Afterschool Programs for Kids & Preteens

Be Your Own Hero is our signature afterschool program designed to get young people moving, learning, making friends, and feeling safe & confident.

Our program blends Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with essential life skills training to empower participants with confidence, resilience, and a sense of community.

Connection

We start each class with a brief check-in and mindfulness activity before engaging in a brief discussion-based activity. Topics may include dealing with peer conflict, healthy relationships, setting boundaries, etc.

*Age-appropriateness is always considered

Movement

We then warm up with some fun games before learning 2 or 3 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu based self-defense techniques.

Please note: We focus more on escape and de-escalation strategies rather than winning or engaging in a fight. We do not promote violence in any form.

Confidence

Participants work cooperatively to learn the techniques of the day while having fun connecting with each other and themselves, building confidence and mastery in their skills and sense of self.

We revisit techniques often to build muscle memory and reflexes.

Summer Camps

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Coming Soon

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Summer Camps 〰️ Coming Soon 〰️

Summer Camp Waitlist

Half-day camps 9-12 pm // July & August // Ages 6-9 & 10-13

More details coming soon!

Click below to join the waitlist and be among the first to receive information.

Questions? Email Jess at hello@ariseprograms.com

  • "As a mother of 2 girls I was happy to come across Jess and the Arise program! Our daughter learned how to assess situations and practice different methods of self defense in a supportive environment, while having a ton of fun!"

    Parent

  • “My daughters loved the Summer teen self-defence sessions and looked forward to it each week. Jess is a wonderful, cheerful, thoughtful teacher-coach. She and her co-teacher Jillian demonstrated each move and broke it down into simple steps for the group to learn and then practice on each other safely. Arise is inclusive and positive, and beyond self-defence - builds confidence in young women.”

    Parent

  • “The topics and the content are really good and they create awareness on the girls. My daughter’s school does not touch base on those topics that much, so having Jess talk about them reinforces the talks we have as a family. Also, the jiu-jitsu aspect of it, makes it fun and empowers the girls. Well done Jess! We hope to be able to join again in the future!”

    Parent

  • “Jess and the Arise programming are a fantastic resource for kids… Jess is calm, clear and informative with the girls, and fun too. She talks about negative feelings, bullying, how to feel secure and proud, and explains what to do if you're in a physically insecure situation, all with ease and plainly. I highly recommend Jess and Be Your Own Hero for all girls.”

    Parent

  • "My child gives Jess’s class 5 stars and says they would love to go back! They learned how to stand up for themselves and some effective self defence techniques. The class is inclusive and my child said they felt very supported. My child says Jess is a great teacher!"

    Parent

Be Your Own Hero

Give the Gift of Empowerment