Once upon time there was a little boy named Ben La France. He was the product of a single parent home. His father died when he was just 10 years old (during the Vietnam War), leaving only his mother to work and support the family. Needless to say at 10 years old and left on his own, Ben got into some trouble. He wasn’t a bad kid. There was just nothing for him to do after school… until Ben found the martial arts.

The dojo offered Ben a place to be after school. He could work off his extra energy… learn new things… and hang out with people. Plus, the dojo focused on such values as respect, discipline, and integrity. Things Ben soaked up like a sponge.

More than thirty (30) years later, Sensei Ben La France was still in love with the martial arts. So, in 1998 he founded The Martial Arts Studio in hopes of offering people the same opportunity he had… to learn. But just teaching the martial arts wasn’t enough for Sensei La France. He knew he had more to offer… more that both kids and parents wanted.

So he founded Makoto, the first After-School Martial Arts Program in Chester County, PA. Makoto wasn’t built to be just another after-school program. It was designed to be a destination where kids could learn and embrace the elements of success. Such as: Why a stronger body builds a stronger mind… how self-talk and focused listening can make you a true role model for others… and how to think and be creative.

“What could I have been if someone had grabbed me when I was young and taught me about life, leadership, and motivation?” explains Sensei La France “That one thought drove me to found the Makoto after school martial arts program. Because if I can get a hold of kids early and teach them the things they really need to succeed, then they truly can be anything.”

And, that’s the story of Makoto. How it started and where it began. But to know everything you need to about the Makoto after school martial arts program, let’s leave you with this… why we do everything we do.

           To make the future generations stronger. And all of our futures brighter.