Volume 2 • Issue 1 • may 2007G.R.e.a.T. News

Mailing information will be placed here. Check with your local printer/mail house to determine specific information.

No VioleNce is G.R.e.A.T.

© 2007 by the Institute for Intergovernmental Research® (IIR) on behalf of the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program. All rights reserved. For permission to make copies or otherwise use the content herein, contact IIR at (800) 726-7070.

G.R.e.a.T. NaTIoNal PRoGRam offIce

Post Office Box 12729Tallahassee, FL 32317-2729

Phone: (800) 726-7070Fax: (850) 386-5356

www.great-online.org

La Crosse Police Department • 400 La Crosse Street • La Crosse, WI 54601 • 1-877-TO-GREATFax: (608) 789-8203 • www.mwgreat.org

REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR Lt. Raj Ramnarace ADMINISTRATOR ASSISTANTS Teri Serres • Stephanie Gavrilos

G.R.e.a.T. ReGIoNal TRaINING coNfeReNces - 2007You are invited to participate in the wealth of knowledge available to you at this year’s regional training conferences for the Gang Resistance Education And Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program. There will be a G.R.E.A.T. Regional Training Conference in each of the program’s five regions.

wesTeRN ReGIoN

Sacramento, CAAugust 1-3, 2007

souThwesT ReGIoN

Albuquerque, NMJuly 11-13, 2007

souTheasT ReGIoN

Atlanta, GAJune 13-15, 2007

NoRTheasT ReGIoN

Hartford, CTAugust 15-17, 2007

mIdwesT ReGIoN

Cleveland, OHJune 27-29, 2007

No VioleNce is G.R.e.A.T.

No VioleNce is G.R.e.A.T.NaTIoNal News

woRkshoPsIn addition to structured networking opportunities, this year’s conferences will provide intensive training opportunities with sessions covering a variety of topics, such as: •Empathizing and intervening with youth with special needs. •Leadership and character development. •Dealing with classroom management issues. •Graffiti abatement. •Starting a G.R.E.A.T. Program in your community. •Media influences on youth. •Gang issues.

fuNdINGThrough funding provided by the Office of Justice Programs’; Bureau of Justice Assistance, the conference registration fee is waived. Participants will be responsible only for expenses such as travel, lodging, and meals/incidentals. G.R.E.A.T. grant funds may be used for these other expenses. Complimentary lunch will be provided on Wednesday and Thursday, and breakfast is complimentary on Friday.

coNfeReNce deTaIlsPlease share this announcement with others. In addition to G.R.E.A.T. officers, conference attendance is recommended for: •School district personnel. •Law enforcement administrators and practitioners. •G.R.E.A.T. supervisors. •School resource officers. •Crime prevention officers. •Individuals representing youth-oriented programs. •Legal and criminal/juvenile justice professionals. •Community leaders.

For more information about the hotels and conference schedule, please visit the G.R.E.A.T. Web site at www.great-online.org.•

BeyoNd GoT:TRaINING foR VeTeRaNG.R.e.a.T. offIceRs

A new interactive and facilitated training program has been developed for G.R.E.A.T. officers. After two successful pilots, the G.R.E.A.T. Officer In-Service Training (GOI) will be presented in conjunction with each G.R.E.A.T. Regional Training Conference this summer.

The program is designed for seasoned, certified G.R.E.A.T. officers (with one or more years in the classroom) and is facilitated by National Training Team members. GOI participants will help identify problems, issues, and concerns that they have experienced while administering and presenting the G.R.E.A.T. curricula in their schools and communities. Facilitators will present updates and information that pertains to the G.R.E.A.T. Program, as well as enhance and expand on topics originally covered in the G.R.E.A.T. Officer Training (GOT).

Participants in this 30-person class will be divided into small teams to better share information, experiences, knowledge, and methodology learned during their tenure as a G.R.E.A.T. officer. The officers also will benefit from the knowledge and experiences of the veteran facilitators. Topics that will be presented in the class include the new lesson “Transitioning From Officer to Educator,” classroom management, bullying, networking, children with special needs, gang updates, and national and regional activity.

Participants in the GOI who live over 50 miles from the training site will have their lodging paid for by the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center. The GOI program is a separate event from the regional conference but will run simultaneously with the conference. Do not register for both the regional conference and the GOI.

Officers attending the conference or the GOI will have the opportunity to network at the breaks, luncheons, and after hours. Those officers eligible to attend the GOI must currently be certified G.R.E.A.T. officers with a minimum of one year of experience in delivering the G.R.E.A.T. curricula.

sTudeNTs GeT GaNG ResIsTaNce educaTIoN

article taken from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Pioneer Press, December 2006, written by Mara H. Gottfried

St. Paul cops are going to school to reach kids before gangs do. The first St. Paul students graduated Friday from Gang Resistance Education And Training, a national program.

The police department applied for a federal grant to get the G.R.E.A.T. Program rolling. When it didn’t get the money, the department decided, “We’ll do it without the funding,” said Assistant Police Chief Nancy DiPerna. “It’s that important.”

The program started this fall at Humboldt Junior High School with no money, but officer Sheila Lambie, the program’s coordinator, recently approached the St. Paul Police Foundation and secured $10,000 for the year.

The bulk of the school’s seventh-graders, more than 130 students, received the training. “This is an age when they’re (gangs) recruiting,” Lambie said. “We’re trying to get them (students) before they’re recruited.”

Lambie and officer Ruby Diaz taught the program at Humboldt once a week for 13 weeks. The curriculum includes making good decisions, setting goals, dealing with peer pressure, managing anger and resolving conflict.

Savanah Lewis, 12, said her favorite part was the lesson about saying no and meaning it’ to drugs and other negative situations. The students did role playing as practice. “Joining gangs and doing drugs are going to get you nowhere in life’” was what she learned, Savanah said.

For their final project, six of the seven classes made posters. The posters hung in the school’s cafeteria Friday and included phrases such as, ‘No violence is G.R.E.A.T. Don’t join any gangs.’ The other class cleaned graffiti from school library books, so they could be returned to the shelves.

Lambie said she selected Humboldt as the first school not because its students are more at risk, but because she’s spent much of her career working on the city’s West Side. Humboldt Principal Tim Williams said his only hesitation about the program, which was launched in Phoenix in 1991, at first was the term ‘gang resistance.’ He said he feared there would be a ‘perception in the community that maybe there’s a gang problem here, and there’s not.’ Now, Williams said he’s pleased with the results.

Police are applying for grants again and hope to expand the program, Lambie said. It’s scheduled to be at Cleveland Middle School next semester. Mayor Chris Coleman told students Friday at Humboldt that because they were the first to go

through the program, “You are the leaders. You have to go out and talk to other kids ... about the lessons you learned,” he said.

Those lessons included “understanding how people feel and not joining gangs or being a bad person,” said Maly Thao, 12. “I think most 12-year-olds aren’t thinking of what can happen, so this is good,” she said. •

UPCOMING TRAININGSDates Type Location

June 4-15, 2007 80 Hour La Crosse, WI

Aug 13-17, 2007 40 Hour La Crosse, WI

Sept 17-28, 2007 80 Hour La Crosse, WIOct 29-Nov 9, 2007 80 Hour La Crosse, WI

June 25-26, 2007 GFT Cleveland, OH

elemeNTaRy ceRTIfIcaTes

a New lookIf you have recently ordered graduation certificates, you have probably noticed that the Elementary Certificate is now sporting a new look. The Elementary Certificate no longer has the multi-colored photo of the G.R.E.A.T. kids. The certificate has now been redesigned to look similar to that of the Core Curriculum Certificate. So when printing your certificates, make sure to pay close attention to the certificate you are using. Here are the primary differences:

Elementary Certificate Core Certificate

Certificate of Completion Certificate of AccomplishmentTITLE

and has made the personal commitment to resist the pressures to join gangs and not to participate in

violence.

WORDINGand has made the personal

commitment to be a G.R.E.A.T. citizen, avoid

gangs, and not participate in violence.

G.R.E.A.T. Instructor, Classroom Teacher, Principal, Date of

Completion

SIGNATURESG.R.E.A.T. Instructor,

Classroom Teacher, Date of Completion

s

No VioleNce is G.R.e.A.T.ReGIoNal News

ReGIoNal coNfeReNcewritten by Raj Ramnarace, M.Ed.

In this issue you will find a variety of articles on training and conference opportunities that will be offered in each region. The Midwest Region will host its series of trainings June 25 through June 29 in Cleveland, Ohio. On Monday and Tuesday of that week we will be offering two pre-conference training opportunities, G.R.E.A.T. Families and G.R.E.A.T. Grant Management, followed by two separate tracks on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. The table below shows the distinctions between these four separate offerings:

messaGe fRom The ReGIoNal admINIsTRaToR

No VioleNce is G.R.e.A.T.

Please note that only the G.R.E.A.T. Officer In-Service requires registration through the Midwest Regional office (1-877-TO GREAT, or www.mwgreat.org). Registration for the special trainings for G.R.E.A.T. Families, Grant Management, and the Regional Conference will be handled through www.great-online.org. We hope to see you there!

school shooTINGs aNd G.R.e.a.T. offIceRsThe tragic events at Virginia Tech underscore the dangers facing staff and students in schools. Moreover, the value of having skilled police officers who can respond immediately to armed assailants is incalculable. According to a 2004 government report on school safety, 9 percent of students reported being threatened or injured by weapons during the preceding 12 months. Your presence contributes to a sense of safety that kids need in order to learn and thrive. You are the first line of defense for the defenseless. Thank you for being there for our students and our schools.

Pre-Conference Trainings: June 25-26, 2007Session Eligibility Registration

G.R.E.A.T. Families Training (16 hours) Certified G.R.E.A.T. Officer www.great-online.org

G.R.E.A.T Grant Management (16 hours)

Anyone responsible for grant reporting

www.great-online.org

s Regional Conference/Officer Inservice: June 27-29, 2007Session Eligibility Registration

G.R.E.A.T. Regional Conference (20 hours) G.R.E.A.T. Officers, SRO, educators, community partners

www.great-online.org

G.R.E.A.T. Officer Inservice (20 hours) Certified G.R.E.A.T. Officers (1 year+) www.mwgreat.org

No VioleNce is G.R.e.A.T.

this training are those who manage grant projects, are responsible for the fiscal management of grant funds, are responsible for the implementation and oversight of the G.R.E.A.T. project (e.g., G.R.E.A.T. officer supervisors or unit commanders), and are responsible for preparing the G.R.E.A.T. grant proposals and/or measuring the success of the project and reporting the project results.

G.R.e.a.T. famIlIes TRaININGThis training is offered to certified, active G.R.E.A.T. officers who want to teach the G.R.E.A.T. Families component. The G.R.E.A.T. Families component is a research-based, family-strengthening program consisting of a six-session family curriculum and a family/community resource guide for G.R.E.A.T. facilitators. By linking a universal family curriculum to specialized family assistance resources, G.R.E.A.T. Families provides G.R.E.A.T. officers with the basic tools needed to work effectively with families and family service agencies.

ReGIsTRaTIoN INfoRmaTIoNPlease note that registering for the conference does NOT register participants for this training. Visit the G.R.E.A.T. Web site at www.great-online.org for registration information for these training opportunities. •

souTheasT ReGIoNJune 11−12, 2007

Atlanta, GA•

mIdwesT ReGIoNJune 25−26, 2007

Cleveland, OH•

souThwesT ReGIoNJuly 9−10, 2007

Albuquerque, NM•

wesTeRN ReGIoNJuly 30−31, 2007Sacramento, CA

•NoRTheasT ReGIoN

August 13−14, 2007

Hartford, CT

summeR TRaINING oPPoRTuNITIes

G.R.E.A.T. Grant Management Workshops and G.R.E.A.T. Families Training sessions have been scheduled in each region as shown below. These trainings will be held the Monday and Tuesday prior to the regional training conferences.

G.R.e.a.T. GRaNTmaNaGemeNT woRkshoP

This training encourages participants to think strategically about how they develop, administer, and fund their G.R.E.A.T. projects. It is particularly suited for those individuals whose agency has received or anticipates receiving G.R.E.A.T. grant funding from the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance. Participants are introduced to a variety of methods and tools used to write effective grant applications, identify community problems, administer and manage projects, and assess performance. Participants who would most benefit from

mIdwesT ReGIoNcoNTacT INfoRmaTIoNMidwest Regional Training Center

400 La Crosse StreetLa Crosse, WI 54601

Phone 1-877-TO-GREATFax (608)789-8203

E-mail: great@cityoflacrosse.org•

To ReGIsTeRTo download a registration form, log onto

www.great-online.org and click on theRegional G.R.E.A.T. Officer

Inservice Training link on the right.

Dates, locations, applications, and instructions for the GOI can be obtained from the G.R.E.A.T. Web site at www.great-online.org. Officers should register in the region in which they reside. (Exceptions may be made for officers with extenuating circumstances; however, preference will be given to those who register in their own region.) The deadline for registration will be 30 days from the start of the GOI. The class will be limited to 30 participants. For any questions, please contact your Regional Administrator at the telephone number or e-mail address below.•

No VioleNce is G.R.e.A.T.feelING G.R.e.a.T.

PRoGRam BuIlds coNfIdeNce,aIdes commuNITy

article taken from the Mining Journal, Marquette, MI, written by Christopher Diem

Eighth-graders from Gwinn Middle School recently graduated from the Gang Resistance And Education Training Program, a federally funded program administered by the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department.

“You’re role models,” said Sheriff Mike Lovelace, addressing the kids. “Whether you know it or not, whether you want to be one or not, you are. That means other kids are going to look up to you.”

The program encourages kids to improve their community and their school. At their graduation ceremony, the eighth-graders presented ideas on how to improve the school. Some of the projects included painting the halls and bathrooms, maintaining a recycling program, installing flower gardens on school grounds or tutoring other students.

Senara Dollar and Kayeligh Leedle, both 13, presented a pamphlet they made about how drugs affected people’s lives.

“We took information off the Internet and researched alcohol, tobacco and different drugs and what they can do to you,” Leedle said.

She said through research she found that 30 percent of the U.S. population age 12 and older used tobacco at least once a month.

“There are a lot of people who do drugs and it can really hurt you,” Dollar said.

The program, in its first year, was made possible by a grant awarded to Marquette County by the U.S. Justice Department. Over a 13-week period, Cpl. Lowell Larson, the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department’s gang resistance officer, taught classes in the fifth and eighth grades. This month he begins teaching in the seventh grade.

“A lot of people get the wrong idea. They think it’s about gangs, but it’s really about life skills,” Larson said. “We talk about conflict resolution, problem solving and decision making.”

The sheriff’s department is in the process of renewing the grant application for next year. If it is successful, the program will

continue at Gwinn Middle School but only with classes in the fifth and seventh grades. Additionally, the sheriff’s department would like to expand the program to include C.L. Phelps Middle School in Ishpeming.

Larson said he hopes the federal funding continues, but if it doesn’t he said it’s important the program be continued.

“One dollar of prevention is worth eight dollars in reaction,” he said. “This is our first opportunity to get back into the schools and do a prevention program since the D.A.R.E. program was eliminated.”

Student response to the program and to a sheriff’s deputy in the school has been positive, Larson said.

“Just walking down the hall they’re responding in a positive way, always saying ‘hi,’ or giving a high five or a handshake,” he said. “The main point of this program is to increase the positive relationship between law enforcement and the kids and the public. What they perceive on television and what they hear from other people is not always reality.”

In addition to the school-based programs, the G.R.E.A.T. program incorporates a six-week parent and child component to help parents improve their relationships with

family members. The family program begins at the West Branch Community Center this month and is free of charge. Meals, child-care and gas cards are provided to participants.

During the summer, Larson will be incorporating violence prevention lessons into recreation programming at the Salvation Army and the community center. •

Marquette County Sheriff Mike Lovelace, left, hands out graduation certificates to eighth-grade students at Gwinn Middle School recently as Cpl. Lowell Larson, right, congratulates them. (Journal photo by Christopher Diem)

G.R.e.a.T. famIlIesPeRsoNalIze youR PRoGRam

written by Officer Avrie Schott and Teri Serres, La Crosse Police Department, WI

We have found a successful way to recruit and commit families to attend the third component of the G.R.E.A.T. Program, G.R.E.A.T. Families. This program, designed to engage parents and children in order to foster positive functioning, is a six-session family curriculum. G.R.E.A.T. Officers can face many obstacles when implementing this program, such as recruitment, commitment challenges, and community support. To help overcome these obstacles, we have developed a partnership with the school district and the local Boys and Girls Clubs. Along with these partnership opportunities, we have also found it to be quite valuable when a personalized touch, such as a follow-up phone call, was included in the recruitment process.

For our Spring 2007 G.R.E.A.T. Families session, we approached the recruitment process a little different than that of our past efforts - and the response was tremendous. The steps we took for implementing our successful Families Program are highlighted below.

Location and Community Support Our first step was to pinpoint a convenient location to hold our family sessions, as well as gain community and school district support. Lincoln Middle School, a school of 401 students, was chosen to host our G.R.E.A.T. Families sessions. This particular middle school proved to be an excellent choice, as the staff support for the program was overwhelming. Outside support from principals, guidance counselors, social workers, and school resource officers is crucial; because if they believe in the program, your success rate will climb. At Lincoln Middle School, we had an array of local support from staff that ranged from Principal Larry Myhra, to Guidance Counselors Pat Haas and Tayna Vaughn, Social Worker Sarah Horton, and School District Parent Program Coordinator Mary Nelson.

Sending out Personalized Invitations Our second step included recruitment of families. In the past, recruitment efforts from our department varied from sending a generic letter home with students, to sending out automated phone calls to families within the school district. We quickly found out that these approaches did not elicit the response we had hoped for. So this year, we decided to personalize our invitations to targeted families. Our first step was to send out a joint letter from Chief Edward Kondracki of the La Crosse Police Department in conjunction with Principal Larry Myhra, of Lincoln

Middle School, to encourage families to attend this family-strengthening program.

In addition to this written invitation, we followed up with personal phone calls made by G.R.E.A.T. Officers and Middle School staff. Our phone call method was simple. We first asked middle school personnel to take a list of students and highlight those students thought to benefit most from the program. The list was then split up and the phone calls started. We found that families responded much better when they had the opportunity to speak with a G.R.E.A.T. Officer or middle school staff about the program. We not only invited the families to attend our session, but had a chance to answer all questions and reservations the families had regarding the program. Our success rate was so high, that we had to end the phone calls before our list was complete. Our total list added up to 18 families.

Attendance Our third and most difficult step now ensued. We had to find a way to keep all 18 families coming back to each session. Our plan of attack included a raffle drawing that each family could enter. The prize was a gift certificate from a local grocery store and a local shopping center. Each time a family attended a session, they had another opportunity to put their name in the drawing. At the end of the six-sessions, a family could have up to six chances at winning the gift certificates.

We found that our new approach to recruitment, family commitment, and community support has dramatically changed our G.R.E.A.T. Family sessions. We were so successful this Spring, that we already have a waiting list of families for our Fall session. Not only will we offer G.R.E.A.T. Families again to Lincoln Middle School families, but we will now expand to our other middle schools in the district. •