You see, he's a librarian.
Beyond the approximate $45 that students pay for uniforms and a membership to the American Japanese Karate Association-International, there is no monetary charge for Hunt's classes. However, he does demand something out of all of his students, adults included. In sum, each student must read and turn in a written book report to him every two weeks. No assignments, grades, or discussions. After all, this is about getting people into reading, not turning them off by adding tons of work.
And apparently it's working.
"I never read for fun until now," said Laura Hernandez, 22, a student at UC Riverside. But now she's reading "The Bluest Eye," by Toni Morrison and has read more than 15 books since joining Hunt's karate class.
The fact that adults are reading and getting karate instruction for free in his "Reading for Kicks" program is awesome (right now they train at a woman's club rent free). Still, it's the youngsters that make this such an intriguing idea to most. Martial arts improving a child's reading. . . Now that's an idea that every parent can get behind. Bravo to Will Hunt and all of those martial arts instructors out there doing something similar.
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