Read and Learn

Editorial

by Sibok Lloyd Fridenburg
Fu For You – Winter 2025-26

Without any prior planning, the theme of this newsletter seems to have drifted towards gradings.  Contributors aren’t given specific topics ahead of time and are very much encouraged to use their own initiative and experience to craft their article. So, this is a bit of an anomaly.

You will see that some articles are about understanding the grading process; class attendance prior to grading; why each new rank is a reset and a new beginning; and why parents need to become familiar with the process.  When I see contributors migrate towards a common theme, it often means that they have identified a general problem or opportunity within their scope of responsibility (Youth, Junior, Adult, or Parents) that they want to address.  And no, they don’t meet to exchange article ideas beforehand, a common theme is completely unexpected.

I have written and/or edited Fu for You since its inception (about 35 years ago) with the primary goal of keeping students and parents informed, educated about our process, and to help non-training individuals understand the rules of the academy.  The original format was shorter but was produced monthly and with only one picture per issue.  In many ways, it was more generally informative. 

The current format of articles directed at specific areas of our program was introduced in 2013 with the intent of offering students from all programs information specific to their age group.  Our contributors take great pride in their articles and spend a lot of time thinking about a theme and then producing the article, within a set of common guidelines.

Fu for You is intended to be read by every student and parent at WKFA!  Sigung remembers a time when he was still in the Junior program when Sigung Bob would hand out copies of the newsletter at the end of class.  Students had to go down on one knee and read the newsletter and were then told to give it to their parents and ensure that they also read it.  I have not so fond memories of standing at the photo copier in the store making dozens of copies for distribution while constantly clearing jams in the copier ☹.

We currently live in an era of “sound bites” and “snippets”.  People are groomed to read headlines or do a quick scan of information.  That habit should not apply to this newsletter.  It is your responsibility to read and understand everything; it will enhance your Kung Fu experience and shows respect to the writers that spend a lot of time developing the content.

Along with everything else at WKFA, the newsletter has been an evolutionary process and has changed to meet the needs of students and parents.  Starting in 2026, we will again be tweaking the format to make it more newsy.  Sigung and I will be discussing a new format over the next few months that will consider the current needs of students, parents, and WKFA.  It will still be full of photos, anecdotes, advice, and hints, but your duty to read it will remain the same.