St. Louis GREAT (Gang Resistance Education and Training)

The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) program is a life-skills competency program designed to provide students with the skills they need to avoid gang pressure and youth violence. G.R.E.A.T.'s violence prevention curriculum helps students develop values and practice behaviors that will assist them to avoid destructive activities. The G.R.E.A.T. program coordinates with federal, regional, state and local agencies, as well as individuals from community and civic groups. The goal of the G.R.E.A.T. program is to train law enforcement officers in a school-based curriculum in which the officers provide instruction to school-aged children in life skill competencies, gang awareness, and anti-violence techniques. Training in the core G.R.E.A.T. program is provided to officers from any state or local law enforcement agency.

The G.R.E.A.T. Program will reach an estimated 15 families, 1,470 students in grades K ' 3, 720 students in grades 4 ' 8, and 1,000 summer school participants in its first year of inception. There will be four program components of this program that include the following:

' Elementary School Component ' two G.R.E.A.T. Officers will teach 360 elementary school students in grades 4 ' 5 and two G.R.E.A.T. PAL (police athletic league) Officers will present a monthly program to an additional 1,470 kindergarten ' 3rd graders;

' Middle School Component ' the middle school curricula will be taught by two G.R.E.A.T. officers reaching 360 students in grades 6th ' 8th averaging 30 students per class;

' G.R.E.A.T. Families Component ' sessions will be presented in combination with Safe Haven supporting services and incentives such as transportation to and from the session and workshops for family literacy, parenting and G.E.D. preparation; and

' G.R.E.A.T. Summer Component ' the PAL officers will provide daily oversight. This program will incorporate G.R.E.A.T. messages with the activities and resources of each partnering agency.

CA/NCF