G.R.E.A.T Families, summer components, and Middle School Curricula

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 Monterey Park Police Department will use G.R.E.A.T. grant funds for the 13-week G.R.E.A.T Middle School Curricula, a six-session G.R.E.A.T. Families program, and the G.R.E.A.T. Summer Component. The Monterey Park Police Department will facilitate the Middle School curriculum in 10 of the City's schools during the 2007/2008 school year. The G.R.E.A.T. Officer will teach at five schools from October to January. The remaining five schools will be taught from February to June. The Monterey Park Police Department will also facilitate the G.R.E.A.T. Summer Component. In addition to the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum, the focus of the summer camp program is conflict resolution, decision making, self-image, self confidence, and cultural awareness. The Monterey Park Police Department will implement a G.R.E.A.T. Families Component. The two facilitators will instruct 10 families and approximately 30 family members through a variety of activities and discussions. The program will be facilitated weekly by a certified G.R.E.A.T. officer in addition to his/her normal duties (patrol, explorer advisor, various other positions). The Officers will facilitate the G.R.E.A.T. program in the same areas they patrol and police. The short-term project goal is to increase the number of youths who demonstrate an increased negative view about gangs by 5% our first year. The long-term goal is to achieve an increase in negative views about gangs among 90% of the middle school program graduates by 2010. A baseline will be established to demonstrate results through middle school surveys and classroom interaction.

CA/NCF