Pubdate: Sat, 19 Aug 2006
Source: Clarion-Ledger, The (MS)
Copyright: 2006 The Clarion-Ledger
Contact:  http://www.clarionledger.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/805
Author: Leah Rupp
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/dare.htm (D.A.R.E.)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

G.R.E.A.T. JOINS D.A.R.E.

New Tactic Vs. Youth Crime

Brittany Weathersby, 10, carefully etched two sentences  into her
workbook about the day's lesson.

"I learned that it's better to make good decisions than  bad
decisions. I learned that D.A.R.E. stands for  drugs," she said Thursday.

Drug prevention education kicked off this week in the  Hinds County
School District and a program geared  toward older students -
G.R.E.A.T. - will accompany the  traditional D.A.R.E. program this
year.

Funded by a $90,000 grant from the U.S. Department of  Justice, the
program will focus on stopping youth  crime, violence and gang-related
activity "before it  starts," Hinds Deputy Bill Buck said. D.A.R.E.
focuses  mostly on drugs and drug-related crime.

"We don't see that kind of inner-city stuff, but there  are a lot of
wanna-bes in the area," Buck said. "And  wanna-bes are gonna-bes."

G.R.E.A.T. will be split into three components, the  first will start
in a few weeks at the Main Street  RESTART Center.

Six family training sessions will be held at the former  alternative
school for children who live on the west  side of the school district.
Second semester, six  sessions will be held for children on the east
side.

"Without the parents' involvement, we're fighting this  kind of thing
without a key component," Principal Larry  Holmes said.

Next semester, seventh-graders at Byram,  Bolton-Edwards, Carver and
Utica middle schools will  participate in a 13-week program that
centers on how to  deal with peer pressure.

"It's more about being yourself and not having to be a  part of a
'gang,'" said Capt. Henry Glaze, who is  helping to coordinate the
program.

Next summer, the Sheriff's Department is partnering  with the Boys and
Girls Club of Jackson. Buck said  details have not been worked out yet
for this program.

The city of Vicksburg, and Harrison and Lee counties  also were
awarded a grant to fund a program for school  districts. Nationwide,
more than $15 million has been  distributed to about 140 communities
for the program  this year.

In order to receive the grant , a police or sheriff's  department must
submit an application stating why the  program would benefit students
in the area and how the  curriculum would be taught. Then deputies and
officers  undergo training to teach.

Ron Doyle, who coordinates G.R.E.A.T. nationally, was  out of town
Thursday and not available for comment.

All the programs for local schools under the direction  of the
Sheriff's Department hopefully will help to  build relationships
between area law enforcement  officers and students, Buck said.

"A lot of these kids, this is the first time they've  been around a
deputy like me in a positive way - some  of them only see us when
they're taking their daddy  away to jail or something like that," Buck
said.

Sheriff Malcolm McMillin said the department likely  would apply for
the grant again next year.

"We're looking to show these kids a different way other  than violence
and crime," McMillin said. "A way out of  bullying and things like
that."

For more information on the G.R.E.A.T. program  nationally, visit www.
great-online.org. 
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MAP posted-by: Steve Heath