Township of North Bergen 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 Township of North Bergen is an urban community located in Hudson County, New Jersey. The 12 municipalities in Hudson County share many borders and streets and North Bergen is bordered by Jersey City on three major roadways. This allows for major gang influence and overlapping. As gangs are pushed out of Jersey City, they move into North Bergen.

The Township of North Bergen in collaboration with the North Bergen Board of Education will be using their 2007 G.R.E.A.T. funds to implement Elementary and Middle School Programs, a Families Program, and a Summer Component for the 2007-2008 school year. The G.R.E.A.T. programs to be implemented will teach a minimum of 1,315 students. The Elementary School Program will be taught to all fourth grade students and the Middle School Program will be offered to all sixth grade students. The summer component will serve approximately 200 youth in the Junior Police Academy Program. An estimated 120 families will participate in the Families Program. This aggressive undertaking on behalf of the Township and Board of Education will increase and complement several programs presently in place that address early adolescent antisocial behavior and rebelliousness. These programs are available after school and evenings and all are designed to promote self-esteem and offer social skills while providing assertiveness training, conflict resolution, parent-youth communication, reflective listening, refusal skills, and resisting peer pressure. All North Bergen programs are designed to encourage students to remain substance free and focus on academic achievement.

CA/NCF