COSTA MESA, Calif. /eNewsChannels/ — Samurai Cop Self Defense and InControl announce The Bully and Me, a new, comprehensive course that will train children how to handle bullies and avoid becoming bully-targets. The Bully and Me will be offered through Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation and will be available Mondays starting Oct. 4, 2010 from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. for ten weeks. The class will be open to children between the ages of 9 and 17. Instructor, Sensei Richard Milenkovich, will be conducting the class at Shuyokan Dojo located at 1360 Logan Ave, Suite #108 in Costa Mesa, California.
Registration for the class is conducted through Costa Mesa Parks and Recreation – call 714-327-7525. For more information, please go to: http://www.samuraicop.com/course-descriptions.html#the-bully-and-me .
Milenkovich and wife Cynthia, a former teacher, conceived the basis for The Bully and Me after reading about Phoebe Prince in Hadley, Massachusetts who had committed suicide after being severely bullied. The concept attracted the attention of Sensei David Dye, a retired Costa Mesa Police Officer who is the Chief Instructor at the Shuyokan Dojo, which has been based in Costa Mesa since 1980. Dye contributed to the title for the class, and offered Milenkovich the opportunity to teach The Bully and Me as part of the Samurai Cop Self Defense Program.
Dye’s popular program has trained and promoted black belts among hundreds of Costa Mesa youth. Considering Dye’s history of service to youth in Orange County, the Milenkoviches feel his dojo is the ideal place to launch an anti-bully program for kids.
“We aim to foster a culture in which bullying is invalidated,” says Sensei Milenkovich. “That’s what’s revolutionary, because bullies have often had some degree of social validation. The workshop will provide a variety of techniques for dealing with bullies. The class will cover basic self-defense, self-esteem, cultivating social alliances and effectively communicating with authorities in a variety of environments. We will also work with parents, so they too can understand how to support and be an advocate for their children. We will establish a code of conduct-an effective tool in Samurai Cop training.”
“Bullying is viral,” says Cynthia Milenkovich, “and the rise of cyber-bullying means it spreads at light speed.” Her passion stems from teaching experiences and the more personal heartbreak of seeing the effects of bullying on her son.
“That’s why we’re doing this,” she continues. “The Bully and Me workshop is a multi-pronged, multi-layered immunization against this deadly disease. If a child is being traumatized by bullying, this class could be a lifesaver.”
The Milenkoviches make themselves available to speak at schools, churches, businesses and other organizations on anti-bullying techniques. Richard Milenkovich also addresses conflict management, workplace bullying and martial arts.
About Sensei Richard Milenkovich:
Sensei Richard Milenkovich, Founder of InControl (www.incontrolmrm.blogspot.com – a forum for conflict management thought leaders and a conflict management resource) assists with the Samurai Cop classes at Shuyokan Dojo in Costa Mesa. Sensei Milenkovich holds two second-degree black belts: one in Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido and one in Shuyokan Ryu Aikijutsu. Milenkovich is an experienced public speaker on Conflict Management and has taught martial arts for 15-plus years.
About Sensei David Dye:
Dye Sensei began his martial arts training in 1962 with the study of Kodokan Judo. He has studied a variety of arts, including Shito-Ryu, Shotokan Karate, Hawaiian Lua, etc. He holds advanced black belts across multiple martial arts. In 1967 he became a full time Costa Mesa Police Officer and retired in 1997 after serving 30 years. He is the recipient of a plethora of awards and recognitions from the highest echelons of the martial arts community, a published author, producer and expert consultant for the Film and Television industry.
Dye Sensei is the founder of Shuyokan, a dojo that has been serving the community of Costa Mesa since 1980 and offers group classes, seminars and private lessons for adults, youth and, law enforcement in both the traditional and practical training aspects of such martial arts as Yoshinkan Aikido, Kodokan Judo, Jujutsu, Shotokan Karate Jutsu and Hawaiian Lua.
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Story References: bully, bullying, suicide, bystanders, self defense, self-esteem, conflict management, martial arts, workplace bullying, anti bully, Samurai Cop Self Defense and InControl, Richard Milenkovich, Shuyokan Dojo, Sensei David Dye.
