Dear Zhang Sah by biological standards you are a teenager. I question how old you are and whether or not you really do you require a paternity test. So let me tell you about your parents, your name, and how you were conceived. Maybe the story will illuminate all the nuances that I think need to be disclosed about what you rightfully should know. In 1973 Soon Ho Chang (Grand Master) opened Chang's School of Judo and Karate. However, he at some point, before I met him, began to inscribe on his student's black belts "Zhang Sah Martial Arts College". So the term was used in an informal and unofficial way from an organizational perspective but I am a graduate with master's degree Tae Kwon Do, Karate , and Aikido and a 1st degree black belt in Judo from Zhang Sah Martial Arts College. As a matter of fact, I recall, that I was the 10th person awarded this credential from 1973 through 2007. He said that Zhang Sah means to be smart and brave or sometimes he would say "Brave Scholar".
So the term Zhang Sah had its genesis in the early 1970's. It was not an organization dedicated to the brave scholar mission at that point but rather a high standard for the scholarly pursuit of martial art theory and practice. So I don't think of you as a middle aged entity. I filed the fictitious name Gold Medal Karate in 1994 so I could operate a small martial arts club in South Philadelphia. I moved the club from the our initial location in the fall of 1998. I later incorporated the Gold Medal Karate in 1999 when I also filed for federal non-profit status under chapter 501C3. Subsequently in 2004 I filed Zhang Sah as our trademark with the US patent office. So if you mark your birth date as the date I filed the fictitious name you are 18 years old and if you go by the date of incorporation then you would be 13 years old today or trademark date 8 years old.
I began a pilot of our school age out of school time program while at our initial location in the summer of 1996. The idea quickly developed and we were then in the nascent stages of running after school and full day summer programs. Summer camp was our 1st program. I really don't remember the exact dates and I have no documentation that I can refer to for evidence that dates all the way to then.
What I do remember and what is pretty much verifiable is who were the initial participants and how they were recruited. I made you in order to spend more time with Corey, my oldest son, and to improve the results that were achieved by students who attended my school. You see, being a martial arts teacher means teaching classes when children are out of school and when adults are out of work. I missed Corey very much and he had a newborn sister, named Paige, that I didn't get to see a lot because I worked six days per week and five of theme were mostly from 2pm through 8 or 9pm (M-F). I could see Paige more so then since she wasn't in school. Corey was getting ready to go to Kindergarten, his mother went back to work, and I saw an opportunity to spend time with Paige early in the day and him later on and thus expand the traditional program of a martial arts school. Also, there was a small cohort of moms who had children attend summer camp and they thought the after school program would be very convenient for them and beneficial to their children. We did our homework, practiced martial arts, and I taught them how to play cards for fun. We loved to play WAR for Oreo cookies. For some reason I always lost all my cookies to these five year old card sharks. The idea caught on and we grew Zhang Sah from that point forward. Grand Master was very impressed by the martial arts results too. Since children were attending martial arts class in a consistent and regular basis they would out perform other children who attended on a more recreational basis. This hold true even today. Two of the initial group did eventually earn Jr. black belts: Corey Sandone and Richard Collins.
Since the incorporation date and 501C3 date are October 4th. We celebrate your birthday on that day. Since the program fully changed circa 1997 I consider you 15 years old. Since I filed your name officially, like a birth certificate, I named you Zhang Sah.
Happy Birthday Zhang SahI am so proud of you and I hope that you go on to continue to do great things. And of course, I will be by your side each step of the way. I hope that you enjoy the party that we are throwing for you on the 19th.
Love Dad
