The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum. With prevention as its primary objective, the program is intended as an immunization against delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership. G.R.E.A.T. has developed partnerships with nationally recognized organizations, such as the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the National Association of Police Athletic Leagues. These partnerships encourage positive relationships among the community, parents, schools, and law enforcement officers. G.R.E.A.T. lessons focus on providing life skills to students to help them avoid using delinquent behavior and violence to solve problems. The G.R.E.A.T. Program offers a continuum of components for students and their families.
In the Spring of 2007, the West Sacramento Police Department, in partnership with the Washington Unified School District, rolled out the first G.R.E.A.T. program to 5th grade students at Alyce Norman Elementary School. Since then, the Police Department has delivered the G.R.E.A.T. program to over 300 mostly 4th grade students. The G.R.E.A.T. elementary curriculum was designed for 4th and 5th grade students who may have aggressive behavior in the elementary school years and are more likely to display antisocial and violent behavior as adolescents and young adults. By providing prevention programs to students in elementary school, it is believed that such programs have a better chance of affecting the developmental course of the problem behavior. The program is delivered by both School Resource Officers Sean Saylor and Marc Kirkland. Both officers have completed the necessary training to be certified G.R.E.A.T. instructors.
More recently, the G.R.E.A.T. program has been expanded to include 7th graders. The middle school component is the core curriculum and the foundation of the G.R.E.A.T. Program. The G.R.E.A.T. middle school curriculum was designed for middle school entry-level students in 6th or 7th grade. G.R.E.A.T.’s violence prevention curriculum is a life-skills competency program designed to provide students with the skills they need to avoid gang pressure and youth violence. The curriculum can be used in conjunction with other prevention programs encouraging positive relationships among the community, parents, schools, and law enforcement.
At the end of each session, the students attend a graduation ceremony where they receive a Certificate of Completion, t-shirts and wrist bands, and are treated to a celebration cake!
Questions regarding the G.R.E.A.T. Program, can be answered by our School Resource Officer at 916-617-4900.
