We are available to conduct personal safety assemblies and workshops at your school, business, church or organization.

Call 719-276-0393 for pricing and details.

“To Whom It May Concern: It is my pleasure to recommend Shorinkan Family Karate and Officer Vidmar for their school program “How to Avoid an Unsafe Person.” Their program is phenomenal! The kids loved the direct interaction with them and being able to be active during the entire presentation. Paul, Michelle and Officer Vidmar have an infectious personality that the kids are drawn to during the presentation. Paul’s ability to relate the information to karate is what really makes this presentation so cool! He does a great job of explaining each scenario and demonstrates the proper techniques to get out of every situation. Each technique is taught in a fun safe manner but also gets across the seriousness of the situation that the students are practicing to remove themselves from. As a P.E. teacher I love the program. The students are up and active throughout the presentation elevating their heart rates. I feel that their presentation speaks to all four of the Colorado Model Content Standards for Physical Education as well as all three of the Colorado Model Content Standards for Health. As a parent I am always concerned about my children and their safety as we all are. In this day and age we can never be too careful. After being a part of their program and knowing that my child has been involved in it, I feel like they now have an idea of what to do if they are in a situation with an unsafe person. It has also given my children and me something to talk about and something to practice. I highly recommend Shorinkan Family Karate and Officer Vidmar’s program and hope that it can go state wide. It is an invaluable tool for our children and their safety! Sincerely, Nate Harms, P.E. Teacher Harrison K-8 School, Canon City, Colorado – 719-276-5970

“To Whom It May Concern: It is my pleasure to write this letter of recommendation on behalf of the Pearson family and the Shorinkan Family Karate Personal Safety Program. As the school counselor at Penrose Elementary school, I had the opportunity to host the Shorinkan Family Karate group for a Student Safety Program in November 2012. I can say with confidence that the program was a complete success and all of the students at our elementary school benefited from their experience with the program. At a time when personal safety both at school and out of school is extremely important for our children, I felt that the Pearson’s program was comprehensive and engaging for our entire student body. All of our students, kindergarten through 5th grade, thoroughly enjoyed the program as it was fun and interactive. I was extremely impressed by the Pearson’s ability to work with and communicate with children of all different ages. The program delivered a great message of personal safety and how to respond during those difficult times that all of our students should be prepared for. Unfortunately students in this day and age are exposed to many different types of dangers and stressors that generations prior did not have to worry about. As a result, we must put safeguards in place and work towards proactive approaches that are based on preparation for those potential obstacles. The Shorinkan Personal Safety Program does just that. In speaking with students after the assembly, I found that the program helped to instill a sense of confidence that they would be able to respond appropriately in those times of danger. In my opinion, programs like the Pearson’s Personal Safety Program are long overdue and I am thankful that they were able to come into our school and work with our children. In speaking with the Pearsons, it is easy to see they are passionate about their message and genuinely invested in protecting our youth and preparing them to handle difficult situations that they may come across. I would highly recommend their Personal Safety Program for any school.” Sincerely, Nick Sartori, School Counselor Penrose Elementary, Penrose, Colorado – 719-784-2653

“To Whom It May Concern: I am the principal at Washington Elementary School in Canon City, CO, and I had the privilege of hosting Paul and Michelle Pearson and other members of the Shorinkan Family Karate team for personal safety presentations. The presentations were done in cooperation with the Canon City Police Department and the Canon City School’s resource officer, Robyn Vidmar, to provide students with valuable information and skills to help promote students’ safety. Personally, I thought the presentations were very worthwhile. It was well organized and presented each grade level (60-75 students) with efficiency, and necessary adjustments were made to accommodate our largest group of students (120+) to ensure student participation. I also received positive feedback from students, staff, and parents. Students enjoyed the active participation and hands-on practice provided throughout the presentations. Our staff members who were able to participate appreciated the age appropriate discussions and activities. Parents were thankful that we were able to provide their student(s) with valuable and relevant safety tips and techniques, especially since our students are not bussed and many of them walk to and from school every day. I can also say as a parent of two elementary aged students who were fortunate enough to participate in this program, I was very appreciative for the information and learning my own children took away from their experience. If you have the opportunity to provide your students with safety presentations from Paul and Michelle Pearson and the Shorinkan Family Karate team, I would recommend that you take advantage of the opportunity. If you have any questions, please call or email me and I would be happy to talk to you. Sincerely, Brian Zamarripa, Principal Washington Elementary School, Canon City, Colorado – 719-276-6091

“To Whom It May Concern: I am the Physical Education & Health teacher at Canon Exploratory School in Canon City, Colorado. I have been teaching for 18 years. Our school recently enjoyed a presentation by Shorinkan Family Karate. CES Kindergarten through 6th grade students participated in an interactive, “hands-on”, personal safety assembly. Students learned how to recognize, avoid, and deal with dangerous situations. Michelle and Paul Pearson along with their family did a wonderful job teaching and modeling their message to all age groups. Parents, teachers, and staff all agree that this presentation was a valuable experience for our students. The students felt comfortable talking about scary situations that could happen at any time. They loved to participate in the “back pack/Superman” practice that taught students that you can replace any material item, but you cannot replace YOU! Students were able to run out of their own back pack when a person grabs the back of it to try and take them. Each time students had the chance to demonstrate, lines were spread apart in a safe distance, mats were down on the floor for safety, teachers could interact with their classes, and the lines moved quickly. Students did get enough movement to be physically active for several minutes. The activities and lessons kept all students focused and engaged at all times. Students learned about safety, confidence and personal wellness from this presentation. So many sad situations have been happening in our world lately and all areas of this presentation prepare students for these types of situations that could occur in their lifetime. I would highly recommend this presentation for any school~ Carrie Hanenberg, Physical Education/Health Educator Canon Exploratory School, Canon City, Colorado – 719-276-6050

“To Whom It May Concern: Recently, the Shorinkan Family Karate and the Canon City Police Department partnered together to bring a phenomenal safety program to the students at Mountain View Core Knowledge School. The program was presented for three different groups (K-8th grades) and it was adjusted to meet the needs of the appropriate age groups. The Pearson family and Officer Vidmar were professional, knowledgeable, and they interacted extremely well with all of the students. Their vast experience in working with kids was evident in their interactions. Our staff enjoyed the presentations and they were impressed with the level of engagement that the students showed. Students walked away with knowledge and strategies that most didn’t have going into the program. It is without hesitation that I recommend this presentation to any school group. It is critical that kids become equipped to protect themselves from dangerous people. I feel that our students now have some tools to empower them should they find themselves in an unfavorable or dangerous situation. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you would like to hear more about the presentation. Sincerely, Karen Sartori, Administrator Mountain View Core Knowledge School, Canon City, Colorado – 719-275-1980

“To Whom It May Concern: I would just like to write a letter saying how much we appreciated the Pearson Family and Shorinkan Family Karate for doing presentations at our school on Personal Safety. In the fall (2012), Michelle Pearson had come to an evening meeting and did a short presentation to parents and children about personal safety. In January (2013), the Pearson family and one of our parents who participates in their karate program, came and did grade level presentations on how to maintain personal safety. The emphasis was on recognizing and dealing with dangerous situations. They used the term “unsafe person” rather than stranger because they wanted students to know that it was sometimes the “stranger” that actually was the person who helped them. They demonstrated ways of getting away from an unsafe person. The grade level programs were very interactive, kid-oriented presentations. The staff were very effective in dealing with large numbers of students. I believe that students walked away with skills as well as empowered to act should they find themselves in a dangerous situation. Their emphasis was knowledge and empowerment, not dwelling on fear. They made the kids feel comfortable to take part but did not force anyone to participate that did not want to. We unfortunately live in a time when students need to be aware of their surroundings and need to to know how to respond should they ever find themselves faced with a perilous situation. I believe our students would feel empowered that they had strategies for getting away and being safe. I appreciated that Shorinkan Family Karate shared their expertise with our students. I would recommend their program to any school. Sincerely, Debbie Wolfe, Assistant Principal Fremont Elementary School, Florence, Colorado 719-784-6303