Philadelphia Students Graduate from ATF Gang Resistance Education and Training Program
PHILADELPHIA — Special Agent in Charge Eric DeGree of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Philadelphia Field Division announced the graduation of 27 Tacony Charter Academy fifth graders from Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) this month.
“Congratulations G.R.E.A.T. graduates! I wish you success as you put your newly learned skills to use,” said DeGree. “The G.R.E.A.T. program has brought students and law enforcement officers together in the classroom to learn essential life skills that strengthen our communities for more than 30 years.”
The G.R.E.A.T. youth and community outreach program was launched in 1991 to proactively combat violent crime. It uses community-oriented policing tactics and community outreach to change perceptions about law enforcement, one student at a time. In Philadelphia, G.R.E.A.T. program instructors have focused on helping eliminate delinquency, youth violence and gang membership.
“Don’t join gangs!” exclaimed one of the students. Another student said, “just because you see someone do something dangerous, doesn’t mean you have to.”
“The students took the interactive portions of the program to heart and treated each other with mutual respect,” said G.R.E.A.T. instructor ATF Special Agent Daniel Leskowicz.
The class’s teacher, Hilary Moeller, said, “I’ve noticed the students using skills they learned in G.R.E.A.T. in their regular school days.”
The G.R.E.A.T. curriculum includes violence prevention, conflict resolution techniques, decision-making, goal setting and problem-solving. The elementary school curriculum is a six-week interactive session for fourth and fifth graders with an emphasis on family involvement. Students are taught how to set goals, resist peer pressure, respect differences, resolve conflicts and understand how gangs can negatively impact their quality of life. They also learn the importance of becoming responsible members of their communities.
Information on the G.R.E.A.T. program, its mission and impact on communities is online at http://www.atf.gov/resource-center/fact-sheet/fact-sheet-gang-resistance-education-and-training-great-program.
