Students strike back

It was OK to hit the instructor Saturday at the Roger Barkley

Community Center.

Looking to teach teenagers strategies necessary to fend off

bullies or violent attackers, the community center, at 4469 Chevy

Chase Drive, hosted a self-defense workshop. Trainers from Impact

Personal Safety emphasized verbal skills that would help thwart a

would-be schoolyard bully and avoid a physical confrontation.

In case talking fails to do the trick, instructors Perry Hauck and

Francine Russell showed teenagers how to defend themselves

physically. Donning a fully padded suit, Hauck taught students how to

fend off his advances with open-handed blows and kicks.

The class lasted three hours.