Our Mission

Our Mission is to positively impact the world by inspiring excellence in the men, women, and children we serve — challenging them to become healthier, happier, and better through the practice of the Martial Arts.

Potomac Kempo Mission Statement

I believe firsthand in the power of these words. A mission statement is an organization’s effort to articulate its purpose to the world and, though our mission statement serves that purpose, it began simply as a personal quest. 

The word, “healthier,” hearkens back to my earliest days as a martial artist. Not long after first putting on my white belt, I began to experience the benefits that practicing martial arts has to offer. The conditioning I acquired through my training afforded me well-rounded physical well-being that elevated my abilities in many other activities. I could hike, bike, run, climb, and endure challenges with grace and aplomb while feeling vibrant and healthy.

Finding this mastery of my body led me to discover the possibility of possessing similar results with my mind. I could better stay on task, work toward long-term goals, and modulate my internal states. I became happier. I came to believe that anything was possible. 

The concept of being “better” evolved more slowly, and couldn’t become clearly articulated until I laid down the Pillars of Kempo, much later in my career. I feel that the Learning, Integrity, and Service integral to the martial arts are the foundation for building a better life. In the absence of Learning, we are empty; we lack the substance from which to build a life. We must be open to that Learning, in the dojo and beyond. Building a solid life requires Integrity — being honest and fulfilling our obligations. And through Service, we give that life significance.

As I became an instructor, I was able to see my students experience these same benefits. Later, my wife, Holly, became a student and eventually our children, too, began their training. As I write this now, I can appreciate the benefit of martial arts training as a student, an instructor, a partner, and a parent. And I love it. 

This life is a shared experience. We live alongside all the other people in our world, and we are continually impacting them — either for better or worse. By elevating ourselves through our martial arts training, we can, in a very real sense, make the world a better place. From one person to many, we change the world by sharing the lessons Kempo teaches us. 

It is worth noting, though, that I can do none of this by myself; nor can Potomac Kempo. It is only through our students that we can change the world. To this end, we challenge our students to rise to the occasion, become the best version of themselves, and join with us in making the world a better place.

Reprising our Mission Statement feels particularly poignant as we celebrate the opening of our fifth school. With love and admiration, we congratulate Renshi Cassie and Mr. Cothran on the opening of our newest location: Potomac Kempo – National Landing. 

Chris Santillo, Shihan
Founder, Head Instructor