Testimonials

It is with great pleasure that I write this testimonial for Insights Karate Academy. For the past year, my son has been a student at IKA and I have since joined myself. What we have gained from our time here has exceeded all of my expectations.

 

The owner and chief instructor, Elaine Chauvin, has been phenomenal in working with my son.  When we began going to IKA, my goal was for my son to be exposed to and gain practice with the structure and discipline that karate is known for.  What I found, however, was so much more than that.  Miss Elaine has shown an incredible willingness to work with me to help my son achieve whatever behavior, academic, social and physical goals that I felt he needed to work on.  Her time and dedication to my child meant more to me than I could ever express. The dramatic, almost overnight improvement that I have seen in his behavior, level of patience, and effort has been incredible! Now, through karate, my son is learning the valuable lesson of the benefits of practice and hard work. Miss Elaine even told him she would like to make him a part of her team of role models. My son is so proud, and so am I. I have been so thankful for all of her efforts.

 

As a mother and an elementary school teacher, I have been very impressed with Miss Elaine's ability to keep all of her students actively engaged throughout each class. She is remarkably patient with all of her students and goes to great lengths to help each one achieve success. Miss Elaine clearly works hard to make each class fun and exciting for her students and I can attest to the fact that they never want to leave. I have also marveled at the way she handles discipline in her classes. Miss Elaine encourages her students to do their best using positive reinforcement and redirection. She also has the children frequently practice the behaviors that she expects from them so that they have a clear understanding of what she is looking for in class. Miss Elaine has worked with many students of all different ages and abilities and she is extremely skilled at finding ways to teach all children what they need to know to be successful in karate.

 

Several months ago, Miss Elaine encouraged me to try an adult class.  I was extremely hesitant because I am not in great shape, and I could not see myself as someone who pursued martial arts as an adult.  I was so grateful that I went, however.  The adult classes are high energy and provide a great stress relief after a hard day’s work.  While Miss Elaine demands a respectful environment, she encourages you to have fun and enjoy what you're learning.

 

The classes are also conveniently scheduled later in the evening for those of us who have young children to feed, bathe, and put to bed. I now go several times per week and I’ve noticed a positive change in both my strength and energy level.

 

It was one year ago that my husband and I decided that our son would benefit from karate lessons, so I called around to many schools looking for the right setting for him. After five minutes on the phone with Miss Elaine, I knew that IKA was exactly what I was looking for. I cannot describe all of the positive changes in both my son and myself that have resulted from that phone call. I owe so much to Miss Elaine and all of her hard work, and I now look forward to watching my daughter as she begins her journey as a Little Ninja. I know this will be just as positive an experience for her, as it has been for her older brother and mom.

 

Mrs. Acker

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This past week my 10 year old and I were talking about who her heros were and she said her hero was Miss Elaine. When I asked her why she said because Miss Elaine has made her feel comfortable reacting in all sorts of situations. This conversation started me thinking about our time at IKA. My 10 year old started Karate when she was a quiet 4 year old who was basically afraid of her own shadow - one day she said to me "mommy I want to learn to kick butt like Kim Possible" so my husband and I figured Karate was the best thing for her. After trying several schools (which my daughter left more scared than she was when we got there), we stumbled upon IKA and we were sold the minute Miss Elaine got down to eye level with my daughter and started talking to her. In the five and a half years we have now been at IKA I have watched my daughter blossom into a self assured young woman. She has gone from a child who did not speak at IKA for about the first year and half she was there to a young lady who is part of the student leadership team. She has progressed from a little girl who barely touched the punching bags when she was supposed to try out strikes to a first degree brown belt who can break boards with her fists. She has developed a sense of self and self confidence that Miss Elaine has helped nurture and I truly believe that without her experience at IKA she would not be as self assured and confident as she is today.

 

So today while I am watching both of my daughters perform in the IKA demo team, and in a few months when my 10 year old gets her Junior black belt I will be thinking about how thankful I am that Miss Elaine took a chance and followed her dream to open a karate school because we have found a second family.

 

Jennifer White

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My child has been attending classes at Insights Karate for over a year now. The classes are taught with an emphasis on discipline and focus in an encouraging and fun environment. I was so impressed that I started taking the adult classes. Going from white to yellow belt is tremendously encouraging for me. It is proof that I am one step closer to achieving a life long goal.

 

I have Insights karate, Miss Elaine, and her amazing way of presenting and teaching to thank for that.

 

Michelle Sullivan

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My husband and I have been nothing less than thrilled with the care and training Alex has received at the hands of Miss Elaine at Insights Karate Academy.

 

Our son came to the school shy and insecure with some burgeoning focus issues. Three years later he is confident, and went from hating school to having a report card filled with A's and receiving a Good Citizenship Award from his after school program.

 

I feel that Miss Elaine's teachings about focus, self-respect, hard work, and dedication are a large part of this change.

 

Alex counts his earning each belt and his "Most Improved" Medal as some of the proudest and happiest moments.

 

I wholeheartedly recommend Insights Karate Academy for any child, but if your child has issues with focus and concentration I would suggest that you enroll your child without delay and enjoy the changes that will come about from the training and care received from Miss Elaine and the rest of her talented, caring staff.

 

Sincerely,

 

Maryrose DeGroot