2007 La Crosse Area Law Enforcement Collaborative G.R.E.A.T. Project

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 La Crosse Police Department will use this $80,000 grant to implement a comprehensive Middle School, Elementary, Families, and Summer G.R.E.A.T. program. The elementary program will be presented to 4th graders, while the middle school program will be presented to 6th graders in public schools and 7th graders in private Catholic schools in the area. Through a partnership with the La Crosse Park and Recreation Department and the Boys & Girls Club, the grantee will also put on two summer programs aimed at reinforcing the values, character building, and conflict management lessons learned in the G.R.E.A.T. classroom curriculum. All members of the partnership feel that their investment in a lengthy summer program with a high number of contact hours is essential in reaching youth and preventing gang activity; the summer vacation period is a peak time for 'at-risk' behavior by children with few role models. The family component will consist of a six-lesson G.R.E.A.T. families curriculum that will be taught at three cooperative learning centers.

CA/NCF