The Youth Development Academy, also known as YDA, is located on St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. This non-profit organization provides children with mentorship and character building skills, focused on the values of integrity, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, and loyalty.
These values are taught using the discipline of Aikido/Karate martial arts. Since its inception in 2011, Dojo Cho Jason Jordon, has not only instilled in his students the philosophy of “All or Not At All” but also “True Victory is Victory Over Myself.” Using these philosophies, Dojo Cho Jordan and his instructors has helped “kids understand just how important they are.”
With your continuous support of the Virgin Islands Lottery, 70% of all revenues go back into our community. These funds are used to help the Youth Development Academy and numerous other organizations.
For more information on Youth Development Academy: 340-690-8880: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.: www.facebook.com/virginislandsyouth
'Hi, my name is Jason Jordan; I am the Dojo Cho, or the founder of the school, YDA, which is Youth Development Academy. We’ve been in operation about 8 years now. One life lesson I would really want our youth to grasp is the philosophy that we teach which is “Orunashingu” which means “all or not at all.” We really strive to instill in them that anything that you set your hands to do, you make sure that you do it to the best of your ability and that if you start a task you finish it. In five years, we plan to be on every island, we plan to have most of our students who have been in the program long enough to teach the class and develop other students themselves. We believe in “each one teach one.” We really appreciate VI lottery and we thank you for partnering with us. Without your support we cannot really achieve the things that we are setting out to do. So we thank you and we wish you continued success.'
Jason Jordan, founder of the school YDA, which is Youth Development Academy.
'Hi my name is Tyrone Webster Reid, I am a black belt and I’ve been with the Youth Development Academy for 6 years now. For as long as I’ve been here, both as a student and also as an instructor, it’s been an anchor for me; it’s been the one constant. Beside the discipline that comes with martial arts and the physical training that all the endorphins and all the good stuff, YDA is my family. I think it’s really important that kids understand just how important they are. My favorite part of my day is when we close out class and I can look a kid in the eyes and say “hey I’m really proud of you, you did a really good job today,” that’s a feeling I live for.'
Tyrone Webster Reid - blackbelt student and teacher at YDA
