Person County 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 Person County Sheriff's Department in collaboration with the Person County School System is dedicated to implementing the G.R.E.A.T. program in Person County, North Carolina. They will use the grant funds to: cross-train four of their officers in the G.R.E.A.T. program curriculum; establish and teach the G.R.E.A.T. Program in seven of the elementary schools to 4th grade students, serving an average of 427 students in a year; and create a Family Component to target high-risk level children between the ages of 10 and 14.

CA/NCF