The G.R.E.A.T. Program was created by the Federal ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms) department and is presented in the seventh grade. The program went nationwide in 1992 and is currently being delivered in over 500 communities across the United States.

The goal of the G.R.E.A.T. Program is to help youth develop positive life skills that will help them avoid gang involvement and violent behavior. G.R.E.A.T. uses a communitywide approach to combat the risk factors associated with youth involvement in gang-related behaviors. The curricula were developed through the collaborative efforts of experienced law enforcement officers and specialists in criminology, sociology, psychology, education, health, and curriculum design and are designed to reinforce each other. The three (3) different curricula are intended for different audiences and are most effective when youth are exposed to more than one of the curricula. The lessons included in each curriculum are interactive and designed to allow students to practice positive behaviors that will remain with them during the remainder of their development years.

To learn more about the G.R.E.A.T. Program visit http://www.great-online.org/