DEGREES TO DIPLOMAS

A partnership of the South Hills Judo Club and Allegheny Youth Development, Degrees to Diplomas strives to improve academic performance by instilling self-control in middle and high school boys who are at high risk for dropping out. Coming from profoundly disadvantaged homes, these young men cannot change their difficult circumstances, but they can develop the skills to make them more resilient and better problem solvers, and to help them succeed in school and life.

Degrees to Diplomas combines the study of judo with a structured curriculum that teaches self-control The name of the program incorporates the honored 1st through 10th degrees of proficiency for judo black belts, and an important goal for these young men: attaining a high school diploma, minimally, and perhaps a degree from a college or university.

Twice each week participants gather at the South Hills Judo Club in Carrick and receive judo instruction and lessons in self-control and self-discipline. They are also tutored at the AYD facility on the North Side.

Why Judo?
The study of judo has many benefits. One of the traditional martial arts, judo increases stamina, strength, speed and discipline. But an equally important aspect of judo is that it is a club sport. The club atmosphere emphasizes support and encouragement for all club members through peer teaching and emphasis on respect for self and others.

Judo’s appeal is enhanced by its clearly defined belt system for rank promotion and advancement. (The colored belt system used by many martial arts was developed in judo.) To advance to the next level the student must master the techniques required for rank, and demonstrate respect for the art, the instructors and their peers.

Degrees to Diplomas offers a further opportunity for participants: to become junior instructors and assist in teaching younger students. We are very proud to report that two students in the Degrees to Diplomas have successfully tested for their brown belts (required) and now serve as junior instructors.

Program Goals
Established in 2006, Degrees to Diplomas was created to improve literacy (writing and reading comprehension), math skills and overall academic performance, as measured by improved test scores and grade point average, with the ultimate achievement of attaining a high school diploma.

More recently, Degrees to Diplomas has added a component that focuses on self-control. Studies have proven that children with good self-control skills do better in school, are better able to manage conflict, have better relationships, and are less likely to abuse alcohol and drugs.

The goals of the program are to:
• Teach self-control for use on the judo mat, in the classroom and in life.
• Encourage the development of self-respect and respect for others.
• Improve literacy, math skills and academic performance through tutoring and one-on-one help with homework.
• Identify special educational needs and help to obtain assistance for these needs.
• Help participants maintain their eligibility for interscholastic activities and sports.
• Teach the value of “giving back” to the larger community by serving the club as a peer instructor.

Self-control and judo
The self control curriculum will be integrated into the judo belt tests required for promotion to higher ranks. Once the program is established among the Degrees to Diplomas students, it will be implemented to the club at large as part of the judo curriculum and promotional testing standards for all children studying at South Hills Judo Club.

More than an After-School Program
Degrees to Diplomas is much more than a traditional after-school program because participants are part of a larger community – the South Hills Judo Club. During judo sessions they train with all club members – people of varying ages, from diverse communities and all walks of life.

The value of such interaction, while intangible, is profound. Due to the physical demands of judo, it is not surprising that many club members are young men and frequently college students from one the many universities in the area. On the judo mat they are peers and they are teammates. How do you measure the benefit of the interaction between a disadvantaged inner-city youth and a young man in law school? What life lessons are learned as they help one
another to master the art of judo?

The program also provides nutritious, home-cooked meals prior to the tutoring and judo instruction. This is a popular aspect of the program, as many of these boys do not have regular, home-cooked meals that include fruits and vegetables. Healthy eating contributes to physical well-being and mental alertness.

Additionally, Degrees to Diplomas has many incentives for participants, including the ability to compete in regional and national judo tournaments, and the opportunity to earn “junior instructor” status at the club, upon successfully achieving the rank of brown belt.

These incentives are contingent upon participants completing their homework assignments and demonstrating strong, consistent effort in academic performance.

South Hills Judo Club
The South Hills Judo Club has operated on Brownsville Road in Carrick for over 30 years, providing high quality judo instruction. A number of nationally ranked players have trained at the club. In 2002 South Hills Judo Club incorporated as a non-profit organization to formalize its mission of community service. South Hills Judo Club is dedicated to the teaching of judo as a means to help underprivileged, at-risk youth in Pittsburgh. South Hills Judo Club strives to provide an atmosphere where boys and girls can improve their physical fitness and develop the personal discipline and life skills that can be attained through the study of martial arts and participation in competitive sports.

It is the mission of South Hills Judo Club to do the following:
• To offer top quality judo instruction, at an affordable price;

• To NEVER turn a child away due to financial reasons;

• To work to be an asset to the hill-top communities of Pittsburgh’s South Hills by providing a safe, fun, place to teach children judo, from which they will learn the importance of discipline, self-respect, self-control, physical fitness and that hard work and training results in personal accomplishments. The skills we share at our club can inform and enhance their education now and their careers later in life;

• To continue and expand the Degrees to Diplomas program which strives to improve academic performance by instilling self-control in middle and high school students who are at high risk for dropping out. Coming from profoundly disadvantaged homes, these young people cannot change their difficult circumstances, but they can develop the skills to make them more resilient and better problem solvers, and to help them succeed in school and life.

Allegheny Youth Development
Allegheny Youth Development (AYD) is a North Side-based non-profit organization whose mission is to educate, equip and empower inner-city youth to reach their intellectual, social, physical and spiritual potential. Each year,
AYD works with an average of 40 to 50 middle-school and high-school boys. Nearly 85% of them remain with AYD for five or more years, through high school graduation. Most new AYD members are referred by their schools during sixth or seventh grade because they’ve been identified as “high risk” for falling behind and eventually dropping out. Their academic vulnerability is compounded by a number of other factors placing them at risk for juvenile delinquency — single-parent homes, low-income households, residence in high-crime neighborhoods, siblings or relatives with a history of delinquency.

You Can Help!
Volunteer
Degrees to Diplomas is an entirely volunteer-run program. We need people of all backgrounds, ages and skills to help it succeed. Volunteers are particularly need for a volunteer Board of Directors to oversee the program’s
continued growth.
Contribute
You can support Degrees to Diplomas with a tax-deductible contribution.
For more information call or email:
Scott Fingal, South Hills Judo Club
2620 Brownsville Road • Pittsburgh, PA 15227
412-398-7700
www.southhillsjudo.org • sfingal@behar-fingal.com