On Thursday, Apr. 30 from 5:45 to 8 p.m., the City of Coral Springs hosted their Teen Self Defense Workshop, designed to empower local students with essential safety skills. This comprehensive educational and crime-prevention program focuses on equipping participants with practical strategies, techniques, and various options for staying safe in real-world situations.

Designed specifically for 11th and 12th-grade residents, the workshop provides a supportive, age-appropriate environment where students can learn to reduce their risk of violence while mastering the physical fundamentals of self-defense.

Rather than just lecturing, instructors walked students through practical drills and situational awareness exercises. The session emphasized de-escalation first, but quickly moved into hands-on techniques for breaking free from a grab or striking to create an exit. By the end, the focus shifted from simple physical defense to building the mental confidence needed to stay calm and move safely through bad situations.

“This workshop gives students a sense of self-awareness they’ll use for a lifetime—not just for a week or a month,” said Senior Office Assistant Dawn Musil. “They’ll learn to stay off their phones in parking lots or at night and walk away with both the educational awareness and the physical skills they need to stay safe.”

By equipping graduating seniors with both physical techniques and a proactive mindset, the workshop transformed local students into more confident, safety-conscious citizens. As they head off to college or the workforce, they do so with the vital skills and situational awareness needed to navigate the world with resilience.