Senior Master Instructor PHILLIP HENRY
Phillip Henry began martial arts in Morehead City when he was 12 and achieved his black belt while attending Barton College in Wilson, NC. During his attendance at the college, he founded the self-defense club and by the time he graduated, owned Wilson’s only full-time martial arts school. He also became the Tae Kwon Do instructor for the college PE program and earned many training certifications in the fitness industry. Phillip later passed the school on to his assistant instructor and moved back to Morehead City to spread Grandmaster Dong’s system. Phillip has achieved above Master level in three styles of Korean arts.
Phillip has spent most of his life working with children. During his years at Barton College, he volunteered as a tutor and mentor at the Eastern NC School for the Deaf in Wilson. Summers were spent as a camp counselor for Easter Seals where he assisted participants in their daily routines and adapted physical activities to their needs. Phillip also served seven years as a Guardian ad Litem with Wilson County where he was a voice in court for neglected and abused children.
Mr. Henry found his martial arts school as a way to reach others and help them improve their lives. While in Wilson, his program helped hundreds of children and adults improve physically, mentally and socially as well as being able to donate continuously to St Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the Children’s Hospital at VCU.
The philosophy of helping others continues in Morehead City where the school has supported the Domestic Violence Shelter, Carteret County Partnership for Children, Children’s Hospital and a yearly scholarship to Carteret Community College. Phillip can also be found volunteering at the NC Aquarium in Pine Knoll Shores as a scuba diving team leader with nearly 800 hours of service.
Phillip and his wife, Shannon, have two daughters, two sons, and two other "boys" of the four-legged, furry kind. In his spare time, Phillip enjoys scuba diving, backpacking, mountain biking, and snowboarding.
Master Instructor SHANNON HENRY
Shannon Henry grew up near Richmond, VA and moved to North Carolina for college. While studying Education of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at Barton College in Wilson, NC, Shannon began taking martial arts. During her time at Barton, she helped establish the Drama Club at the Eastern North Carolina School for the Deaf.
Shannon has worked with children in Day Cares and After School Programs since high school because of her passion for teaching younger students. During college, she was also a tutor at the Eastern NC School for the Deaf. Using her knowledge as an Early Childhood Development Specialist and ten years of martial arts experience, Shannon helped to create the TaeGrr Cubs™ program (ages 4-6) at the Morehead City, NC school.
During her time off, Shannon enjoys painting, drawing, reading, scuba diving, mountain biking, and snowboarding. She also enjoys volunteer work and is an active member of the community.
MARTIAL ARTS & OTHER CERTIFICATIONS
- 6th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO
- 6th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TA KYUK DO
- EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION SPECIALIST
- CPR/FIRST AID/AED CERTIFICATION
- SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETER
- PUBLISHED ILLUSTRATOR
- BFA IN PAINTING AND DRAWING
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- COMMITTEE MEMBER - SHAPE CARTERET
- BOARD MEMBER - CARTERET COUNTY PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN
Grandmaster SEUNG GYOO DONG
Grandmaster Dong is a pioneer of martial arts in this country. He studied several styles of martial arts including Tae Kwon Do, Hap Ki Do, Ta Kyuk Do, and Kum Do (sword). He also served as the Korean Air Force headquarters instructor in 1967. Grandmaster Dong moved to America to continue his college education and opened his first school in Virginia in 1971. He founded the headquarters branch in Richmond, Virginia, where it remains today. He now has over 30 branch schools in the United States and Australia.
Grandmaster Dong has been the subject of numerous articles in newspapers and magazines, as well as television interviews. In 1989, he was featured on the cover of an international Tae Kwon Do magazine, Tae Kwon Do Times. He has also produced eight martial arts videos, which have been distributed nationally. In addition, Grandmaster Dong has written several books on Tae Kwon Do, Progressive Sparring, Sparring Structure, and Where is My Black Belt? which explores the philosophy of martial arts in the form of a novella. Grandmaster's most recent book was released in 2015; Martial Arts Mastery: Evolution of Training.
Phillip and Shannon as a team are great role models for your children. They truly care about their students and do their best to guide them in the right directions for their life now and in the future. The organization is outstanding with their charity events. Keep up the good work. Kam sa ham ne da. (Thank you.)
--Wendy R. (Mother)
Newport, NC
In November, 1999, Grandmaster Dong competed in the "Grand Master's King of the World Martial Arts Tournament" held in Korea. Grandmaster Dong took the title of the first "King of the World Speed Breaking Grand Master Champion" in the competition.
Grandmaster Dong continues to seek ways to improve his own knowledge in order to benefit his students and other martial artists. He recently completed a Master's Degree in Physical Education. His thesis was on the benefits of low abdomen power breathing in the production of power in the martial arts.
Grandmaster Dong's schools are some of the oldest and most prestigious in the USA. Although he is a world-renowned Grandmaster, he still actively shares his knowledge with students at all levels and continues to offer personal instruction at his headquarters school in Richmond, Virginia. He has trained over 7,000 black belts in his career, including more than 50 masters and several World Champions.
GRANDMASTER SEUNG GYOO DONG
- 9th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TAE KWON DO
- 9th DEGREE BLACK BELT - TA KYUK DO
- 9th DEGREE BLACK BELT - KUM DO (sword)
- MASTER'S DEGREE IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION
OTHER ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- 1st King of the World Speed Breaking Champion
- Producer of 8 Martial Arts Videos
- Published Author of Four Books
- Featured on the Cover of Tae Kwon Do Times Magazine
- Trained over 7,000 Black Belts & over 50 Masters
- Donated over $800,000 for the Children's Hospital through his annual tournaments
- Over 30 branch schools in the USA, Australia, & Costa Rica
- Celebrating over 50 years of teaching in the USA
Get started now with our 30-Day Beginner Program
5270 Hwy 70 West - Morehead City, NC
252-222-0444
