I.S. 52 is not only full of scholars; it seems there are a few fighters too.
And they'd like a few more.
The school, in collaboration with the Upper Manhattan Rotary Club and the Washington Heights-based D.A.S. Training Center, has arranged to allow some students in good academic standing to train at the center.
"We are instituting a program between I.S. 52 and the D.A.S. Training Center," explained James Kushner, of the Rotary Club. "They are going to be training two students for boxing and karate. The gym is paid, for up to two months."
The students were chosen specifically by I.S. 52 schoolteacher Pam Scott, in an effort to offer an opportunity to learn something fun and productive.
"The Rotary pays for the students' membership at the gym. We are looking to bring in everybody we can," said Kushner.
D.A.S., which stands for Denly Art of Survival, stands in the same location where Inwood Boxing Academy once stood. Its new owners and management are seeking to make certain local residents know about, and take advantage of, their new fitness and exercise programs. They are particularly interested in drawing in more young men and women.
"Boxing is something that I've loved since I was a child," explained Rafael Santiago, the center's manager. "My friends and I all came together and decided that we wanted to do something that we all love to do and provide an outlet for kids of the neighborhood. We started in June 2011, and for 8 months there has been nothing better. We love it."
Santiago is ready to see a gym packed with students focused on boxing and karate.
"Ms. Pam came to us and wanted us to help sponsor some kids in the neighborhood," said Santiago, who pointed out that the participants in the program are not limited to just the jab-and-hook regimen.
"They don't only have to do boxing they can do boxing and karate. We want them continuously training to be better at what they do," said Santiago. The kids will be trained in one-on-one boxing, and also take part in the Center's karate class.
As Santiago explains it, the Center's programs are intended for all the community, and management is willing to be flexible with membership fees and terms with students, and any one, wishing to visit and train at D.A.S.
"We are here to help them out," said Santiago, pointing to the Center as a safe space for physical activity with trained instructors, many of whom are from the same neighborhood. "[Young people] are in need of good role models."
For the I.S. 52 program, the Rotary Club is in need of more funding in order to be able to host more students in the program.
"We had to select three kids out of many," said Kushner. "With more funding, we could get a few more kids in the program."
If interested in making donations to the Rotary Club for the I.S. 52 program, please send them to:
New York Rotary Foundation
322 8th Avenue #1701
New York, New York 10001
