2009 GREAT Local Grant

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 city of Philadelphia will utilize the FY 2010 G.R.E.A.T. Evaluation Site Program funds to continue supporting G.R.E.A.T. program activities for the 2010-2011 school year. Program activities will be carried out by the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD), which will implement three G.R.E.A.T. Program components in the upcoming year. The FY 2010 G.R.E.A.T. evaluation site will assist the G.R.E.A.T. evaluator with the data collection process, which is critical to the program's evaluation, by gaining the cooperation of schools in their respective cities. Because the evaluation site is teaching multiple components of the program, this level of funding will allow them to continue supporting the non-school based families and/or summer components of the program, in addition to the school-based elementary and middle school components.

Specifically, the Middle School Curriculum expects to influence at least 2400 students in at least 14 schools that have a 6th grade class. The PPD also expects to conduct the Middle School Curriculum during the Summer Component to approximately 800 students. Each G.R.E.A.T. Officer will be present at one school each week, teaching 4 to 5 classes, involving 120-150 students. Two sessions will be taught during the year and most of the classroom participants will be from public schools and who live in at-risk neighborhoods.

In addition, the PPD will also be operating an Elementary Curriculum and a Summer Component. During the Summer Component, the PPD will actively collaborate with many local, state and Federal agencies. The department maintains an active schedule of community events where information on the G.R.E.A.T. Program is presented. It is anticipated that the program will be presented at 100 community events.

CA/NCF