3840 Balfour Rd, Suite D, Brentwood, CA, 94513 | (925) 809-0085
Staff
Meet Mr. Baker
Mr. Baker is a 22-time champion in traditional Kempo karate and TKD competition. He's been practicing martial arts for over 35 years off and on and loves competition. Martial Arts has always been a part of his life and he continues to learn and grow each and every day in the art.
"I started martial arts because I wanted to be like some of my heroes (Bruce Lee, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Jackie Chan, Wesley Snipes, and so many others). I stuck with it because I loved the sport. Not only did martial arts give me more confidence and make me stronger, but it became something I could do all year long. Every other sport had its seasons which was cool because they ended before I got bored. However, martial arts never got boring, as there was always a new challenge or another competition with incredible athletes I could learn from. As I grew as a martial artist, I learned what martial arts meant to me and why it was such an important part of my life. It gave me direction and a purpose. And that purpose was to transform the world around me.
Through martial arts and competition, I learned what it meant to honor my family and make them proud. Today my goal is to help all student members to discover their worth and recognize their job as young citizens. We all have but one job in life and that is to make our parents proud by being the best we can possibly be, each and every day. "
Meet Julia Villafuerte
Hey! I’m Julia Villafuerte, I’m an instructor and lead event planner here at Scholars Academy. I started taekwondo at the age of 7 at Tiger Rock Martial Arts in Texas. Participating in taekwondo filled my afterschool days with tons of fun, each class bringing me new challenges and new adventures. Eventually, I received my Junior Black Belt in Texas before I moved to California.
When the academy first opened, I continued my martial arts training and started helping with classes until I became an instructor, earning my first degree black belts along the way. I truly love what I do- whether I’m teaching on the mat, hosting a birthday party, or decorating for the gala. I hope to not just teach kids martial arts skills, but create amazing memories and share the joy that martial arts gave me.
Meet Laura Hyden
About Me
My name is Laura Hyden. I have been an instructor and sales consultant at
Scholars Academy
for three years. As an instructor, my job is to help students learn martial arts and help guide them into becoming a better person. As a sales consultant, I assist Mr. Baker in the sales department of the company.
I started doing taekwondo when I was about seven years old at Tiger-Rock Martial Arts in Southern California. Shortly after I started my training I also started competing and won several gold medals. When I was around nine years old I moved to Northern California and a few years later I found Scholars Academy and continued my training here. After I became an instructor I began competing again and have won many gold medals and grand champion.
Doing martial arts and being an instructor has inspired me in so many different ways. Just walking into the academy and seeing all the kids, puts a smile on my face. I wish to teach these young minds what I know and I hope to use martial arts to inspire them the same way it inspires me.
