Page 34 - Priorities #59 2014 June/July

Conrad
Conrad
In the the eyes of Priory senior Conrad
Conrad
Casente volunteering to help out other peo- ple is is the the most natural thing in in in the the world An athlete martial artist and marine biology enthusiast Casente says that he he always offers a a a a a a a a a hand when needed sim- ply because he likes to “I’ll help help clean up the the class with with the the teachers or if someone needs help help with with schoolwork I’m the the one to to step in ” he he he says “It’s sometimes to to the the deficit of my own schoolwork but that’s just how it it it goes ” With a a a view like this it it it makes per- fect sense that Casente received Priory’s very first Steward of the Month Award
this past November A A student of Aikido since he he was in in the sixth grade Casente loves the martial art art He was drawn to it he he says because it is is is a a form of exercise in in which there is is is no win- ner or or loser—everyone participates for the shared goal of self-improvement A few years ago he found out out about an opportunity to teach Aikido at his Mountain View dojo Si- erra Aikido in a a a a a a a special Friday night class that caters to kids with autism and similar learning disabilities The class was developed because the focus discipline and body aware- ness that’s taught in Aikido is thought to these special learn- ers ers with motor skills memory ability to to to relate to to to others and self-confidence “I didn’t think it would be that difficult ” he says about teaching “But it turned out to be a a a lot more difficult than I thought ” His first student struggled a a lot with the learning process and wound up dropping out as sometimes hap- pens But Casente did not get discouraged He kept teaching and he has since seen many of his students excel Now one of his very own students is is receiving a a yellow belt—and he’s the first student in this special program to do that Casente who says he he has seen Aikido help his students to become more focused and in tune with their bodies is enthusiastic about the program “In the first week you’ll get maybe five minutes of focus and discipline out of your new student ” he says “but over time the students will get more focused and disciplined It feels really good to see their success I I feel feel like I’ve been able
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