Vernon High School senior gains karate Championship

VERNON TOWNSHIP-Sara Shull, a senior at Vernon Township High School, won the annual United Shorin-Ryu Black Belt Karate Championship Tournament, Feb. 19, in Totowa. Shull displayed power and determination that only comes after years of training and a driving desire to win after eliminating a large and exceptional field of talented Black Belt level challengers to forge ahead and gain the championship. Shull has trained at the Vernon Valley Karate Academy for more than 12 years and has reached the level of nidan, or 2nd degree black belt. Next year, Shull will attend the University of Delaware. "Knowing how proficient Sara is in the martial arts certainly helps to eliminate some of the worry about how she will be able to handle situations that might arise while she is away on her own," said her father.