Bio - Karen Ellingson

If Karen Ellingson's Martial Arts journey was required to be condensed into one word, that word would be PERSEVEARANCE. Karen approached her Martial Arts training the same way she approached everything else in her life - with an end goal in sight.

Two of Karen's three children started training at Aberdeen Kenpo Karate shortly after it's opening in September 1992. Daughter Madison made it to Green Belt and son Barry made it to Blue Belt. Both would stop training when they were roughly halfway to Black Belt.

Karen has always been one to lead by example and she began training in 1995 at about the same time her kids stopped training. Balancing life as an elementary school teacher with her training three nights per week was no small endeavor.

While training in Shaolin Kenpo, Karen had a goal of obtaining her Black Belt - she did so in 1999.
While teaching kids, Karen had a goal of becoming a principal. She reached it!
Whatever this driven individual set out to do, she accomplished the old fashioned way - with hard work!