We would like to think we live in a perfect world, but of course, there are some problems. A club here at CB South is trying to combat a serious one.

“What if a stranger grabs me by the wrist and tries to pull me into a car? What if a stranger tackles me to the ground and tries to harm me?”

The “what-ifs” are endless.

CB South senior Emily Cid has an answer.

Emily, who has been doing martial arts for 12 years, started the Self Defense Club to teach students how to be confident, how to avoid dangerous situations, and how to defend themselves when necessary.

“In a couple years, we will be exposed to the real world in college or at work.  We are especially vulnerable because we most likely have not had reason to train ourselves in the art of environmental awareness, as in the safety of your environment, and yet we are being thrown into more and more situations that could be dangerous,” she stated.

“Living in a world that has danger that can arise at any moment, this club offers a student a chance to develop fundamental skills that can benefit them as they move from high school into college and the ‘real world’,” said Mr. Hensil, the teacher advisor of the Self Defense Club and a fan of martial arts.

A club session typically consists of learning safety habits and physical self-defense techniques.

However, self-defense goes beyond merely kicking and punching. Students will learn many mental techniques, focusing on environmental awareness and both verbal and body communication skills.

Students will also understand what to do in specific scenarios in order to efficiently separate themselves from an attacker.

“This club will give at least an introduction as to how to be safe, and hopefully will be the groundwork to learning and perfecting more safety habits and defense skills,” said Emily. “The more people who gain awareness about the dangers of their environments, the better.”

Want to feel safer moving forward in life? Or maybe want to know these skills just in case? Self Defense Club is open to all students—no prior experience needed.

Students interested in joining this club should pick up a permission slip from Emily Cid or Mr. Hensil in B215.