The G.R.E.A.T. Program

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 City of Syracuse will use $158,572 in federal funding to dedicate four police officers to the City's 15 middle schools to administer the G.R.E.A.T program. Approximately 256 fourth graders and 1,803 sixth graders will be served.

Additionally, the dedicated Police Officers will administer an evening Families component to 40 parents and youth; they will administer a Summer component to reach approximately 40-50 students deemed at risk or already involved in gangs through the Violence Intervention and Prevention Project; they will conduct a G.R.E.A.T. day pep rally for all 1,748 sixth graders in the Syracuse School District; and they will staff the G.R.E.A.T outreach activities at the annual New York State Fair.

CA/NCF