FLORENCE — About 45 Southside Middle School students participated in the school’s Gang Resistance Education and Training graduation ceremony Monday, and now have the tools to help their peers make better decisions.
The Gang Resistance Education and Training or G.R.E.A.T. Program is a school-based, law enforcement officer-instructed classroom curriculum, according to the program’s Web site, www.great-online.org.
The program consists of a 13-session middle school curriculum, an elementary school curriculum, a summer program and families’ training.
For 13 weeks, seventh-grade students at Southside Middle were able to participate in interactive lessons designed to teach them positive decision-making skills that will help them avoid gang involvement or violent behavior.
Twelve-year-old Lee Cagle was one of 45 graduates who received a certificate during Monday’s graduation.
Lee said the class has helped him learn more about gangs, including the initiation process and how to stay away from them.
“(I) learned how it’s not cool to join a gang,” he said.
Lee also said the program helped him learned how to talk to his peers who may be involved in gangs.
“I’ll tell them it’s not going to help them,” he said. “It’s not going to do anything for you.
Lee said he was happy to receive his certificate and would recommend the program to his classmates.
The Southside program is the first G.R.E.A.T program in Florence and included four classes.
Officer Stephen Banister, the school’s resource officer and program instructor, said he hopes to expand the program to more students at Southside, and eventually to elementary schools.
Banister said one of the most successful lessons was on peer pressure and how to handle rumors.
After that lesson, he said, several students were able to clear up any rumors and avoid any negative behavior.
Banister said he hopes that the program will help keep students from going down the wrong path.
“If they’re on the fence of joining a gang or doing any major crime (I hope they) will remember what was taught in the classroom,” he said. “Maybe it’ll keep them from going that way.”
Craig Washington, the school’s principal, said the program is a step in a positive direction and is a wonderful way to teach students about making better decisions.
“I think that’s something that our students need help with,” Washington said.“They’re faced with so many different challenges throughout the day. If we’re going to make sure our students are successful here, then we’ve got to address those issues (that occur outside and inside the school setting)
“We want them to make good decisions. We want them to be positive and grow up to be productive individuals in our society.”
ON THE WEB
Southside Middle School: www.fsd1.org/southside
Gang Resistance Education and Training: www.great-online.org
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