Taekwondo at RCA
TKD at RCA
As part of our physical education program, we at Rochester Classical Academy (RCA) are excited to have Taekwondo (one of the Korean martial arts) instruction provided by Agape Black Belt Center, a family-owned business located in Pittsford, NY. Our Voyagers (K) and Classes 1-3 1st-3rd students will receive between thirty-five and forty-five minutes of instruction from a nationally-ranked Taekwondo expert each week.
East meets West
As Christians, we recognize and embrace the fact that Christ came to save people from every nation, tribe, and tongue (Revelation 7:9). Truth, goodness, and beauty can be found in any time and culture and so even though classical Christian education originated in the West, we believe Taekwondo fits well with the educational paradigm we embrace at RCA.
The specific elements of Taekwondo instruction we believe fit well with the vision of RCA are:
- Multiple elements of physical training (strength, speed, flexibility)
- An emphasis on beauty, form, and style in addition to the physical training
- Development of mental acuity
- Character formation (for example, Agape Black Belt Center places great emphasis on respect, humility, and patience)
In keeping with Christian values and practice
Agape Black Belt Center was started by committed Christians Master John Ra and his wife Mrs. Joanna Ra. While their instruction is open to all, they view their work at Agape as an extension of their faith (hence, *Agape*!). They impart martial arts instruction at the highest level as an act of love, bettering themselves and their community for service to others and to the glory of God.
Traditionally, Taekwondo instruction includes language describing breathing and strikes as a way of harnessing the power of the universe. The Ra family addresses this by modifying traditional Taekwondo language and practice to fit within a Christian worldview. We are confident that the Taekwondo instruction our students receive at RCA is in keeping with the worldview instruction our students learn at home and what we teach throughout the rest of the school day.
All-RCA belt testing at Agape Black Belt Center, 2023.
Our instructors
Additionally, our instructors are Ms. Hailey Ra and Mr. Luke Ra, both of whom are children of Master Ra and Mrs. Ra. Both of our instructors hold the fourth-degree black belt.
