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Children Learning To Draw Inner Strength At Allentown's Iron Falcon Martial Arts Studio

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ALLENTOWN, Pa. (CBS) -- At the Iron Falcon Martial Arts studio in Allentown, kids learn not just how to channel their physical strength but also how to draw inner strength.

"I used to be very shy. When I first came here, I wouldn't talk to anyone, so it's helped me open up," said Gabriella Castro, a high school freshman, who started here three years ago and will soon achieve a black belt.

That's just one of a myriad of benefits of taekwondo, says Sensai Frank Bruno, who has been practicing the art for 36 years.

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"I'm focused on low income families because, typically, the martial arts are for the middle class and the rich," Bruno said. "I want to make sure everyone who wants to take taekwondo or martial arts are availed of that no matter what their income level is."

In breaking boards, Bruno is also teaching the children to build bridges.

"I wanted to take the least jaded members of the police, which would be the K-9 unit and the least jaded members of the community, which would be the children, and use that as a conduit to build a relationship between the community and the police," he said.

Three years ago, he came up with the idea of a charity Kick-A-Thon. Last year, the kids raised nearly $800 for the Allentown Police Department's K-9 Unit. They hope to exceed that this year on July 7.

The money will go toward equipment and other costly expenses; what doesn't have a price tag are the lessons these kids are learning.

"That we're approachable, that we're here for them, and if they have a problem they can come to us," said Allentown Police Capt. James Keiser.

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Gabriella says she has a personal connection to police and wants to support them.

"My uncle's a cop in New York, so every day something could happen and he could die, like, tomorrow, so I really like how we're getting involved with that and helping them out," she said.

For more information, visit http://ironfalconmartialarts.com/.

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