Peaceful Warriors Matching fund
Donation protected
The Peaceful Warriors boxing club was established as an alternative to gangs and fighting on the street and in school.
Most of our high school students attend on a Peaceful Warrior scholarship.
The brainchild of high school psychologist Rafael Medina, high school social worker Nathaniel Wylie and Schenectady Youth Boxing and Fitness trainer Vince Kittle, the purpose of the club is to help disadvantaged youth develop positive life skills such as self discipline, responsibility, commitment and self control/anger management, as well as discover the art of boxing, through recreation and in some cases competition.
The program has three pillars for success: school attendance, positive behavior and academic responsibility. Peaceful Warriors also promotes family health, community involvement, social issues awareness, drug-free lifestyles, and violence prevention.
“What we’ve seen,” Medina told The Record newspaper, “is a correlation between the program and positive outcomes across all three areas (of school attendance, positive behavior and academic responsibility)."
Young people take what they already know -- violence -- and learn to control it in a structured environment. "They control it, structure it, refine it, take ownership of it and turn it into an art form that's valued and respected," Kittle said.
Participants engage in weekly support group sessions as well as academic tutoring support as needed. A physical exam is required for students to participate. Sparring with other participants will be permitted only with parental permission and will be carefully controlled by trainers to ensure the safety of all participants.
For more information or to join Peaceful Warriors, contact Rafael Meina or Nathaniel Wylie .
Organizer
Vincent Kittle
Organizer
Schenectady, NY