GREAT Summer 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.

This grant will support G.R.E.A.T. programming for 7th grade students in three middle schools in two school districts. The G.R.E.A.T. program is delivered at two public middle schools in the Neenah Joint School District and one public middle school in the Menasha Joint School District. There are four officers who work to deliver the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum in classroom settings. Two officers work to deliver the program in one Neenah Joint School District school to 311 students, one officer in the other Neenah Joint School District school services 208 7th grade students, and one officer in the Menasha Joint School District services 220 6th grade students. The Menasha Joint School District delivers the program during the first part of the school year. The program is delivered during the 2nd semester in the Neenah Joint School District which leads into the GREAT Summer Program. The summer program consists of a 5 week program offered to middle school students who received the G.R.E.A.T. school program. The summer program serves approximately 120 students.

CA/NCF