About 40 martial arts students broke about 1,908 boards to raise about $5,600 for Communities in Schools of Renton July 23.

Each student, some as young as 4, broke boards for about 15 minutes, said Geofrey Driver, program director at Lee’s Martial Arts.

The top breaker was 11-year-old John Porcaro, who broke 153 boards in the 15-minute time frame.

Smaller kids with less technique found the experience harder, many grabbing their feet in pain.

When they were given the option to stop, many got up and kept trying, Driver said. “They learned a lot about perseverance.”

The break-a-thon was one of several displays at the Renton River Days festival Friday. Kids took turns breaking boards, and a large pile of the wood pieces was left on display.

“We want to teach our kids that it’s important to give back to the community,” Driver said. “We’re going to do it every year.”