write my conclusion "For my service learning project, I chose to volunteer at PITT/More than Fitness which is a nonprofit that helps the community in multiple ways they offer self-defense classes, fitness classes, and therapy groups for those suffering from severe injuries such as loss of limbs. I spent my time mainly just observing how this program works and helping even though it's not your typical human service, I also help with the self-defense lessons I am a 3x state placer here in Delaware for wrestling, a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and a grey belt in marine corp martial arts. So while I thought I would be doing more talking for this assignment. I ended up showing two nice young girls how to flip a man twice their size. This opportunity stuck out to me because a great friend named Joe is the man in charge of the self-defense lessons. And I know what you're thinking something so violent he can't be a nice guy but I've been in the combative sports scene for a while now and I've learned while most let all hell loose in a ring after they knock you down they will reach out a hand and pick you right back up, and joe is the embodiment of that he will give his last to help a stranger and help others. Joe was the one who taught me Brazilian jiujitsu and took me to tournaments when I was in high school and struggling it took my mind off of the struggles I faced. So to be able to come back and help the next generation feels amazing to me.
While doing my service learning I learned that just showing a bit of effort can go a long way. Im going to get into the real grim world of being black and lower class so beware Joe lives next to a middle school so most of the kids and teens that end up coming are ages 8-14. There are a few kids (I’m changing names because they’re all minors) that come every day. They all have been to jail for having guns. While most will give up on them Joe won't and he got permission from their parol officers and parents to pick them up every day for training. Now the main kid I wanna use as an example is a boy named Kai who started coming before his friends did but one day when picking him up, he asked if his friends could come when we all got started sparring his friends tried to be cool and refused to train to cuss and all kai tried to be a follower and sit out with them but I was able to use a healthy dose of gaslighting to egg him to try to spar me to humble him a bit. Fairly quick he learned he wasn't the biggest guy there so he started paying attention to our lessons and practices. Over the next few days, each of his friends started to try and spar with me or Kai, and only after a few weeks of training did he start to bring his friends back to earth they all started paying attention more and more and it became a fun and competitive environment.
Over the past month, I have realized what makes this service needed, a majority of the students are young and from the city and my mother had a saying that rings true in this situation “An idle mind is the devil's workshop” meaning when left to there own devices some people fall into what's going around in there environment i.e. drugs guns violence. When giving them something productive to do shows how impressionable in a good and bad way it only took less than 5 classes for everyone to want to get more involved which is good but it also means they are likely to fall back into bad habits just as quick which is why I believe having them here after school leaves them tired and no time to make bad decisions after lessons. This service is needed to keep the youth out of trouble.
To make this service unneeded is a bigger conversation, one that encompasses not just the immediate impact of after-school programs like the self-defense classes but also the systemic issues like cycles of violence and poverty in our communities. Addressing these root causes requires a multifaceted approach. better access to education, more job opportunities, and robust mental health resources. As we work to provide valuable skills and a sense of belonging for these young individuals, we must also advocate for broader societal changes that will create safer, healthier environments. Engaging communities in conversations around violence prevention and youth empowerment can help shift mindsets. While our service might currently be necessary, we should strive toward a future where such programs that keep young kids out of their neighborhood because of the negative effects they can have become a choice as an after-school activity instead of one that they can do just to keep them out of trouble. where every child can grow up in an environment free of violence and full of opportunity. The journey toward making this vision a reality is ongoing, and it starts with conversations like the ones sparked in our self-defense classes, where trust and resilience are built, one lesson at a time.
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