KERN ATHLETIC FENCING FOUNDATION INC

The Kern Athletic Fencing Foundation is a private, non-profit, youth sport and academic program, that uses the sport of fencing as a reward for improved academic performance of children. Established in October 2011, and launching its first program of tutoring and fencing in early 2012, It has successfully conducted numerous sessions in local schools and organizations over the last four years.

A focal point of the mission of Kern Athletic Fencing Foundation is whole child development and resiliency building, while helping children to have more physical activity, improve their academic skills, and learn a sport that promotes good habits, such as respect, courtesy, and attention to mental conditioning and critical thinking.

The program has participants from Standard and Bakersfield City School Districts, Girl and Boy Scouts, Weill Child Guidance Clinic, and private individuals that have academic needs of sport activities which they can not afford. Recently we have expanded our program to include the League of Dreams and Independence through Grace participants. Both organizations serve children and adults with disabilities

As we expand our project to more schools and to organizations serving children and adults with disabilities, additional funds are needed to cover costs of coaches, tutors, and additional equipment needed to outfit more kids as they practice the sport and receive academic help.
It is our plan for the school year of 2020-2021 to serve children in numbers equal to our pre-COVID19 levels of approximately 150 total.

We have a head coach who is training and developing assistant coaches so we can satisfy the increased demand for our project. Also, we have a large number of volunteers that provide both fencing instruction and academic tutoring. We also own a large number of fencing equipment enough to provide this service at our current level of participation. Also, a very favorable rental arrangement for the fencing studio allows us to continue growing without a larger expense for a place to conduct our classes.

Since our start in 2012 we have expanded the program of fencing practice as a reward for participation in academic tutoring. During the 2019-2020 school year we have reached over 100 participants in the program. Our goal for participation in the following school year is to get back to pre-COVID19 level of 100 children. Most of them would never have an opportunity to participate in organized individual sports due primarily to their lack of financial means or other socioeconomically deficiencies.