SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Since 2020, nonprofit Escobar Martial Arts Club (EMAC) has been helping local at-risk and low-income students to attend martial arts classes at Escobar Training Ground, bringing them fitness, community and the discipline and structure of martial arts. Former students range from MMA fighter Sonny Anthony to current Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) attendees, and the positive impact it’s had on their lives has remained to this day.

In the last five years, EMAC has helped to provide the funding to make this targeted program possible. EMAC helps facilitate the nomination process by asking community leaders what kids might benefit from the program.

Britta Swanson, vice president of EMAC, said, “We’re focused on these kids who get recommended by school counsellors, principals, and therapists. This program helps them stay centered, focused, and active, with a goal to work towards.” They currently work a wide age range, between 4 to 17, but want to focus on younger ages.

“We’re attempting to focus on the middle school timeframe, trying to start younger, because it’ll give them that chance to start and grow relationships between all our partners,” said Swanson. Escobar also works with Vista Rise Collective, formerly Live Violence Free, to get grants for the program.

Though EMAC formed more recently, Cory Escobar said he’s been facilitating this program for 18 years. “Through that time, I’ve been seeing such beautiful turnarounds both mentally and physically,” said Escobar. “It’s like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly.”

Escobar said that Sonny Anthony, like many other students, went from a dark place to a much brighter one through the program. “He went from pretty much being kicked out of school to getting help and helping others.”

The kids in the program are integrated with other students in regular classes to let them feel comfortable, safe and not segregated from their peers. They get positive role models from both Cory and his wife, Dory, who work closely with all their students.

Escobar said that he had tough times growing up too, and he can empathize with the kids who come through the program. He got emotional remembering where his passion came from. “I remember it being hard as a teenager, growing up with different challenges. Helping kids in those tough places through training… I mean, this is my passion.”

Former student Samantha McDonough said that Cory and Dory served as important support systems for her and others who didn’t have a strong support structure at home. “The program provided normalcy and an escape to some extent,” she said. “It was a foundation for success.”

McDonough was struggling with focusing in her classes after a major life change, and many of her friends were encouraging her to enter the drinking and drug culture of Tahoe. Her counsellor, Amy Jackson, offered her the option for an EMAC scholarship—which would give her free classes for a couple months at Escobar Training Grounds.

“It was nerve-wracking at first. I mean, going to the gym wasn’t something that felt obtainable through money or motivation,” said McDonough. But she eventually worked up the courage to go, and found it changed her life. “It was amazing to be there. Being a woman and knowing how to defend yourself properly gives you a confidence that is unmatched. You’re more than what you used to be.”

She still trains at the gym now and said that the patient and welcoming community has been consistent since her time there as a teenager. “There’s a strong culture of kindness and a non-tolerance for disrespect,” said McDonough.

Escobar definitely agreed. “My toughest fighters are some of the nicest people to you. We try to emphasize that when you try your best and do hard work, good things happen. And the self-esteem and confidence you get from this program isn’t just given, it’s earned.”

McDonough said the program helped her to avoid negative choices that saddled her previous friends with drug addiction and even prison. She is now studying psychology at LTCC and says, “Having more options like this program that would give discipline and structure, with the support of adults who care, is really important.”

“It’s so necessary and something that we need to make sure we’re funding. It could be the difference between life or death—it could help prevent overdoses, suicide and really boost mental health,” said McDonough.

Escobar and EMAC continue to raise funds for this program, which requires about $2,000 per child to attend year-round. They are also interested in getting new equipment and uniforms, which include the belts for each student. While grants are something they apply for regularly, they’re also looking for donations to help support the program year-round. Their current goal is $25,000.

You can donate to EMAC on their website at emactahoe.com

Eli Ramos is a reporter for Tahoe Daily Tribune. They are part of the 2024–26 cohort of California Local News Fellows through UC Berkeley.