GREAT

ARCHS' GREATARCHS' Lifelong Learning:

Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT)

ARCHS' Funding Partner: U.S. Dept. of Justice (2006-2010)

Goal: Provide lifeskills and mentoring services to students.

ARCHS' Service Delivery Partners: Area police agencies and school districts.

Key Results to Date: More than 3,100 area K-8 students have completed courses taught by area law enforcement officers aimed at improving student life skills and decision making to help reduce impact of gangs and drugs.

Availability: Open to students in targeted school districts.

ARCHS' GREAT Graduates 130 students at Fairview

Tuesday, 31 January 2012 |

ARCHS' Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) program graduated more than 130 students on January 11 from Fairview Elementary School in Jennings.

Students received certificates, T-shirts and backpacks for their hard work and the effort put forth in the classes. They also celebrated with cake and punch afterwards.

GREAT provides school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum. The program's primary objective is prevention and is intended as immunization against delinquency, youth violence and gang membership.

GREAT Graduation Photo Gallery

ARCHS' GREAT Partnership

Thursday, 30 September 2010 |

City of Jennings police officer Eugene Bickley had just completed an ARCHS’ Gang Resistance Education and Training (GREAT) class for nearly 20 students at Fairview Elementary. He was enthusiastic the students had learned something, and hoped they felt comfortable approaching all city police officers, even if it was just to exchange friendly greetings.

“The class is basically about life skills, but more specifically about being an individual, making good decisions and about not being persuaded by peer pressure,” Bickley said. “When we talk about gangs, some students start with a wall up and you then gradually start to see the wall come down. Hopefully, the students feel comfortable with officers and aren’t afraid …”