White Tiger Taekwondo and Martial Arts students recently raised $1,107 in for a local program called the “White Tiger Community Cares Program.”

“Our black belt students are required to do community services as part of their training requirement, and they chose to raise money so that the less-fortunate youth of Cary could train for free and build self-confidence, self-esteem and protect themselves from peer pressure,” said school owner and program director Master Rondy McKee.

White Tiger offers eligible students the chance to test for black belt twice a year, in May and November. Each student is expected to participate in a six-month preparation period, which includes community service.

The Community Cares program was created by White Tiger Taekwondo to provide a positive impact on the community. This program works with the Cary Police Department to benefit at-risk children and give them an alternative to gangs.

The program provides martial arts training with an emphasis on what it calls “Black Belt Life Skills.” These skills include focus and concentration, integrity, perseverance, self-control, motivation, positive attitude, dependability, responsibility, respect, and other beneficial traits designed to teach at-risk youth positive life lessons and to develop healthy social skills that will help them grow into responsible members of adult society.

According to White Tiger founder McKee, the Cary police department selects children they feel would be good candidates for the program. Police officers “personally take them home after class because they have no other means of transportation,” said McKee.

This training is provided free of charge to the selected students who are expected to earn their equipment, testing fees, and other materials by staying in school and maintaining satisfactory school grades.

The program has become so successful in keeping the participants in school, the oldest student graduated in 2010 with honors.

The White Tiger Black Belt candidates have been successful in their projects to raise funds for the program that the program was able to offer a full scholarship for her college tuition. She is currently in her second year, still earning almost perfect grades.

Another participant in the program has earned the rank of bodon and is preparing to test for his first degree black belt.

For more information about White Tiger Taekwondo and Martial Arts and its Community Cares program, visit their website at www.whitetigertkd.com.