Parkersburg 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 Parkersburg Police Department will use its FY07 G.R.E.A.T. funds to implement the Middle School, Families, and Summer components. The Middle School component will continue to be offered and the expectation is that the implementation of the Families and Summer components will be as effective as the Middle School component. The Summer component will be two 3-week sessions. The Middle School component will be taught to all 7th grade students in three public middle schools and one parochial school. The G.R.E.A.T. Officer will conduct four Families components, two in the fall and two in the spring semester, and will target families with high-risk youth. Each component will be limited to 10 families with a maximum of 40 families served during the year.

CA/NCF