GREAT Program, Cedar Rapids.

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 Sixth Judicial District Department of Correctional Services is partnering with the Cedar Rapids Police Department and Community School District to implement the G.R.E.A.T. program. Officers will teach the 13-week curriculum in social studies classes at McKinley Middle School and will reach 203 sixth grade students. The middle school will incorporate G.R.E.A.T. in its six-week summer academic and youth leadership programs. Officers will teach the curriculum to 132 fourth and 50 fifth grade students at Johnson and Polk Elementary. In addition, officers will teach G.R.E.A.T. as part of the PAL program, which targets kindergarten through fifth grade.

CA/NCF