Hicksville resident Kevin Lopes is a second-degree karate black belt and a straight-A student who ranks 11th out of all the grapplers in the nation. And he's all of 13-years-old.

At the age of four, Lopes' mother, Nell Pereira, enrolled him in karate classes at Tiger Schulmann's dojo at Hicksville's Delco Plaza. "He was fidgety," Pereira said of her hyperactive son. "It was to give him a little bit more of an outlet for his energy."

Lessons took place four times a week under the guidance of owner and senior instructor Sensei Joseph Curran. At first, Curran said, Lopes was like any other beginner - he spent most of his time on the floor frustrated. Curran made sure that Lopes' never quit by reminding him about one of the most important rules of the dojo. "Never give up," he said.

Lopes took the words to heart and threw himself into his classes, showing his teachers he could take on the challenge. Lopes stance became more confident, his moves steady. Soon, the lessons became more than just an outlet for energy - they spawned a love of the sport and Lopes' personal development into a dedicated, award-winning grappling champion. Curran is incredibly proud of Lopes. "I love him like family," he said. "He became the most consistent. He made this his thing."

In January 2000, four years after his entry into the school, Lopes earned his first-degree black belt. He advanced to second-degree black belt in February 2004.

Karate has taught him things that he applies to everyday life. Self-discipline, respect and integrity are just a few of the many values he takes to heart, he said. Everything that he has learned goes back to an early lesson. "I should never quit no matter how hard the task is," Lopes said.

That's the motivation he takes to the mat when he goes to competitions. It doesn't matter to him if his opponent is bigger, if he's had more experience, if he weighs twice as much as he. "I'm still not intimidated by those factors," Lopes said, adding that he looks at his opponent as a stranger to help him handle his moves.

And it's worked. In the past four years, Lopes has won several awards from the North American Grappling Association (NAGA), including beginners, intermediate and two advanced medals. He has also won titles in the Challenge of Champions (COC), a competition between Tiger Schulmann athletes. A letter from NAGA recently told him of his rank as 11th in the nation among grapplers.

Instructor Christine Lenzi of Tiger Schulmann said Lopes is the kind of honest, dedicated teenager that one doesn't see very often these days. His winnings speak for themselves. "That's pretty exceptional in and of itself," Lenzi said.

Pereira makes sure to watch every single one of her son's games. Although she's not the type to yell and scream wildly in the crowd, Pereira said she's proud of the impression her son leaves on the crowd. "I do enjoy the fact that people talk about him and how great he is."

Lopes said he doesn't let his accomplishments get the better of him. One of the lessons that he's learned is to be a modest, kind winner. His role is to use his experiences to become a leader.

In many ways, Lopes is still your average teen - he thinks about high school and is also involved in a traveling soccer team. He loves to talk, loves cars and his time with friends. Still, there's a spark in his voice, a heightened level of excitement that comes through when he talks about karate. In addition to his other activities, Lopes volunteers his time at Tiger Schulmann's "I help out the kids. It gives me teaching experience," he said. He said it also helps him interact with others at school.

Lopes' presence helps in class, Curran said. As a formal instructor and a third-degree black belt, the students look at Curran and think he's Superman, he said. But when they see 13-year-old Lopes and hear about the awards that he's won and the things that he does, they see possibilities for themselves. "They look at him and say, 'I can do it if he can do it,'" Curran said.