PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Coach Mark Moore isn't the average karate teacher. His students say his punches extend further than his karate studio in South Jersey.
"We're the dojo that makes a difference," he said.
He visits schools around the Garden State and Pennsylvania to spread his gospel of the power of positivity to students who need it.
He raises money to help children with disabilities, and this summer, he hosted a fundraiser to purchase back-to-school shoes for local kids who could use them.
A post shared by Mark Moore (@moore_growth) on Oct 2, 2019 at 6:26am PDT
"Anybody can kick or punch," Moore said, adding it's what you do off the mat that matters.
He says students come to his studio because they love the way it makes them feel.
And for about 10 years, it's been working. Students who have struggled in school with bullying and confidence say Moore has saved their lives.
"There were so many students picking on me, I couldn't take it anymore, it was so bad," Kirsten Bradford said, getting emotional as she told her story.
A student at the dojo, Bradford sent multiple letters to KYW Newsradio boasting about the lives that her mentor has touched, including hers.
She says before she met him, she was bullied and struggling in classes. Her friend invited her to a martial arts class and now, she's a rockstar in school because of those lessons on the mat.
"To be confident in myself and to be nice to others (as) nice as I am to myself," said Bradford. "That life is really precious and we should live it while we can."
She says to her and so many others, Moore is a true champion who's kickin' it in martial arts and in life.
"We're literally making giving cool. We're making giving and kindness like the thing to do," the coach said.
"Everybody can have a great attitude and it truly does determine how far you're gonna go in life because life if just full of challenges," he added.
