He was one of a dozen kids warming up inside KIPP Lanning Square Middle School’s gymnasium on Wednesday afternoon for the weekly class in Kumdo — an elite Korean martial art that stems from feudal Japan’s samurai sword-fighting and inspired the light-saber duels in the Star Wars movies. Kendo is its Japanese counterpart.

The next hour was filled with stomping and shouting as barefoot students raced through a handful of drills, but ended on a relaxing minute of meditation.

"The meditation at the end is my favorite part. It helps me clear my mind of any anger from the day," said Figueroa, who sometimes practices sparring at home with a broom to improve his skills.

In the U.S., Kumdo is an expensive recreational activity typically only found at Ivy League universities or private academies. But Cherry Hill-based martial arts school SYK Sword Academy contacted the Camden school last year and offered free instructional classes.