Lydia Peters, of Wyoming, a Human Services major victoriously passes rigorous Taekwondo testing to obtain her third-degree black belt.

Peters love for Taekwondo began with her dad in Fall 2012 who had encouraged her to try just one class. “I ended up falling in love with the sport,” said Peters. Dr. Scott Shaw and other instructors from the class were encouraging and made her feel comfortable, even though she was the youngest of the class.

“The meaning/philosophy behind the 3rd-degree black belt is peace of mind and tranquility,” according to Peters. She’s dedicated years of hard work to achieve this goal. When asked what it means to her, Peters said, “I think it represents breaking through mental barriers that I didn’t think I could and learning to believe in myself.”

Peters gives all the glory to God who has brought her through this all. “During my final testing, still working through my shoulder injury, I developed bronchitis, and had to test while sick. I was so scared and excited for that day. Through it all, I’ve been empowered by God, supported by my family and friends, and have seen strength and confidence develop within myself,” said Peters.

Grace Christian University offers an Introduction to Taekwondo class taught by Dr. Scott Shaw.