East Palo Alto 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 East Palo Alto will use its grant award to provide G.R.E.A.T instruction to all 1,627 4th-8th grade students currently enrolled in the East Palo Alto School District. The summer component will also be offered at the local Boys and Girls Club and the San Francisco 49ers Academy. This grant will support a G.R.E.A.T program coordinator, who is responsible for overseeing the project including coordinating and scheduling the project officers and managing the grant including all reporting and evaluation requirements. It will also partially support a supervising police lieutenant.

CA/NCF