Working in conjunction with Santa Cruz City Schools and the County Office of Education, the program is a multifaceted approach to early gang prevention for local intermediate school-aged kids.
The nine-week program is designed to
educate, mentor and guide troubled youth in the decision-making
process. Through guest speakers, trips and activities, participants
will focus on positive and negative impacts of decision making. For
example, during the course on bad decision making, participants may
hear from former gang members, drug users and gang investigators. They
will tour a state prison, police department and even a local morgue.
The second part of the program focuses on
positive decision making. Speakers in this section will highlight
successes as a result of avoiding gangs and drugs. These speakers will
include successful sports players, business people, police officers,
elected officials, educators and others. Upon completion of the program
the teens will participate in a formal graduation with local police
officials, family and friends.
The program is modeled after a successful
program in Southern California that has shown participants to improve
school test scores, graduation rates, engage in less violent or
negative behavior and avoid gang/drug use.
For more information you can contact Sgt. Mike Harms at 420.5873
For more information you can contact Sgt. Mike Harms at 420.5873
