Author Archive: Allison Hawkins

Fourth Form’s Attitude of Gratitude (+Karate News!)

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Welcome to November and to Fourth Form’s almost-monthly newsletter! While the holiday season ramps up (I can’t believe Thanksgiving is just around the corner!), the dojo prepares for our usual end-of-year reset so that we can finish 2026 and start 2027 strong!

Uechi Olympics Results

Fourth Form had an awesome turnout for the Uechi Olympics this year! I had a blast playing games with everyone, and I wanted to thank all of our participants for being great sports and committing to the bit!

That said, there can only be one winner, and this year our winning team was MMMA! (Michelle, Maya, Marty, and Allie). Congratulations!

Upcoming Holiday Schedule

The holiday season is officially upon us! For anyone new this year (or longtime members who just need a reminder), here is our holiday schedule, starting with Thanksgiving:

Monday 11/23: normal dojo schedule
Tuesday 11/24: 4pm and 5pm class as normal, no 6pm class and no weapons class
Thursday 11/26: Thanksgiving Day, all classes canceled
Saturday 11/28: No 1pm class, but we encourage everyone who hasn’t yet seen Sensei Jason’s bookstore to stop by and browse for Small Business Saturday!
Monday 11/30: we resume normally scheduled classes

We’ll have a normal schedule until the start of the Christmas season. As in past years, we will be by appointment only from Monday 12/21/26 to Sunday, 1/3/27. For these two weeks, Fourth Form will not have normally scheduled classes, but instructors will be available for classes by appointment. If you would like to take a class or multiple classes during this time, please let me know by Thursday, December 17th. This arrangement helps us to best serve everyone who wants to continue training over the holiday season while encouraging everyone–both students and instructors–to rest and spend quality time with their loved ones.

One Additional Saturday Cancellation

In addition to the holiday schedule, we will have no 1pm class next Saturday, November 21st due to the Day of Knockout Noveling (DOKN), a big writing/literary event hosted by Jason at the bookstore! If you like to write and want to get some words in at this literary event, however, please feel free to stop by and join other writers!

November and December Birthdays

We’re not just celebrating holidays in November and December! We’ve got birthdays, too! A very happy birthday to these dojo members!

  • Becca S.
  • Chris C.
  • Mike S.
  • Jake W.
  • Katie J.J.
  • Haarald T.
  • Elian A.
  • Lejla G.

We hope you guys have a very happy birthday!

Thank you guys for being the best community a gal could ask for! I’m incredibly grateful for all of you this Thanksgiving holiday. See you in the dojo soon!

Spoooooky Season is Upon Us!

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Happy October, and welcome to your usual almost-monthly newsletter from Fourth Form! We’ve got a lot of fun plans for October, so hang with me!

Uechi Olympics

First up, we have our annual Uechi Olympics event this coming Saturday, October 17th, at 1pm! For those who are new to the dojo, this is an annual event where we all compete for a coveted spot on the Uechi Olympics Belt Board (pictured below).

How does one get there, you ask? Great question! You form a team and play silly minute-to-win-it games to compete for points and the grand prize. You do not need to know karate. You do not need to be a current active member of the dojo (this is open to dojo friends, too!). You DO need to be ready to eat snacks, be silly, and commit to the bit! Snacks and drinks will be provided by the dojo. Sign up (or email Allison) this week to let me know that you’ll be coming! I am requiring RSVPs this year so that I can make effective teams!

Karate in Costume

I love Halloween! Celebrate with me all week by wearing your Halloween costume to karate class from October 26th – 31st!

New Class Alert!

Sensei Muhamet is now teaching on Mondays from 7pm – 8pm! This is an advanced class for adults who are currently at brown or black belt rank. Looking forward to training with you all!

Cancellation 10/13/26

There will be no WEAPONS class from 7pm-8:30pm this Tuesday, 10/13. Karate classes will occur as normal, and we’ll be back next week. Thanks for your flexibility!

New Arrivals and October Birthdays

We have a few new members of the dojo, and so as a reminder, if you see someone you don’t know, please introduce yourself!


And very happy birthday month to these dojo members:

  • Zachariah A.
  • Isaac I.
  • Benny V.
  • Dzejla G.

We hope you guys have a very happy birthday!

That’s all from me for this month! As always, I’m so incredibly grateful for you guys. Working with you all is an absolute joy, and I for sure have the best job in the world. Until next month!

The Spectacular Start of September!

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Hi everyone!
Once again I find myself glad that I called this an “almost monthly” newsletter. Summer at the dojo was great, but jam-packed full of events, new ventures, and preparing for black belt testing! This newsletter is similarly jam-packed, but the information is important, so please bear with me!

Schedule Swaps and New Class Options

With the start of the school year comes a few class changes and additions. Here’s what we’ve got going on at the dojo:

+ Our homeschool class runs on Tuesdays at 10am starting September 15th. If your child is homeschooled and you would like to meet other homeschoolers, you are welcome to attend this class!

+Sensei Jason test-ran a Saturday class in the summer and has decided to keep it! Starting Saturday, September 19th, he’ll be running a class from 1pm – 2pm (we will not have this class on the 5th or 12th due to Labor Day and the Holland Lit Fest). This class is open to both kids and adults so long as they are focused, attentive, and ready to work hard! Think more theory, fewer games, if you’re wondering if it’s a good fit for you or your child.

+Speaking of Sensei Jason, he and Sensei Michelle have graciously offered to tag-team our Thursday 4pm class this semester while I teach at GVSU. Thank you, Senseis!

+ Finally, all classes are cancelled on Monday, September 7th for the Labor Day holiday. Enjoy the day!

Black Belt Testing

Our annual black belt test took place on Tuesday, August 18th, and I’m excited to inform everyone that our four candidates all passed their test! I’m honored to have received my 4th degree, and I want to congratulate Sensei Shannon (2nd degree), Sensei Josh (2nd degree), and our newest black belt, Sensei Riley (1st degree)! Thank you to everyone who showed up to support our testing candidates!

Uechi Olympics

Do you hear that sound? The one that sounds like the Olympic theme but quickly turns into the Karate Rap? If you do, then you know that it’s once again time for the Uechi Olympics! Our tentative date for this community event is Saturday, October 17th in the afternoon, so mark your calendars! More info to come.

New Arrivals and August/September Birthdays

We have a few new members of the dojo, and so as a reminder, if you see someone you don’t know, please introduce yourself!


A very happy birthday month (well months) to these dojo members:

  • Lysle A.
  • Jason G.
  • Waverly G.
  • David M.
  • Shannon M.
  • Danielle W.
  • Nathan Y.
  • Owen Y.

We hope you guys have a very happy birthday!

Phew! Made it! Thanks, as always, for all of your hard work and dedication to practice. If you would like to share anything with the community at large or if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me via email or phone. Have a wonderful holiday, everyone, and happy start of September!

The Dojo is SMOKIN’! (Closed 7/16)

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Hey everyone!

Due to the air quality outside (and even within the dojo), all classes are cancelled today, Thursday 7/16/26. Sorry for the inconvenience! We will see you all next week!

Additional Closures

As a reminder, we have an altered schedule for the following days/times:

  • Tuesday, July 28th – No classes (Black Belt Pre-Testing @ 6pm. Private class, only black belts may be in attendance)
  • Thursday, July 30th – No 4pm class (Come at 5pm or 6pm!)
  • Tuesday, August 18th – No classes (Black Belt Testing @ 6pm – All are welcome to attend and cheer on our testers!)

Stay safe out there, everyone!

Sensei Allison

Happy June & July! The Dojo is FLY!

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Hello everyone!

I hope that you all enjoyed that little bit of throwback slang in the title and that you believe me when I say that summer at the dojo is going to continue to be AWESOME!

Events

Fourth of July at Fourth Form!

The 4th of July is always a fun and busy holiday for Fourth Form! After walking in the Kentwood parade, we invite all dojo members past and present to join us for a 4th of July community event. Here are the details!

Parade: We walk in the Kentwood parade since Wyoming does not have one. This year, the parade starts at the new Community Center (4755 Walma) and ends at Challenger Elementary School.

We’ll meet to “stage” at 9am, and the parade will start at 9:30am. We should be done walking by about 10:30am (the route is a little under a mile).

After-Parade event: Rather than a cookout this year, we’ve decided to go ALL IN ON BRUNCH! Allison will be cooking pancakes/waffles and scrambling eggs! The dojo will also provide coffee and juice for beverages. If you want to make a juice into a mimosa, you are welcome to do so if you BYOB (but don’t go crazy–this is still a family affair!). Brunch-y dishes are also welcome if you would like to bring one to pass!

Please let Allison know if you are interested in any part of this event so that she knows how many she’s cooking for!

Summer Black Belt Testing

Our Tuesday black belt prep classes have been going really well, and we’re hard at work preparing for our test! As a reminder, our Tuesday evening prep classes are on the following nights, in place of weapons classes:

  • June 30th
  • July 14th
  • July 28th (Pretest – All Black Belts welcome to attend)

Black belt testing will be on Tuesday, August 18th, at 6pm. We will have no regularly scheduled classes that day so that we can set the dojo up for testing and so that our testing candidates (including Sensei Allison) can mentally prepare. This test is open to the public, so please come by and cheer on our testing candidates!

Reminders and Updates

Schedule Changes

This one’s important, folks! Starting in July, our schedule will be as follows:

MONDAY: Karate Classes 4pm-5pm, 5pm-6pm, 6pm-7pm

TUESDAY: Karate Classes 4pm-5pm, 5pm-6pm, 6pm-7pm. Weapons 7pm-8:30pm

WEDNESDAY: Closed. No classes.

THURSDAY: Karate Classes 4pm-5pm, 5pm-6pm, 6pm-7pm. Weapons 7pm-8:3pm

FRIDAY: Closed. No classes.

SATURDAY: **NEW** Karate Class 1pm-2pm.

SUNDAY: Closed. No classes.

This change is being made to accommodate both Sensei Jason’s growing bookstore business and Sensei Allison’s erratic Friday schedule. As we go forward, we’ll be looking into the possibility of morning classes, Sunday seminars, and the addition of an upper-level, adults-only Monday evening class at 7pm. Stay tuned for updates!

If you have suggestions, comments, or concerns about the schedule, please let Sensei Allison know. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding!

Community Corner

Happy Early (Or Late) Birthday to Our Dojo Members!

If you see these folks around the dojo, make sure to wish them a happy June/July birthday!

  • Jim G.
  • Arthur L.
  • Giselle W.
  • Josh W.
  • Oren D.
  • John N.
  • Mike R.

Thank you, as always, for being members of the dojo! I’m so blessed to work with and train alongside such a great group of people!

Sensei Allison

It’s (Already) May

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Hello everyone!

How time flies! I’m glad that I called this an almost-monthly newsletter instead of a monthly newsletter. That makes me feel a bit more on top of things. As we wrap up the school year (I finished up my first semester at GVSU just a few weeks ago!) and move toward the summer, I thought it would be a good time to give you some updates of things that are happening at the dojo–and to give a shoutout to Master Kanbun Uechi, who as of this writing (late evening, May 5th) is still technically able to celebrate his birthday!

Events

Annual Uechi Ryu Beach Workout

Each year, Sensei Thompson’s dojo hosts a beach workout at Van Buren State Park. This year, that beach workout is going to be at 12pm on Saturday, June 13th! Although I will unfortunately be out of state that weekend, I encourage everyone to make the trek and to have fun working out at the beach with our fellow Uechi practitioners from Kalamazoo! If you’d like to coordinate rides, just reach out to me to let me know that you would like to attend.

Fourth Form Loves the Fourth!

The 4th of July is always a fun and busy holiday for Fourth Form! After walking in the Kentwood parade, we invite all dojo members past and present to join us for a 4th of July cookout. Stay tuned for details in next month’s newsletter!

Black Belt Testing

It’s almost time for our next round of black belt testing! While we don’t have an exact testing date yet, we do have testing prep classes and our pre-test classes! Our testing prep classes will take place every other Tuesday from 7pm – 8pm/8:30pm. This will be in place of our regularly scheduled weapons class. All black belts are invited to attend and work out during these times. Those dates are on the calendar and are listed here for your convenience:

  • May 19th
  • June 2nd
  • June 16th
  • June 30th
  • July 14th
  • July 28th (Pretest)

For our weapons students, thank you in advance for your understanding. And for our fellow black belts, thanks for helping us train!

Reminders and Updates

Sickness and Health

Is it sickness or allergies? This is the most common question this time of year, and I get it! That said, I just want to remind everyone to please keep healthy and to avoid coming into the dojo if you’re sick. We’ll continue to have our usual hand sanitizer available for anyone who’d like to use it throughout class, but this is a reminder that a part of karate practice is also knowing when to rest–a key part of maintaining physical health!

Germane Conversation and Attire

The world is crazy right now, and I’m committed to making sure that the dojo is a place that everyone can come in and feel welcome. Our community is amazing in this regard–we have so many different people from different cultures, backgrounds, and political persuasions who regularly work out together. This is wonderful, and exactly how the world should be! Let’s keep the dojo a positive place to be by continuing to keep our conversations and our attire apolitical, germane, and family-friendly while in the space. This helps keep everyone safe by maintaining a calm, de-escalated environment.

Community Corner

Happy Early (Or Late) Birthday to Our Dojo Members!

If you see these folks around the dojo, make sure to wish them a happy spring birthday!

  • Adama B.
  • Betty D.
  • Jay B.
  • Arthur D.
  • Bill H.
  • James K.
  • Karly L.
  • Elijah M.
  • John-Paolo L.
  • Dagny S.
  • Paul W.
  • Dharmesh D.
  • Danielle W.
  • Kanbun U.

Do you have something that you’d like the community to know–a life update, a need, or an offer for connection? Let me know, and I’ll put it in our next newsletter!

Thank you for being a member of the dojo!

Sensei Allison

February at the Dojo

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Hello everyone!

First things first–I apologize to anyone who received any unnecessary notice(s) about the dojo being closed these past few weeks, or if you received a duplicate email of our first almost-monthly newsletter (which you can check out here, if you didn’t get it at all!). I’m still getting used to this “blog turned to email” thing. Thanks for your patience and understanding–it should now be fixed!

Fun fact: the featured image for this newsletter is the my office calendar’s February image. Don’t I wish?

Anyway, onto our “almost-monthly” newsletter!

Events

The tea ceremony that we had a few Saturdays back was a great success! It was wonderful to be able to enjoy tea with all of you. As requested/promised, here is Sam’s info if you want to order tea or get in contact:

Cafe Tamaki
1222 Peck St.
Muskegon, MI 49442
517-260-1915
www.cafetamaki.com
cafetamaki@gmail.com

We also have a few Cafe Tamaki brochures at the dojo, should you want a hard copy of this information. Again, thank you to all who braved the weather to join us for tea!

Tacos and Trivia

Mark your calendars! Our next Community Event will be Tacos and Trivia on Saturday, May 2nd, at 5pm! Bring your family members and friends or join with other dojo members to form a trivia team, then compete while enjoying a taco bar. I look forward to seeing you all there!

Free Friend February

Speaking of friends, we are hosting Free Friend February! This month, bring any friend(s) to the dojo as many times as you want for free! To make things fun, I will be awarding a $20 gift card to choice to whoever brings the most friends. February is often cold and dark, so what better way to combat that than with the warmth and light of our karate community?

Black Belt Testing

Our Black Belt Testing date is February 28th at 10am! Come and cheer on Jason G. and John N., then celebrate with CAKE afterwards!

If you are attending as a non-testing black belt, this event requires formal attire! That means an all-white gi and your black belt. Everyone else, feel free to show up in whatever’s comfortable, provided that it is not “no pants.” Socks may be optional, but you must wear pants while in the dojo.

Reminders and Updates

New Members

We have some people who have just joined or who are doing trial classes this month. If you see someone that you don’t know, introduce yourself! Who knows–you might just meet your new BFF!

A Journey, Not a Destination

The holidays, sickness, and the weather threw a lot of people out of the habit of regular karate practice. Life gets busy, and sometimes it can feel hard to come back into the dojo feeling like you don’t remember things or that you’ve somehow “lost progress.”

I just want to remind everyone that this is a JOURNEY! Never hesitate to reach out if you’re unsure about coming back in or need some help scheduling practice time that works for you outside of our regularly posted hours. Know that you have support!

Community Corner

Help with a Move

One of our community members is moving! If you have any time to help move items into a truck on Thursday, February 12th, please contact me for details and for connection! This member lives near the dojo, for reference on travel.

Happy Early (Or Late) Birthday to Our Dojo Members!

If you see these folks around the dojo, make sure to wish them a happy birthday month!

  • Michelle K.
  • Riley W.
  • Joe N.
  • Allison H.

Do you have something that you’d like the community to know–a life update, a need, or an offer for connection? Let me know, and I’ll put it in next month’s newsletter!

Thank you, as always, for being along for this wild ride. I really appreciate every last one of you!

Sensei Allison

The Battle for Sidewalk Supremacy (Dojo Closed 1/27/26)

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This morning, I was accosted by snow going almost all the way over my boots, and I regret to inform you all that Sanchin stepping did very little to help in clearing snow.

The snow as measured by our front door, for reference.

I ended up shoveling like a normal person, but I was not very happy about it. Rest assured, though, that when you all return the sidewalk will be both salted and shoveled! Until then, stay home, stay safe, and enjoy this picture that I took while looking longingly out of our front door, missing all of your faces.

I cannot. (See, that is)

The Dojo Door is Iced, Iced, Baby (Dojo Closed 1/23/26)

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The atrium from the inside. You had ONE JOB, glass!

Since we close when Wyoming Public Schools closes due to weather, we are once again closed for weather today. Dang, you Thursday people got lucky this week! Stay home, sip that hot cocoa, and bury yourself in ten blankets.

While you’re sipping that hot cocoa, why not recall that there will be hot tea tomorrow at the dojo? It is free for you guys, and it’s still happening as of this writing, since I am currently in the office ensuring that our heater works and that our building will not be If you haven’t yet registered and would like to attend, click here.

If we do end up needing to cancel the event (which may happen if Sam cannot get here from the icy wasteland of Muskegon), I will text everyone who is registered, hopefully well before you get into your car to head toward the dojo.

Thank you all, as always, for being members of the dojo! We look forward to seeing you next week!

The Storm Continues…

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And so we shall wait for the icy veil to lift, allowing us to once again see the horizon and find our way to the hallowed halls of the karate dojo.

Please note that putting your karate gi out in the snow is not a good way to bleach it. I wish that was the case, because then we would all look great in our crisp and shiny uniforms upon our return!

In any event, the dojo will be closed 1/20/26 due to weather. We hope that everyone is continuing to stay safe during this winter storm!