Students gain black belt status

Dargaville's Casey Tier - a student at Pompalier College - was among three Dargaville martial arts students to recently achieve the much-coveted black belt grade in Kenpo Karate.
The 15-year-old Tier enjoys her martial arts training and plans to continue with a long-term study of Kenpo Karate. She also has a keen interest in dance and drama.
Head instructor for the Northland Kenpo Karate School, Ron Mason, said getting a black belt was impossible without huge amounts of self discipline.
"This exam is physically testing in the extreme ... and can only be successfully completed by candidates who had grasped the concepts of self discipline.
"The qualities developed through this training adds to many other aspects of people's lives."
Two other Dargaville students, Shane Joyce and Jordan Blaxland, also achieved Black Belt status at the two-day grading.