Local Residents Celebrate Black Belt Success at Personal Best

Celebrating their 20^th year of teaching students of all ages, promoted 63 students to the ranks of first, second and third degree black belt Friday, Jan. 28.

Norton residents Zachary Andreasen, Nikolas Dorgan, Joshua Griffin, Colten Hughes, John Lavanchy, Quinn McAlear, Jake McNeill, Adam Smargon and Zachary Smargon received first degree black belts. Second degree black belts were awarded to Mackenzie Baratta, Molly Doherty, Elizabeth Keay, Devin Maughn, Emily Stapleton and Charlotte Vogel.

Nearly 1,200 people packed the Oliver Ames High School auditorium for an evening of choreographed martial arts performances and fun. In addition to the students graduating, Personal Best promoted their first master instructor, Saeed Mansour, to fourth degree black belt. Mansour started with Personal Best as a young student himself nearly 20 years ago. Also joining in on the list of promotions was founder, Christopher Rappold, as he was promoted to sixth degree black belt and was presented this honor by his long time Sensei, Master John Chung.   

“It seems that more and more families are recognizing the value of training together,” Rappold said. “Many of our graduates are sharing the training at Personal Best along side other family members. Moms, dads, sons and daughters are finding that this is a program the whole family can experience and enjoy together. In fact, at this graduation there was an entire family graduating to their first degree black belt.”

In addition to commemorating their students, Carol Lucas, retired president of West Side Benevolent, was honored for 35 years of dedicated service. West Side and Personal Best Charity have been collaborating for many years organizing the deliveries of Thanksgiving dinners to local families in need.  

As part of the requirement to receiving a black belt in the Personal Best Karate School, each graduating class selects one community service project. This class participated in the 2010 Turkey Brigade, raising nearly $40,000 to feed Thanksgiving dinners to over 2,000 needy families in the area. The students raised pledge money and ran in a Turkey Trot in the fall towards this endeavor. On Thanksgiving, the students and their families delivered the turkey dinners door-to-door. 

Personal Best Karate has four locations in the area: Norton, Foxboro, Easton and Norwood. The curriculum is a combination of martial arts, character education and charitable service that instills values and coaches a student to become physically and mentally stronger while helping others.