School of Hope Leadership Academy

History

Established in 1985.

Marquez’s School of Hope (SOH) — Martial Arts & Leadership Academy

Our Organizational History and Demonstrated Success

SOH’s true beginnings date back over thirty years to Japan where the inspiration of our organization was born in the heart of a young Air Force Serviceman. Hanshi Anthony C. Marquez, SOH’s founder, Chief Instructor began sharing his love for the martial arts with specially challenged students while stationed at Yokota Air Force Base, Japan. For the next forty years, Hanshi Marquez would continue to learn and practice various forms of martial arts and be able to share his passion with children and adults with special challenges. His passion for martial arts, and his caring and giving attitude toward his specially challenged students would someday be the inspiration for two organizations dedicated to empowering individuals with physical, developmental and emotional challenges.

In the spring of 1997, one of his young students preparing for his Bar Mitzvah project asked