Mr. Wes Calbreath, senior counselor, instructs students Josie Armes, sophomore, and Amelia Fawson, junior, in self-defense techniques.
Watauga High School’s senior counselor, Mr. Calbreath, has been offering a self-defense class for students during the spring and fall semesters. The class is designed to help make young women feel safer throughout the entirety of their lives. It educates participants about common red flags, grooming techniques, and provides a safe space to share experiences and thoughts.
Calbreath has trained for 6 years in Brazilian Jiu Jitzu, nonviolent crisis intervention. He hopes to lower the alarming rates of sexual assault which have remained the same for several years, while building and expanding his self-defense program.
“In North Carolina, 16% of high school girls are victims of sexual violence by the end of their high school career," said Calbreath. "That’s 1 out of 6.”
The class does not exclusively focus on physical self-defense. It is a total of three parts. Each section incorporates a variety of topics such as ways to prevent assault, grooming tactics, and an emphasis on setting personal boundaries.
“In the heat of a moment when someone tries to push a boundary if you don’t know where your limit is, when that moment comes, it’s a lot easier to have it pushed,” Calbreath emphasized.
Classes that teach topics that differ from a traditional curriculum are important. Students appreciate learning self-defense, especially those approaching college.
“I need to learn how to protect myself," said senior and participant of the class, Ellary Maiden. "Hopefully, I will never be in a situation where I have to use what I've learned, but I feel safer knowing that I have some techniques I can use."
The tactics taught during the self-defense portion of the class are easy to learn and designed to be effective during dangerous situations.
“We focus on tactics that are high percentage and low risk that will help you get out of a bad situation and they’re chosen specifically because they don’t require power,” said Calbreath. “They take advantage of size differential and they are designed to work effectively when there is a size differential,”
The classes are currently offered to female students and their mothers. It has been offered to all students, but female students are generally more interested in participating in the class.
“I think it's just much better to be educated and prepared for something potentially scary or unknown rather than just wonder in fear," said Ellary's mother, Sabena Maiden. "As for me, it had been a long time since I had gone through this kind of training."
Mr. Calbreath makes a point that self-defense is important for everyone.
“I’ve offered a boys' class, but I don’t have many of the boys taking me up on it,” Calbreath adds.
If men became interested in the course, the classes would remain separated by gender due to the different rates of sexual assault along with the typical needs for different genders.
“With the guys a lot of the time we talk about how to be a good ally and how to be a good partner,” Calbreath said.
The total cost for taking the class is $10 per pair and all proceeds are directly donated to Oasis of Boone.
“The only money I collect is a deposit for Oasis," Calbreath said. "I donate to them each time and end up making about a $400 donation to Oasis each year."
Oasis is a nonprofit organization that assists with domestic violence and sexual violence for Watauga and Avery Counties. They provide resources for individuals in various unsafe situations.
“We have a shelter where we house our clients if they need help," said Kellie Bass, the rape prevention education coordinator for Oasis. "we will do hospital response if somebody has been assaulted and needs some advocacy there or if they are having a rape kit done. We can go and just be a friendly face for them during that time.”
As someone who works with individuals who have survived and are going through unsafe and abusive situations, Bass feels that self-defense and education about sexual violence are essential.
“What I like about Mr. Calbreaths’s class is that not only does it focus on the protection aspect of yourself but it also educates on healthy relationships, consent, and boundaries,” said Bass. “Those couple of things are some of the most important parts of prevention as far as sexual and dating violence goes.”
Many students and parents appreciate the program. Calbreath feels that this is one of the most important classes students can participate in.
“For someone who spends much of his workday showing his compassionate and intellectual sides, he also knows how to teach you to toss someone on their back,” said Sabena Maiden.
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