Fourth- and fifth-grade students from Rockwell Christian School recently completed the G.R.E.A.T. program conducted by patrol officer Ron Canup of the Rockwell Police Department.
The graduation ceremony, held Monday at Bethel Baptist Church, was attended by Rockwell Mayor Beauford Taylor, Rockwell Police Chief Hugh Bost, patrol officer Ron Canup, Sergeant Gary Phillips, family, friends, students and staff of Rockwell Christian School.
The G.R.E.A.T., or Gang Resistance Education and Training program is aimed at middle school students and seeks to reduce their involvement in gangs and delinquent behavior, teach them consequences of gang involvement, and helps them develop positive relations with law enforcement. These three objectives are addressed through a six-week class taught in schools by uniformed law enforcement officers. Students are taught to set positive goals, resist negative pressures, resolve conflicts and understand how gangs impact the quality of their lives.