A New Zealand Special Needs teenager will be the first person to demonstrate Special Needs Taekwon Do at the Taekwon Do World Championships, but must first win $10,000 towards travel costs through popular vote.
Nineteen-year-old Johann Landkroon has Down Syndrome and is visually impaired, and has been invited to show off his skills in the Opening Ceremony of the 2011 World Championship, demonstrating with his teacher, Benjamin Evans.
“The purpose of the demonstration is to show the Taekwon-Do community what special needs students can achieve”, says Mr. Evans, Hawkes Bay Regional Director of ITF Taekwon Do.
“New Zealand was the first country to officially train Special Needs Taekwon Do and this is our opportunity to promote special needs on an international sphere.”
Mr Evans originally launched the sport in 2006, as part of his high-school studies. After graduating, he became the Regional Director and the Special Needs programme quickly spread into other high schools in the Hastings region.
Johann’s mother, Peggy Landkroon, says that the trip will be a wonderful opportunity for Johann to show other countries what Special Needs students can achieve.
“People with Downs Syndrome are able to do far more than we expect of them,” she says, “if we give them the opportunities, support and encouragement to try.”
Over the past four years, Johann has gained confidence, stamina, social skills and other abilities such as sequencing and memory retention. He is currently a yellow belt-green stripe student.
“I can’t wait to go to Korea, to show the world what special needs people can do,” says Johann.
The family have so far raised over $5,000, with the support of Air New Zealand and the New Zealand Career College, alongside other local companies, the local council and Rotary.
However, the trip will cost more than $15,000, so Johann has entered the AMP People’s Choice Award. The applicant with the most votes in this annual award wins $10,000.
Currently, Johann is in second place, out of more than 1,000 entries. But with the top two being less than 100 votes apart and another 20 days left in the contest, it looks set to be a tight race.
As part of a vote-seeking campaign, Johann's friends have launched a facebook event and Mr Evans has produced a video demonstration with Johann.
To vote, visit Johann's profile on the Do Your Thing website. Click on the orange ‘vote for me’ button above his photo, and fill in the name and email address fields.
Gaylene Hill - Gaylene works in the communications industry and is a regular writer, who enjoys the thrill of crafting the 'perfect sentence'. When not ...
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