On Air Now

Martial arts instructor honors Clevenger family with Sandburg scholarship

Through the Carl Sandburg College Foundation, the Galesburg Academy of Martial Arts has established a $500 annual scholarship in memory of infant Kyleb Clevenger.

Academy of Martial Arts founder Aaron Wayne-Duke tells WGIL Kevin Clevenger was his first instructor in the late ’80s.

“It was around that time that he and his wife had twins,” Duke says. “Sadly, one of them passed about five months after birth.”

That child was Kyleb Clevenger.

“Kevin and I stayed very close. I stayed very close with the family for, it’s been almost 30 years now.”

The scholarship is Duke’s way of saying thanks to the Clevenger family for offering their support and love throughout the years.

“As a young child, I was a victim of sexual abuse and molestation,” Duke says. “And I grew up with not good self-esteem and I grew up with a chip on my shoulder and I had a lot of emotional issues.”

Duke says learning martial arts under Kevin taught him how to reclaim the power he felt he lost. Through their time together, Duke and Kevin became friends, confidants and as Duke says, “brothers.”

The Kyleb Clevenger Memorial Scholarship begins with the 2017-2018 school year.

Recommended Posts

Loading...

Share Contact

contact-chris-mcintyre-qr-code