ATA Martial Arts - Little Rock

Today our team from the Little Rock and Bentonville schools steps onto the mats at the ATA World Championships.

Countless hours of training, and unwavering determination have all led to this moment. Whether they're instructors leading by example or students chasing their dreams, each competitor represents our schools with pride, integrity, and the true spirit of Taekwondo.

No matter what happens this week, we are already incredibly proud of every one of them for earning the opportunity to compete on the world stage.

Please help us wish our team the very best as they compete through Sunday!

Good luck to:
• Mrs. Rhea
• Ms. Gregory
• Mr. Rockefeller
• Master van Tonder
• Mr. Raines
• Mr. Leeland

Leave a message of encouragement in the comments and help us cheer them on all week long!

Let's go, Team Little Rock & Bentonville!

Respect Starts With the Little Things
Last week we talked about fresh starts.

This week, we're taking the next step.

One of the biggest misconceptions about respect is that it's only about how we treat other people. While that's certainly important, respect actually begins much closer to home—it begins with how we take care of ourselves and the things we've been entrusted with.

This week our students will learn that the little things matter.

A clean uniform.

A neatly tied belt.

Taking care of their sparring gear.

Putting their equipment back where it belongs.

Keeping their bedroom clean.

None of those things earn a trophy.

But every one of them builds character.

Those small daily choices become lifelong habits, and those habits eventually shape the kind of person our students become.

Color Belt Life Skill: Respect
This week our Color Belts continue exploring Respect by focusing on personal responsibility.

Students will be challenged to:

Keep their uniform clean, neat, and ready for class.
Respect their training equipment by taking care of it and putting it away properly.
Show self-respect at home by keeping their room clean and organized.
Family Challenge
Ask your child to prepare their own uniform before class this week and challenge them to keep their room clean and organized.

Sometimes the greatest lessons begin with the smallest responsibilities.

White Belt Life Skill: Belief
This week our White Belts continue learning that Belief is "YES I Can!"

Our focus this week is Trust.

Students will learn to:

Trust themselves when trying something new.
Trust their instructors to help them grow.
Trust that their parents always want what's best for them.
Every challenge is another opportunity to build confidence.

From My Heart

One of my favorite moments this week happened after class.

A parent came up to one of our instructors and asked, "Are you teaching on Monday?" When the instructor said yes, the parent smiled and said, "Good... my son really connects with you."

That simple conversation was a reminder that the greatest impact we make isn't always through teaching the perfect kick or form.

Sometimes it's simply taking the time to build a relationship.

Every child deserves to have someone who believes in them, encourages them, and makes them excited to come to class.

Those connections are what make our ATA family so special.

Happy Birthday!
Little Rock
🎂 Tallia Ahmed
🎂 Ethan Harris
🎂 James Wilkerson IV

Maumelle
🎂 Mercer Cunningham

Bentonville
🎂 Ranajay Meduri
🎂 Adya Naraharisetti
🎂 Anvi Padmanabhi
🎂 Zahra Rahmani
🎂 Sansa Rane

Happy Birthday to all of our ATA family members celebrating this week! We hope your year is filled with growth, success, and many memorable moments on the mats.

School Updates
Rank Advancement Camp
This week is one of our favorite weeks of the year—Rank Advancement Camp!

We're excited to watch our students challenge themselves, learn an entire curriculum cycle, build new friendships, strengthen old ones, and discover what they're truly capable of.

Growth doesn't happen inside our comfort zone, and this week will be filled with opportunities to push limits, set new goals, and celebrate hard-earned achievements.

We can't wait to see everyone level up!

Thank you for allowing us to be part of your family's journey.

Every week we have the privilege of watching students grow—not only as martial artists, but as young leaders with confidence, discipline, and character.

Thank you for trusting us to be part of that journey.

Dear ATA Families,
A Fresh Start There's something I love about the beginning of every new cycle. It reminds us that growth isn't measured by one class, one belt test, or one difficult day. Growth comes from choosing to show up again—with a positive attitude and a willingness to keep learning. Whether your child celebrated a new belt recently, is preparing for a make-up test, or simply has a goal they want to accomplish this cycle, tomorrow is a fresh start. Every student walks into class with the same opportunity: to become just a little better than they were yesterday. That's what martial arts is really about.

This cycle we'll be focusing on Respect for our Color Belts and Belief for our White Belts. I can't think of a better time to remind our students that progress isn't about being perfect—it's about continuing to move forward.

Color Belt Life Skill: Respect Our Life Skill this cycle is Respect. You'll hear our students saying: "Respect is not what you know... it's what you do." This week we begin with the first pillar of respect—respecting ourselves. Students will be encouraged to:
- Give 100% effort in every class.
- Maintain strong eye contact when speaking with instructors and classmates.
- Take pride in doing their very best, even when something is difficult.

Family Challenge This week, encourage your child to practice respectful eye contact while speaking with you at home. It's a simple habit that helps develop confidence, listening skills, and respect for others.

White Belt Life Skill: Belief Every Black Belt was once a White Belt. That's why our newest students begin their journey with one of the most important Life Skills we teach: "Belief is YES I Can!" Learning something new isn't always easy, but confidence grows every time we choose to try. This week we'll encourage our White Belts to approach every challenge with a positive attitude, knowing that mistakes aren't failures—they're simply part of learning. One of the most important messages we'll share with them is this: Your parents believe in you. Sometimes knowing someone believes in us is exactly what gives us the courage to believe in ourselves.

From My Heart One of my favorite moments from last week was working with one of our students who was struggling to remember one of our advanced forms. Instead of asking them to memorize a long sequence of movements, we turned the entire form into a story about trying to swat an annoying fly (or squash a pesky mosquito!). Suddenly everything clicked. The next morning, that student came running up to me before class with the biggest smile, proudly performing the entire form from memory. They couldn't wait to show me they had done it. Moments like these remind me that every child learns differently. Sometimes all it takes is finding the right way to explain something, and confidence begins to grow. Watching that excitement and pride on a student's face is one of the many reasons I love what I do.

Happy Birthday!
Little Rock
🎂 Thomas Kelley
🎂 Thao Tran
🎂 Bryce Ebsen

Maumelle
🎂 Kaiden Cranford
🎂 Kevin Delk
🎂 Ty Miller Bentonville No birthdays this week—but we can't wait to celebrate with you next time!

Happy Birthday to all of our ATA family members celebrating this week! We hope your year is filled with success, happiness, and plenty of new belts!

School Updates Independence Day Closure All three schools will be closed Friday, July 3rd and Saturday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day.
If you're traveling, we wish you safe travels, wonderful memories with family and friends, and a fantastic holiday weekend. We'll look forward to seeing everyone back on the mats soon!

Missed & Make-Up Belt Testing If your student missed their scheduled belt testing or needs to attend a make-up test, please speak with your Instructor or Program Director this week so we can help get them scheduled.

Thank you for allowing us to be part of your family's journey. Teaching martial arts has never been just about punches, kicks, or earning the next belt. It's about helping young people become more confident, more respectful, more resilient, and more prepared for life.
We are grateful for the trust you place in us every time your child walks through our doors.

Stay safe, take care, and if you can… take care of someone else.

We'll see you on the mats!

With gratitude, Master & Mrs. van Tonder and the wonderful ATA Teams