Martial arts scholarship honors slain colleague

A friend, Bill Lazenby, was shot and killed by a young man in 2001. Lazenby worked at a manufacturing plant in Atlanta with Carlson and Master James Bowman of JB Martial Arts in Orangeburg.

“I thought, if Mr. Bill had the skillset J.B. has, maybe this would not have happened. Or if the person who did this ever had a mentor like J.B., maybe this would have never happened,” Carlson said.

The incident inspired Carlson to help young people develop discipline, skills and positive mentoring relationships by funding martial art sessions for youth.

“That’s what spurred me to try to do a scholarship in Mr. Bill’s memory,” Carlson said. “We have to focus on the positives. Mr. Bill was the sweetest guy you’d ever know.”

Carlson described Lazenby as someone willing to lend a hand to anyone in need.

“Mr. Bill would have given him the shirt off his back, given him the food out of his pantry. He would’ve given the guy every dime he had just to try to make sure someone else was OK,” she said.

“I think about the person who took Mr. Bill’s life. That person probably did not have a good support group growing up.”

The Mr. Bill Lazenby Scholarship is awarded to troubled youth or promising martial arts students in need of financial help.

The scholarship originally began in 2003 but was recently reinitiated.

Recipients are chosen at Bowman’s discretion.

“JB has 100% freedom to use the scholarship in the way he feels will best help a student,” Carlson said.

Bowman has taught martial arts for the last 20 years. He values discipline and commitment.

He requires his students to recite the creed at the beginning and end of each session.

“There’s things in that creed that I try to make something they keep in their mind,” Bowman said.

One part of the creed says, “I will be honest. I will be true.”

The very last line says, “I will not fight. I will only use marital arts to protect myself and my family.”

A common misconception assumes that martial arts is about violence, he said.

His goal is to get students “in a situation where they don’t think violently.”

“It’s about learning how to defend yourself, but not start a fight,” Bowman said.

Before students are promoted to the next level, he checks with the student’s parents and educators to ensure the child is disciplined in all aspects.

Carlson hopes that students gain self-confidence and “a peaceful center” through the scholarship, program and mentorship with Bowman.

“I hope that he can instill in some of these younger people that same sense of balance that he has. That same leadership, that same ability to believe in themselves and go after their dreams,” she said.

Carlson operates as a silent sponsor. She keeps up with the studio through social media.

“I told him he doesn’t have to give me credit or anything. He doesn’t have to get the students to send thank you notes,” Carlson said.

“It’s just purely something to help him reach someone who needs a little hand.”