Meet Andrea Peterson, another one of the many dedicated and talented women from Mylissa Chrisp’s school, Creekside Kenpo Karate in Elk, WA
I first started Karate in 1988. I signed up for lessons with Mr. Kevin Fransen in Spokane, Washington, who taught the Tracy System of Kenpo Karate. I really enjoyed the experience. While I was there, I earned the rank of Orange Belt. In 1989 I moved to San Bernardino, California for work. I could not find a Tracy’s school, so I started taking lessons with Mr. Dennis Harris in San Dimas, California. He taught Ed Parker’s Kenpo Karate. Because things were different, I pretty much had to start over. As I was taking lessons, I discovered I really liked Mr. Parkers’s system. While I was there, I earned the rank of Purple Belt. In 1992 I moved back to Spokane. I wanted to continue with lessons, but with budget restraints and putting my children first, I made a decision to put my training on hold. The on hold was 14 years later. All that time I kept thinking about karate. The saying “you may leave Karate but Karate never leaves you” really applied to me. In 2006 once my children were older and my job which required traveling ended, I had the opportunity to restart. I started taking lessons with Mr. Carmen Casella. Decided after a discussion with Mr. Casella I wanted to start over as a white belt. I was with Mr. Casella for 4 years, while there I reached the rank of Second Degree Brown. When Mr. Casella closed his school, I transferred to Mr. Jason Johnston in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. I was there for 6 years and reached the rank of Second-Degree Black Belt. In 2016 I transferred to Mrs. Mylisa Chrisp’s school, Creekside Kenpo Karate. I am continuing to train there and have reached the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt. All those years it has been a blast! During all that time I have learned a lot and made great friends and memories.