Merit Awards

Congratulations on your child receiving a Merit Award!

Merit Awards

At the end of class, a single award (typically a star) will be awarded to teach the principle of merit. These are earned and given to whomever performed well that class, had great listening, or otherwise did an awesome job. The stars are patch stickers that go on the student’s uniform lapel. 

Gold Stars: These are awarded to the best listener that day. Whichever student exhibited excellent listening, focus, and attentiveness in class will earn this star. If a student is showing notable improvement and effort to focus, they can also earn this star.

Silver Stars: These are awarded to a student who had great technique. This is focused on the particular lesson for that day. If that lesson is centered around a specific kick, then a student who performed well, or showed an admirable effort in improving their technique, would earn this star.

Green Stars: These are awarded to a student who displayed great stances. Stances are a fundamental part of any martial art. In a guarding stance, the feet need to be apart with both hands up in a guard. Every class emphasizes proper stance, with additional focus on students keeping their hands up. This star is an award for having consistently great stances.

Red Stars: These are awarded to a student who demonstrated great speed in their techniques. Speed begets power and is essential to the proper execution of techniques. The student must have proper form in their moves in addition to the speed, so this star naturally comes after a student has already earned the Silver Star for technique.

Blue Stars: These stars are awarded to students who demonstrate acute balance and stability throughout class. Because balance is such a core component of martial arts practice this is emphasized in nearly everything students will be doing including kicks, Shin Blocks, and Wall Blocks. Students can also earn this star in lesson-related activities such as the Shark Game. 

Purple Stars: These stars are awarded to students who demonstrate great progress and skill in flexibility or perform very well with class stretches. Stretching is an important component of class, and students who set a great example of effort to improve and perform the stretch correctly will be rewarded. Likewise, students who have achieved great progress in their own flexibility can earn this merit award.

Black Stars: Black Stars are awarded for excellent Blocks and defensive techniques. Students who demonstrate great progress and skill in mitigating attacks can earn this merit award.

Merit Patches: These are rectangular merit awards, designating great work in a particular skill. Examples can include “Respect,” “Discipline,” or “Round Kick”. These go on the wearer’s left side of the uniform front.

American Flag Arm Patch: This unique patch is given out occasionally to students who show great overall excellence. It typically needs to be sewed, ironed, or glued onto the left arm sleeve.

Here's how to attach them:

The American Flag patch is large and should go on the left shoulder of the arm of the wearer, similar to how they do it in the military. It has to be the left because of the orientation of the flag. There is a horizontal line on the sleeve, it can go longways just below that. These must be sewed or glued with fabric glue.

Star patches are self-sticking and go on the lapel. If they stop being sticky then I can replace them in class. Or, add a dab of super glue and it should stay on. Custom thread is not necessary but is a nice way to make them permanent. Please refrain from using pins.

Rectangular patches (which say different merits) can be ironed on to the left side of their uniform, or glued with patch or super glue (carefully).