Merry Christmas & a Big Thanks to our Incredible Staff for 2023!
Merry Christmas! May you and your family have a Blessed Christmas Season. I pray that you get some relaxation over the Holidays and can spend time with family and friends!
The Academy is now CLOSED until we reopen for regular classes on January 8th, 2024.
I want to take this time to thank the Academy’s incredible staff for their dedication and outstanding work this past year. 2023 saw many different challenges, ups and downs and victories at Newton Black Belt Academy. We were able to finish strong with our students looking better and confident. Our Goal has been and will continue to be…BUILDING LEADERS FOR LIFE!
Our Assistant Instructors: Many of our staff sacrificed personally and professionally this past year at Newton Black Belt Academy. I am so thankful that many of them stepped when asked to take on different roles. We had Mr. Ng leave us for university in September after working part-time for many years. He was instrumental in giving our students great training over the past many years! His brother, Samuel, stepped up to fill his brother’s bare feet. Samuel is training hard and becoming a great assistant instructor. Mr. Jahmauri was hired this past summer. He did so well we kept him on for the fall. He is growing every class, and it is great to see someone who started martial arts because they were unfocused and shy, to become so confident!
Our front desk staff at Newton Academy in Surrey, BC:
Mrs. Millard continues to work the front desk once per week serving our families and stepping in for Academy events throughout the year.
Her wisdom, spell check and attention to detail is a plus for our staff and the families she serves.
Mrs. Estoque was hired part-time this past spring. She has grown into a fine Program Director taking on a steep learning curve assisting our Newton Black Belt Academy staff and members. All the while finishing her master’s degree, working another job, and taking care of family! That is dedication.
Our Instructors:
Mr. McCann has been training and teaching with Chief Master Karpiuk for decades! He started his martial arts journey in 1995 at the old Newton Academy on 64th and King George. His honesty, dedication and loyalty can’t be measured. This past fall he suffered a medical emergency and spent many weeks in the hospital. Itching to get back into the swing of things, he has volunteered his time weekly at the academy this past couple of months. He so appreciates your love, support, and encouragement while he continues to recover.
Mr. Timothy Millard has been teaching with and for Chief Master Karpiuk for too long to remember! He started his training in 1992 at Trinity Western University while earning his degree. He works full time for Fraser Health as a manager. But he LOVES teaching taekwondo and seeing our students reach their goals. It is rare to have a student with such dedication not only to the martial arts, but to the students and the Newton Academy. He is always ready to step up when needed for special events including traveling for training with Master Karpiuk at Spring and World Championships. Mrs. Millard is by his side when they travel to Oregon for camps, tournaments, and other events.
Speaking of tournaments, Mr. Millard is the RTTL…Regional Tournament Team Leader. That means he is the force behind our regional tournaments in Canada including working directly with ATA Headquarters staff and our regional schools. Mr. Millard also works closely with me in the formation of the Newton Black Belt Academy’s curriculum and teaching strategies. As our Director of Student Leadership, his passion is for Building Leaders of Life!
God blessed our Academy in 2023 with great students, families, staff, and health! I look forward to 2024 with new goals to accomplish in and through Newton Black Belt Academy. We have some exciting things planned and new things coming very soon. Our next BIG EVENT will be the Regional Tournament on April 12/13 that I will be hosting. It has been several years since we last hosted a regional tournament. It is exciting and nerve racking at the same time! To be successful, we are asking all students and families to support and participate in this huge task! We are expecting 300 competitors over two days of events with people coming from as far away as Idaho, Oregon and maybe California! More details to come…
As we finish out 2023, let me just say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! For all your support and kindness, you have shown to our academy and staff this past year. God bless your family this Christmas Season with Joy & Peace.
Submitted by
Chief Master Scott Karpiuk
Academy Director, 8th Degree Black Belt