Twenty-two years ago Nathan Ligo walked from Chapel Hill to the far side of Raleigh to apologize to his karate instructor for having a bad attitude.

"I was 17 and an assistant instructor," Ligo said. "I thought I was all that. He told me to fix my attitude or get out."

Ligo showed up 12 hours later at the home of Seong Soo Choi, his instructor, with blood blisters on his feet.

"I couldn't knock on the door because I didn't want to disturb him," Ligo said. "So I waited for him to come out and start his day. I bowed and told him I would do better in the future."

It was the beginning of a journey that led Ligo to start a nonprofit with a vision to create role models. It's been a year since he started the Young Warriors Program at his Karate school, Ligo Dojo of Budo Karate in Durham. Since then close to 80 kids have been referred to his school from a dozen different agencies, 30 from the Department of Juvenile Justice. They get lessons for free.

Support from four grants makes it possible for Ligo to offer subsidized classes. The Governor's Crime Commission recently awarded $90,000 to launch the Young Warriors After School Program, a second grant from the Governor's Crime Commission. The Juvenile Crime Prevention Council (JCPC), the City of Durham, and the Triangle Community Foundation are also currently supporting Ligo Dojo's work.

Ligo sees a bit of himself in each student that walks through the door. Due to the divorce of his parents, he lived in a different school system every year. He was a weak, unhappy child with an anxiety-based stomach disorder. His grapple to find strength and meaning led him to Master Choi, a graduate student at UNC and the nephew of Mas Oyama, recognized as one of the greatest martial artist in the world.

Logo's long walk to Raleigh inspired Choi to call his uncle. Ligo ended up in Japan for two years to study with Mas Oyama. Before leaving, he transferred from Davidson College to attend UNC to study Japanese. After his stay in Japan he returned to Davidson to learn to write. Math and physics no longer made sense. He wanted to write his own story.

In 1991 he ended up on top of a mountain. The mountain changed his life. Mountains have a way of shifting one's perspective. Ligo's three and a half mile climb up the side of Grandfather Mountain was done with a barbell equal to his body weight on his shoulder.

He did it because of his appreciation for Master Choi.

Choi, who has a Ph.D to go along with his black belt, taught Ligo how to balance martial arts and education. It's called the Samurai Way. Choi's Karate school needed help. Enrollment was down. Ligo carried this weight up the highest mountain in the Blue Ridge mountain range to publicize his mentor's school. Money was raised for a homeless shelter and an epilepsy group.

The climb did more than that. It taught Ligo a lesson: one person's sacrifice can make a difference.

"I wanted to be able to affect the human community in a positive way," Ligo said. "The vision for this work I'm doing at Ligo Dojo was born on top of that mountain."

It started with a long walk to say he was sorry. It continued during an eight-hour walk up a rocky slope. Ligo is offering classes for young people to make that same change. From a kid that made D's to one who made A's. To a kid bounced from one school to another to one who graduated from Davidson College. Ligo has come full circle.

Kids just like Nathan was at that age now have a chance to learn what he did over 20 years ago: there is strength in humility. The good news is the lessons are free. Ligo Dojo offers classes to kids and adults, both to paying and non-paying members of the community. See www.budokaratehouse.com to see how you can help or sign up for classes.