A message from Amanda Ferris, head instructor of the Kids Classes:
One of the recent dojo duties I have taken on is the Head of the Juniors Program at High Sierra Jujitsu. I looked forward to this responsibility after my father started the program. From the beginning I immediately fell in love with it and realized that this is something I can truly give my all to.
The Juniors Program is different from the adults, with different ranking system and a more relaxed environment (More Fun!). The class time is shorter and split into two groups. The novice group with ages ranging from 5-10 and the intermediate group covering ages 10-14, with each group having it's own ranking system.
We encourage our juniors to have some fun and at the same time learning self defense and self discipline. I really get excited to see our junior students doing so well and if you observe me in class, giving lots of high 5's and hugs. I enjoy watching the growth of my junior students, emotionally and physically. I have become very close to the juniors and their parents and look forward to growing together as a dojo and an extended family.
One major goal I have for the juniors would be growth. I am looking into ways to get more children active in the self defense part of the martial arts and look forward to seeing my class go from two times a week to three. I would also like to see class increase to 20 or 30 kids on the matt at a time. A personal goal of mine as a martial arts instructor as well as a future educator in the public school system is the perfection of my character and professionalism. I constantly learn from my students and my teachers about becoming a better instructor and person and I take these lessons gratefully.
Lastly a look at the dojo as a whole. To become a large, united school of Dan Zan Ryu Jujitsu, filled with kind hearted people, ranging from 6 to 66, who are united like a family, and that have a good time learning something they can take with them wherever they go. Family is the strongest bond anyone can ever have and it is that bond that will make us a strong school and a stronger family.
A little about head instructor Amanda Ferris:
Amanda finished her undergraduate studies in Elementary Education at the University of Nevada, Reno in the fall of 2004. She is currently a fifth-grade teacher at Virginia Palmer Elementary School. Amanda went into education because of her absolute love for kids and because she strives for excellence today so that she may prepare her students for a challenging tomorrow. More information on Amanda's martial arts background can be found on the Instructors page.