A karate studio in Myrtle Beach is teaching kids how to stand up to bullies, and what to do if they are being bullied.
The Karate Studio of Myrtle Beach held a free anti-bullying workshop on Saturday. Instructors taught how to verbally address bullies, and self-defense techniques should the kids every find themselves in potentially harmful situations.
“It’s scary and exhausting. We have to deal with this every day,” said Austin Ganzenmuller, a student at The Karate Studio.
Fed up with getting bullied and not sure how to stop it, the 10-year-old brought his friend, 11-year-old Cooper Vick, to the class at his studio to get help.
“It’s frustrating and then you get nervous to tell the teacher because you think someone’s gonna lie on everything. It gets very overwhelming,” said Vick.
Tracie Wash remembers watching her daughter experience bullying in the third grade. She’s now getting ready to start middle school. Wash brought her daughter to the class hoping she would learn how to stand up for herself and others.
“I just don’t want it to ever happen again to her,” Wash said. “Hopefully we can get the kids to have an understanding that they don’t have to put up with this anymore. They have a right to go to school and be happy and not be bullied.”
Assistant Instructor Katie Forrest, who also happens to be a teacher, says the class isn’t about teaching kids how to fight back. The goal is to teach them how to de-escalate any situation, and escape if the situation does not calm down.
“Self confidence is going to be the biggest thing. If they believe that they’re going to be ok and they can handle the situation, then 90% of our problem is won right there,” Forrest said.
Cooper and Austin both said they’re a now less nervous about going to school on Monday
“I feel pretty confident,” Cooper said after the class. “I feel fine,” Austin added.
They said they will know what to do the next time a bully backs them into a corner.
“Tell them to ‘stop’, right in front of them, before they try and push you. I can drop the knee right here, do anything to escape and go run and tell a teacher,” Vick said.
