My 1st Degree Black Belt:

My name is Kirsten and I was born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark some 42 years ago. I am a mother to an almost 11 year old daughter and wife to my husband of 16 years. My dear friend and fellow Dane Winnie introduced Team Karate Centers to our family in 2007 when I was trying to find an after school activity for our daughter.
Initially it was just Kaitlin who was taking classes but upon urging from Ms. Allison, I decided to give karate a try. I was a competitive swimmer and I swam for the Danish National Team before being given the opportunity to come to the States to swim in college. Hard training is not a foreign concept to me and being an avid surfer, I was looking for something to supplement my being. I was armed with enthusiasm on my first day of class right before the winter break and I remember how great I felt after class. Yet the days following were tough as I was incredibly sore. I remember that I could not wait until classes would resume after the New Year. I progressed quickly through the first couple of belts and found myself taken in by the opportunities of bettering myself and helping others.
In 2008, I was fortunate to attend the 3rd pre-test at the beach and witness the candidates go through this strenuous test and admired the courage of the juniors as well as the adults. I left inspired and put the new inspiration into my training. The next big turning point was the Spectacular last year. I was in awe of the candidates who battled through whatever struggles they had to bring them to this new level. I remember Kyoshi Fariborz asking me right after the belt ceremony if I was amped up for testing and I remember that I at the time was very hesitant and felt that I was not ready to commit as I did not feel that I yet deserved to test. In the coming weeks, my training increased and I committed myself to make the 2009 team.
Testing for my Black Belt has given me a journey that I would not trade for any amount of money. I have met many wonderful people at Team Karate Centers; people from many different walks of life, young people, older people and people who all share the love of Martial Arts. You all have contributed to my journey being so incredible special, so thank you, you know who you are! Thank you to all of my team members on Team Makoto; you all have made this journey fun, interesting and insightful in so many ways!
Thank you to Ms. Allison for nudging me to get on the mat, thank you to Mr. Patrick who has taught me so many invaluable lessons, thank you to Mr. Lief for his always enthusiastic teachings, Mr. Robert for his straight forward, no nonsense lessons and Mr. Faramarz who behind his business front possesses one of the funniest, most caring and sincere characters around.
Kyoshi Fariborz, without you, none of this would be possible. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of the martial arts lessons but also for the life lessons which I have learned from you. This journey is just the beginning of an even better life for myself and for my family which includes the TKC Family which I have been blessed with.
My Black Belt journey was possible because of the never ending love and support from my husband Rick and our beautiful daughter, Kaitlin. They are the most important people in my life and they continue to be my inspiration in life! I love you!
My parents traveled from Copenhagen, Denmark, to be with me on this special day; without them, I would not be here and they have given me such a great foundation for my Black Belt Journey! I will forever be grateful for this special blessing that both my parents could be with me here today as I earn my Black Belt! I love you Mom and Dad!

My Red and Black (Qualification) Belt:

My Red Belt:

My Brown Belt:

My Blue Belt:

My Green Belt:

My Yellow Belt:

My Orange Belt:

My Mission Statement

Mission Statement I will live each day as if it my last day on Earth as I am not guaranteed tomorrow.
I will to be the best wife and friend to Rick by continuing our open communication and being supportive of his ideas and goals in life.
I will be the best mom and role model for Kaitlin by giving her love, support and guidance.
I will continue to be mentally and physically fit by training my mind by reading and my body by working out in karate and surfing.
I will love God with all my mind, body and spirit and love my neighbor as I love myself.

Marriage
Always Continue to be open and to communicate with my husband on a daily basis regardless of the issues at hand. Show my love and appreciation for him daily. Support him in his goals in life like he supports me in mine and ours. Continue to make the time for us to ensure that our love and affection will remain strong for each other. Always communicate with each other about the guidance that we give Kaitlin to ensure that we are both on the same page so that we raise her with great morals and strong values, both work and ethic.

Kaitlin:
Always Continue to be open and to communicate with our daughter on a daily basis regardless of the issues at hand so that she always feels safe about coming to us with any issues that she may be facing. Ensure that she is healthy by feeding her well-balanced meals; let her participate in sports and supporting her in her goals in life. Continue to instill a strong value system so that she has a strong foundation when faced with difficult and challenging decisions.

Martial Arts:
In my karate journey, I will continue to live Black Belt Excellence. I have the character and the ethics to live Black Belt Excellence and I am constantly striving to gain more knowledge and technique in all aspects of my life to complete the journey. I will live the Student Creed:
To build true confidence through knowledge in the mind, honesty in the heart and strength in the body. To keep friendship with one another and build a strong and happy community. Never fight to achieve selfish end, but to develop might for right.
I will also follow the Student Mission statement so I can live my life in a positive environment, which will serve as a role model for Kaitlin.
I will live each day as if it my last day on Earth as I am not guaranteed tomorrow.
I will to be the best wife and friend to Rick by continuing our open communication and being supportive of his ideas and goals in life.
I will be the best mom and role model for Kaitlin by giving her love, support and guidance.
I will continue to be mentally and physically fit by training my mind by reading and my body by working out in karate and surfing.
I will love God with all my mind, body and spirit and love my neighbor as I love myself.

My Essays

A Black Belt is the ultimate color of belt that represents character, knowledge and perseverance. In addition is represents sacrifices that the one has had to make in order to receive the honor of earning a Black Belt. One can earn a Black Belt and be perfectly happy but to me, I am striving for Black Belt Excellence.
I strive for Black Belt Excellence as it will elevate my game and allow me to go above and beyond what is expected of me but also what I expect of myself. With a Black Belt comes responsibly to uphold a much higher standard and to do good in the world. We are all created equal and we are all given choices and opportunities in life. What we choose to do with the choices and opportunities will shape us as humans.
Earning a Black Belt is a way of life as the journey never ends. It is funny as it reminds me of my swimming career. The journey to the top was somewhat hard but to stay on top was even harder as I had to constantly dig deeper into myself to keep the performance elevated. A Black Belt or a championship swimmer is the role model for the children, teens and the adults who wish to earn their Black Belt or become the next World Champion. A Black Belt is a role model who cannot waiver from the high standards that they have committed themselves to. A Black Belt is not just a title but a way of life and state of mind. A Black Belt will have a high level of integrity and be committed to excellence.
It is very easy to assume that a person who has a Black Belt, have earned it because they are born with natural talents to perform high kicks or perform fluid forms. Anyone who embarks on the journey of earning a Black Belt will understand and know that the countless hours of practicing a form or a kick will result in great results. We all have challenges and limitations but because we have committed ourselves to a higher standard; our end result will be that much greater. The term, practice makes perfect does not really mean much when compared to perfect practice makes perfect. A Black Belt will not end practice with, OK, I am done, he or she will do the form or the kicking combination one more time because it will mean that the extra steps will ensure that the goal of Black Belt Excellence was achieved.
A Black Belt is a White Belt that NEVER Quit!

I dont think I deserve a Black Belt. To deserve a Black Belt sounds arrogant and makes it sounds as if it is a right rather than a privilege. My husband and I have had many discussions about what it means to become a Black Belt and how one would train for it; anyone can get a Black Belt, but does everyone deserve one? For me, I would rather ask permission from Kyoshi Fariborz to Earn my Black Belt under him and his organization. Kyoshi Fariborz will be the one who can determine if I deserve my Black Belt. I think I can earn my Black Belt; I attend my classes as I have committed myself to, I give it my all when I am on the mat, I step up and help others when I can, I volunteer some of my time to SWAT two classes a week and I continually try to make a difference and to live Black Belt Excellence.
It is in my DNA to set very high standards for myself; earning a Black Belt will validate my commitment to Martial Arts and to bringing out the best in myself and others. I try to live every day as if it were my last; I have my limitations and challenges but I will persevere and never give up. Giving up is really not an option for me as I would never be able to forgive myself for committing myself to the journey and then not seeing it through.
Each hurdle and roadblock will enable me to ask myself the 3 Questions (Where am I, What am I doing and Is it real?). It will grow me in my personal and my professional life and it will give me tools to deal with other challenges as they pop up in the future. I have already had mind and life changing events happen to me since I began my journey; it is and I think always has been the constant striving for excellence that has been brought to the forefront and driven home during my journey thus far. It would be a sincere honor to earn my Black Belt from Kyoshi Fariborz as he continues to teach and guide me in the Martial Arts world.
So with permission from Kyoshi Fariborz I would like to earn my Black Belt. I will not quit; I may fall but I will learn from my mistakes, I will not question the tasks but always bring myself back to the 3 Questions to ensure that I am focused and ready. I will lead and be led; I will be a person that my family and friends can rely on to be there for them. So in due time, I will Earn my Black Belt and I will know that I gave it my all; at that time I will be able to ask myself Do I deserve my Black Belt? When that time comes, I will be able to answer the question!

My Letters of Recommendations

I have had the honor of being involved with Kirsten"s journey toward Black Belt Excellence and recommend she be allowed to continue her candidate journey.
-Mr. Patrick

Dear Kyoshi,
Kirsten has asked me to write a letter of recommendation regarding her quest for a Black Belt in Hapkido from Team Karate Centers. This will be one of those rare occasions where writing the letter will not be a difficult task.
Kirstens time in your studio has literally changed her life for the better. This is not to say she had a bad or difficult life prior to her introduction to Hapkido; it simply means that the inclusion of your teachings, the change in how Kirsten now approaches certain problems and the physical outlet provided through Hapkido have improved her overall quality of life. You may not know this but Kirsten has been a world-class athlete most of her life. She began formal training and competition in swimming back in Denmark at a very early age (I believe 8 years). During her swimming career she had many professional coaches, held Danish National Records and was recruited by schools here in America because of her speed. While at the collegiate level she was awarded the Athlete of the Year by the NJCAA while in Junior College and was the Captain of the Florida State Swim Team. Shortly after her graduation from Florida State Kirsten and I met and as they say, the rest is history.
It took a while for me to recognize it but there was a hole in Kirstens life left by the lack of serious training for a specific purpose. I have seen glimpses of its return over the years; when she needed to get her Securities licenses when we lived in Texas, when she joined Masters Swimming both here and in Florida, when she needed to get her Real Estate license. That said, she never found the harmony and purpose she has found in Hapkido and at your studio. I have seen Kirsten when she is inspired; this has taken it to an entirely new level. The Black Belt is not the goal, it is a milestone in the journey.
Kirstens goal is to see how far she can grow in Hapkido; not in an arrogant way for people to admire but for a sense of self-worth and personal accomplishment. She gets far more reward out of teaching a class as a member of S.W.A.T. than she does from a great workout or learning a new form. Personally speaking, I would not be surprised if she does not try to emulate Miss Erin or some of your other students who have earned their 3rd Degrees or higher in her quest for Black Belt Excellence.
She is certainly a great role model for myself and Kaitlin, she strives to be a great student for you and her other instructors and I will not be surprised in the least if she becomes a great instructor somewhere in the future. I couldnt be more proud of the way she is approaching her journey.
All the best,
Rick Powell

To Whom It May Concern:
We are writing this letter of recommendation for our lovely daughter, Kirsten Powell.
Kirsten has throughout all the years been a very loving and conscientious girl both when she lived in Denmark as well her years in USA.
Since she was 8 years old, she has spent a very great amount of time on swimming. During her swimming career in Denmark, she broke and held several National Records and represented the Danish National Swim Team for three years. She received National Senior Swimmer of the Year award three times. She went to America to swim in college and to attend school. She was elected team captain for the swim team at Indian River Community College as well as at Florida State University. She also was mentioned in the Who is Who amongst students on the Junior College level when she was at IRCC.
She won the National Junior College Swimmer of the Year award at IRCC and the No Pain, No Gain and the Chief Osceola Leadership Award at Florida State University.
Kirsten became successful not just as a swimmer, but also as a coach for the young and upcoming athletes. She coached several teams in different clubs in Denmark. She is demanding a very high standard of herself, in everything she participates in as well as in relationships to other people. Kirsten loves her life in America and decided to stay on over there together with her nice husband and daughter.
We are sure, that she will work hard on her career in Karate. She works very hard and has a strong character and we are very proud of her. She has certainly been telling us a lot of nice things about karate and how it has affected her life and her family.
Best regards
Colin and Tove Harrington