we joined HiYa, and almost immediately, the difference was astounding and now my son has enjoyed taking a class so much that he is now an instructor!

Tammy Jones, School Review

HiYa Karate is like our second home. We have been with them for 5 years. Our daughter has been involved not only in classes, but with the demo team and the competition team, including a trip to the AAU Junior Olympics. HiYa has helped her with discipline, confidence, self-defense and learning there are winners and losers in life and of course fitness. Our shy son recently started and is slowly coming out of his shell, which we are thrilled with. HiYa instructors are patient with even the most difficult of kids and when you see smiles on the kids at tournaments when they succeed, and the concern from the instructors when a student struggles it makes you feel good to be part of the HiYa family.

The Hersch Family, School Review

As a parent of two students at HiYa Karate, as well as and an adult student myself I would recommend Hiya Karate to anyone both young and old, and beginner to advanced! From the very first time we entered the dojo we felt a true sense of community. Besides teaching traditional tang soo-do techniques, HiYa puts a large emphasis on personal values, character, teamwork, and responsibility in their students. Our dojo has a feeling of support for not only the students and their families, but for the community as well. This family-oriented dojo is the ideal place for our children to learn and grow in the martial arts, as well as learn discipline, self-defense, enjoy the friendly setting, and, best of all develop self-confidence.

Thomas King, School Review

HiYa Karate provides a space where I can work on my physical and mental fitness (plus it’s a place where I am able to take fun, rich classes and work towards goals with my two teenage girls –priceless). All the instructors take on the infectious Sabom-nim Susie Kline moto “yes you can”. When they say “yes you can”, they mean it – offering genuine support, extended-family style nurturing, and caring. HiYa also takes community connection to the next level and raises each student’s (young and not-so-young) awareness that if you reach out you make important connections and a difference which is so important in today’s world. So, in short, being HiYa’s student of the month, and part of the HiYa family, means the world to me.

Virginia, School Review