NOTICE: Your tuition must be up to date in order to participate in Belt Graduation. If you have a question about your current payments, please contact us at (425) 742-4282.
Welcome to the Belt Graduation Page
This is where you will find all the information you will need for testing! From procedures to what to prepare, this page is your go-to spot for information. Belt Graduation is an opportunity for students to demonstrate mastery over the principles and forms they have learned over the past ten weeks. It is a culmination of their hard work, and allows them to show Grand Master Cho their memorization of forms, weapons, and an improvement within their sparring.
Belt Graduation is separated into two periods:
The first part will be board-breaks, taking place in-class on Tuesday, August 6th, and Wednesday, August 7th. Please make sure that you are prepared and have practiced your board breaks. There are two days for board breaks for those that cannot make it to one or the other; those who have already broken their boards will have normal practice.
The second part is the traditional Belt Graduation taking place on Thursday, August 8th and Friday, August 9th. Students demonstrate their forms and weapons along with their peers in front of a panel of judges. Sparring, if applicable, will also happen during this time, with two rounds to show the judges one's prowess.
Please consult the schedule above and ensure that you arrive at the correct testing. There are no classes on belt graduation days, but students are welcome to watch other belt graduations if they would like!
Black Belt Ceremony
Following Belt Graduation, August 10th will be our Black Belt Ceremony, a traditional ceremony to celebrate the advancement of all of our new black belts. It will be held at Lynndale Park near the playground and basketball courts. The ceremony will be at 5:00pm; all black belts participating in the ceremony are expected to arrive an hour early. There will be additional rehearsals on Wednesday, July 31st at 7:00pm, and Tuesday, July 6th at 5:35pm. Those participating (but not watching) the ceremony are expected to be in white uniform, clean and pressed.
School Potluck
Following our Black Belt Ceremony, there will be a school picnic! A sign up sheet will be placed at the front desk -- please sign up to bring a dish! The more food we can have, the better. This year, with so many new families, we are continuing our international theme! Families are more than welcome to bring dishes, beverages, and more; we want to celebrate all cultures and the diversity we have here at the school! Or, if you would rather not, anything that you'd like to cook and bring for anyone would work perfectly! Once you have an idea of what you'd like to bring, please sign up at the front desk. This also serves as a headcount, so sign up as soon as you can!
What do I need to know for testing?
Poomsae (Forms)
Self Defense One Steps
Weapons Forms (Jahng Bong)
You will be asked to show your skill in:
Sparring (Camo Belt+)
Board Breaks
Finally, you are asked to have memorized the following:
Master Cho's Spirit of Taekwondo (All Three Parts)
Taekwondo Oath
Seven Home Rules
If you need these again, please let us know and we will get it to you!
IMPORTANT NOTICE Due to time constraints, we will not be able to provide belt graduation opportunities outside of the provided days.If you are unable to make your assigned testing day, it is unlikely we will be able to provide another time for you. We apologize for the inconvenience.
Testing Requirements
Regular Attendance. If you have questions about your students' attendance, please let us know.
Black Midterm Stripe(s). These are given during midterm testing weeks throughout the testing cycle. If you have any questions or concerns about these, please let us know. Students who demonstrate sufficient knowledge of their forms and weapons, but were not able to attend midterms, may show an instructor to either receive their stripes or permission to test.
Red Reading Stripe. Red stripes are received once both a student's essay and reading log is turned in. Essay topics are located below; reading logs are found at the front desk.
Weapons and Gear Owned. Weapons and particularly sparring gear must be owned by the student in order to be used in testing, except in a few exceptional circumstances. Please see us to purchase your weapon or gear. Payment plans are available for full sets of sparring gear.
Registration Form and Payment Returned. Registration forms will be passed on the week of July 15th, 2024. Please ensure that you attend class that week to receive them. If there are concerns with the pricing, please contact us and we will help to find a solution.
School Patches and Uniform. If you have not received the patches, please let us know and we will be happy to help you.
Testing Reminders
Come to testing 15-30 minutes early in order to make sure you're properly warmed up!
Make sure you have all your gear before you come to testing! We will not be able to give any loaner equipment at the time of testing.
Essays and Reading Logs are due July 31st, 2024. Registration forms are due Friday, August 2nd, 2024. Late forms will be charged a late processing fee, so please pay on time.
Please wear your pressed, cleaned white uniforms with the school patch and Black Belt Club patch affixed (if applicable). If you need assistance on where to sew them on, please let us know and we'd be happy to help you.
Be prepared to show us your best! Quick, loud answers, and fast responses.
White Belt: Why did I start Taekwondo? Orange Belt: What are my goals in Taekwondo? Yellow Belt: What is respect, and how do we show it to others? Camo Belt: Why is sparring important? Green Belt: What is self-control, and how do I demonstrate it daily? Purple Belt: Why do I need to practice Taekwondo daily? Blue Belt: What is self-confidence and how has Taekwondo helped improve mine? Why are loud ki-hap's important? Brown Belt Recommended: What is perseverance and how do I show it? Brown Belt Decided: What is the importance of integrity? Red Belt Recommended: How has Taekwondo helped me mentally and physically? Red Belt Decided: What does it mean to be a role model? Red Black Belt: What do I intend to give back to Taekwondo? Red Black Belt Two: What is the meaning of sacrifice? Black Belt Recommended: What does my black belt mean to me? Black Belt: What does it mean to be a leader and to serve others?