“We certainly appreciate what you do on a regular basis working with the children, changing it up a bit, and being a great role model. I have always respected you, what you do, and what you stand for. But now that I have been to two other dojos, I think you need to hear an extra Thank You. THANK YOU. I will try to thank you in person as well because you should hear it face to face and not just from an e-mail; you should see it in my eyes when I say it. THANK YOU. Thank you for keeping your dojo clean and smelling good. Thank you for keeping the bathrooms clean. Thank you for having nice decor - simple and not overwhelming. Thank you for treating your clients with respect and talking with us. Thank you for treating the children with respect and with an understanding nature. Thank you for being an outstanding role model, a teacher our community is proud of, and someone I feel I can trust my children with.”
– Carrie M.,
Parent
“As a parent and as a student at your dojo, I just wanted to express my gratitude for all you do. It's clear to me that you have a difficult job, and I see that you do it well. I admire all the hats that you wear on any given day. Besides being a master at Uechi-Ryu expertly demonstrating all the karate moves, you manage to teach an incredible variety of students with a huge range in ages, strengths, weaknesses, and skillsets. What I've been most impressed with is how you strive to know each student personally. You reach out to the "whole" person, checking if he or she has problems at home or issues at school. You have a special knack for empowering the timid and building character in the undisciplined. Any other person who works hard to be on top of his business would likely be too stern and serious, but somehow you have kept a great sense of humor and have created a friendly, warm atmosphere.”
– Christine D.,
Parent & Student
“I just wanted to say thank Mr. Smith for the amazing class today. Both Jake and his nana had the best time. He was so proud that he got to come up and demonstrate blocks to the whole group! As always, Mr. Smith did a great job keeping it organized, fun, and focused.
As I sat watching the class with Evie and their “Bampy”, I felt so proud that Jake is a part of such a wonderful dojo. Jake has come so far this past year thanks to the hard work of Mr. Smith and the other teachers. You guys always go above and beyond and it really makes such a difference.”
– Erin,
Parent
“When we enrolled Gavin into your academy, my hopes were that karate would become an interest for him, that he would learn how to focus his energy in a positive way, that he would become self-disciplined, and overall a more balanced, more self-confident kid. We have seen major changes in Gavin over the past 16 months. He has grown in all of the areas I mentioned above and matured in the process. Karate has majorly helped with his focus and his self-confidence in his day to day life at home and most importantly right now, at school. He was on a behavior/sticker program in his classroom and that ended in the past week because his teacher told him that he doesn’t need it anymore. He knows what he needs to do & how to behave to have a successful day at school. I can’t thank you all enough for your open lines of communication and helping to hold him accountable for his actions and work with us & his school to get him to where he needs to be to continue to grow on his path to success.
Your academy is much more than just going to karate class. You have created a safe & loving environment for these kids and parents alike. I literally feel like I sit there and watch my son blossom before my eyes. Thank you all for that.”
– Erin S,
Happy Parent
“Neil Stone was described to me as, " the horse whisperer" for children. This is 100% accurate. Initially, I just wanted my son to get more exercise. That he does, but it is just the tip of the iceberg. Mr. Stone and the other instructors not only teach karate, they teach life skills and lessons. Skills like how to stay in control, focus, body consciousness, and how not to be bullied. My son has been studying with Neil Stone for a little over a year and his improvements in these and other areas have been nothing less than remarkable. And he loves to go each and every time! Every class is different and each month has a different theme, such as trust, optimism, modesty, perseverance, etc. Mr. Stone may decide that a kid needs to work on something else, like confidence or perseverance so he may deviate from the theme and say a few words on that topic if he thinks it will be beneficial to the group. In addition to all of that, Mr. Stone ALWAYS supports parenting.”
– Karen,
Parent
“My daughter and I are both students and I can't say enough. We have seen big changes in our 7-year-old. She goes to the dojo and works her little heart out, and then takes that same focus and drive and applies it to her responsibilities at school and at home. Sensei Stone and his staff are incredibly enthusiastic and creative. They are always changing things up and making the classes fun and energetic, combining martial arts techniques with the core values of kindness and respect for others. I am especially impressed to watch Sensei Stone get to know each student individually and to then help each student through whatever difficulties they might have, even outside the dojo. As an adult student, I began my study with goals of fitness and self-defense in mind, but I have also found an amazing community of karate professionals who are ready and willing to share their knowledge and to mentor new students. Thank you for having us at NSKA. We are thrilled to be part of the family!”
– Laura,
Parent and karate practitioner
