Twiggs County Gang Intervention 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 curricula help students develop values and practice behaviors that will help them avoid destructive activities. G.R.E.A.T. program staff coordinate project activities with federal, regional, state, and local agencies, as well as individuals from community and civic groups. The goal of the program is to train criminal justice professionals to deliver a school-based curriculum that teaches life-skills competencies, gang awareness, and violence-avoidance techniques.

The Twiggs County Board of Education, through the Twiggs County Public School Police Department, will use its FY 08 grant funds to implement the G.R.E.A.T. Program. The award will fund the elementary and middle school components, as well as the summer and family components. The elementary school component will teach 80 fourth graders, 30 fifth graders, and 85 sixth graders. The middle school component will teach 30 seventh graders. The family component will be taught to 20 families, and the summer component will target 60 at-risk students. The students will be identified through prevention programs that serve their at-risk students. The summer component will be vital for at-risk students because of the limited activities available for students in the local community.

The Twiggs County Public School Police Department will continue collaboration efforts with other agencies, such as the Bibb County Board of Education Campus Police. Bibb County also has certified G.R.E.A.T officers, which benefit both agencies. Both agencies will collaborate to implement the family and summer components.

CA/NCF