Southampton - Four-and-a-half years since first setting out to become black belts, the inaugural karate class at the Southampton Town Recreation Center has finally achieved their goal. Last weekend, seven children and two adults passed a rigorous test and, in a ceremony Saturday, were equipped with the much sought-after addition to their martial arts wardrobe.

Jessica Bennett was one of four martial artists to achieve a brown belt at the ceremony.

The youngest of the kids, nine-year-old Victor Esposito, accomplished the feat alongside brother Andreas, the oldest of them at 14 years of age. Other newly anointed black belts include Steve Hilles (Riverhead), Harrison and Max Yardley (Sag Harbor), Nancy Miller (Southampton), Matt Morgani (Southampton), Haley Lund (Bridgehampton) and Emily Goleski (Southampton).

"They were all just amazing," Sensei Helene Ely said. "They exceeded my expectations. It was really very moving. It was great seeing how proud the kids were. They had to work for it; it wasn't given to them. They were so nervous, but they kept it together. My instructor held a speech that they never will be looked at the same because now they're black belts. The moment they receive their belts, they change and become stronger people."

Furthermore, brown belts were received by Andrea and Wilmer Godoy, Jessica Bennett and Eric Simioni. Marlene Esposito, mother of the Esposito boys, acquired her purple belt.

Sensei Helene Ely said the class was "nervous" but nonetheless delivered a splendid performance to earn their black belts.

While the rite of passage was rewarding for the nine brown-belts-turned-black-belts, the achievement was as rewarding for their sensei, a third-degree black belt who in addition to being SYS' chief karate instructor also serves as its bookkeeper.

Sag Harbor's Max Yardley was one of nine members to turn in their brown belts last weekend.

"It was really moving," Ely said. "It was so beautiful to see this line of black belts, how they stood there and how proud they were. I was extremely proud of them."

On Friday night, the class went through rigorous challenges by Ely's instructor, Kyoshi Armando Jemmott, a seventh-degree black belt who flew in from Riverside, CA, to administer the test. Ely is the regional director for Jemmott's SanTen Karate Institute, a more traditional style of Japanese karate. Among the facets on which the students were graded were kata (forms) and fighting; as important as the physical aspects were the essays they wrote about what the achievement would mean to them.

"We explained that they have to be exceptional beings now," Ely said. "They're the last people that are allowed to fight. It's supposed to be absolutely about self-defense and preserving peace."

According to Ely, all of her students expressed interest in teaching karate, an important responsibility for a black belt. They have a minimum of two years ahead of them before attaining second-degree status. Upon obtaining their third-degree black belt, they must begin teaching.

"They have to start assisting and teaching and doing all sorts of things to contribute to the art," Ely said.

The karate program began when SYS opened up four and a half years ago, and this year's black belts were Ely's first class. Additionally, she runs regular seminars at Southampton High School, the Playground in East Quogue, and at both the John Marshall School and Springs School in East Hampton.

SYS' first class of black belts (left to right): Steve Hilles, Harrison Yardley, Nancy Miller, Victor Esposito, Kyoshi Armando Jemmott, Max Yardley, Sensei Helene Ely, Matt Morgani, Andrea Esposito and Haley Lund. Not pictured: Emily Goleski.