Approved by the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Education, AKS has a wonderful history as a school for massage therapists and bodyworkers.

In 1992, V. Wendell Driggers, after retiring as a Captain in the U.S. Coast Guard, founded AKS Massage School in Herndon, Virginia. The initial school was located in old town Herndon, near the Great Harvest Bread Company. It was originally named Applied Kinesiological Studies. Wendell developed the "core" curriculum of the school and helped students learn massage therapy and bodywork for several years.

When Wendell decided to retire more "completely", he passed his legacy and the school onto, H. Katharine Hunter, one of the AKS graduates from the original class of 1992, graduating in 1993. Under Katharine's direction, the school was greatly expanded and moved to the Springwood Professional Center in 1999.

After accepting new ownership of the school, Katharine also renamed AKS to Applied Kinesthetic Studies, probably because it was a little easier to say. It was also given a nickname: "Awesome Kneading School". Eventually, Katharine incorporated the school as AKS Massage School, Inc. in order to better protect its intellectual property and personnel.

The school website was created in 1999, by a student in the first Certificate Program class held under Katharine's direction. We will maintain this website as long as practical in order to keep the community informed of school activities.

Katharine continues to manage and operate the school as sole corporate officer and managing director. Wendell continues to provide school "oversight" and also receives regular massages, with his wife Yvonne, from an AKS graduate from the class of 2003.

Since the first graduating class, AKS students have distinguished themselves by their proficiency, professionalism, and personal talents. Some have made AKS their first venture into higher education and others arrive with the highest educational degrees.

Many of the past and current school instructors hold Master and Doctorate degrees in education and many other fields of study. Many AKS students have come from the corporate world and others had already started careers in health and medicine.

Dedicated graduates provide therapeutic massages to children and seniors, couch potatoes and elite athletes. Clients have progressed from injury to recovery, as well as from stress to relaxation.

AKS massage therapists serve healthy clients, stressed folks, people with injuries, and physical disabilities. We offer ourselves to those living with cancers, Lupus, Lyme, HIV/Aids, Multiple Sclerosis, Arthritis, ALS, Muscular Dystrophy, as well as those recovering from surgery and fractures. We help those bringing new life into the world, and those at the close of life.

AKS Massage School has been present at Special Olympics, Paralympics, triathlons, marathons, senior centers, health fairs, employee benefits fairs, municipalities, schools, and throughout the corporate world. We will always look for ways to share our learning, our experiences, and our lives with other people and our community.

The AKS has temporarily closed the Herndon, VA facility for classes during the fall of 2012. However, the "school", the property, and the core staff remain.

Stealing a line from a former republican California Governor: "We'll be back!", when we see or are given another opportunity to serve the community.