Neighborhood Center for Youth Development × Ju-Jitsu Shotokan Karate Association
Karate-do & Character Development Initiative
Free after-school karate, jujitsu and character development for 75 West Philadelphia youth, from elementary through high school.
- Youth in year one (target)
- 75
- Cost to families
- $0
- After school
- 3:00–7:00 PM
- Mon · Wed · Fri
- Where
- Calvary Center
- 801 S. 48th Street
The need
West Philadelphia kids need somewhere safe to go after school.
The 3–7 PM window
Juvenile incidents in West Philadelphia spike right after school dismissal. Without structured local programming, many children are unsupervised while parents work.
Cost keeps kids out
Private martial arts in Philadelphia averages $150–$200 a month before uniforms and testing fees. In several West Philadelphia tracts, the poverty rate is 30–40%.
Stress without an outlet
Young people carry neighborhood trauma and academic pressure with few healthy outlets. Active programs like karate teach breathing, emotional regulation and discipline.
Few safe places to move
Many parents keep children indoors after school because of safety concerns about local parks, which costs kids fitness, coordination and confidence.
How a day works
Homework before the mats. Character after.
An independent, grassroots after-school program that combines martial arts instruction with required homework time and social-emotional leadership development, at no cost to families.
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Step 1
Decompression & Nutrition
Students arrive from school, check in, and receive a healthy meal.
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Step 2
Academic Power Hour
Required quiet study and homework time, with tutoring support, before any student steps onto the mats.
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Step 3
Dojo Session
Shotokan karate training led by certified instructors: traditional forms (kata), physical conditioning and defensive techniques (kumite).
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Step 4
Character & Leadership Circle
Group discussion of the Value of the Month (discipline, respect, perseverance, integrity) and how to apply it at home and in the neighborhood.
What we're aiming for
Targets for year one
These are the goals the program will be measured against over its first 12 months, not past results.
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85%
show stronger emotional self-regulation
Measured by: Devereux Student Strengths Assessment (DESSA), pre- and post-program
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80%
average weekly attendance
Measured by: Check-in records, reviewed weekly
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90%
advance at least two belt ranks
Measured by: Practical rank examinations by certified Shotokan instructors, quarterly
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80%
reduction in behavior infractions at home
Measured by: Parent/guardian feedback surveys, mid-year and end of year
The ask
$25,000 runs the program for a full year.
We are seeking a $25,000 grant to fund the first 12 months for 75 youth, and raising $10,000 more from neighbors, businesses and sponsors to build a fund for the years after.
- Instructional staff $12,000
- Equipment & gear $6,500
- Facility & utilities $4,500
- Administration $2,000
Save the date
“Break the Barrier” Martial Arts Showcase
· 2:00–5:00 PM · West Philadelphia
Live demonstrations by instructors and youth athletes, a tour of the program space, and a Board Breaking Ceremony where sponsors fund a student’s gi, a month of instruction or safety equipment. Details to follow.
“Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”