Some 64 students from the Saint Vincent Palloti Roman Catholic Primary School in Unitedville Village in Cayo received certificates this evening, marking the completion of instructions under the Gang Resistance Education and Training Program (GREAT). Instructions under GREAT began at the Unitedville School in September of last year and ended in March of this year.
Instructor Ciriaco Medina, who is Police Constable 1121 and member of the Community Policing Unit at the San Ignacio Police Formation, gave out the certificates this evening, telling students, “I expect good things from you guys, don’t let me down.”
Jason Jones, along with Roland Augustine from the Community Policing Program at the San Ignacio Police Formation also joined in this evening to encourage students to continue being good citizens.
“For every action there are consequences…the great program has rules, do not steal and fight,” reminded Roland Augustine.
GREAT’s implementation began in Belize in 2010. Some Police Officers like Ciriaco Medina had gone to San Salvador for two weeks in 2010 to learn how to integrate GREAT in the School Curriculum.
GREAT itself come in four parts, with training for both children and adults. For the middle school, there are 13 lessons of 45 minutes in duration in GREAT, while at the more senior level it comes in six lessons, also of 45 minutes in length. Under GREAT there is also a summer component for children and one that can be taught to parents.
Experienced instructor Ciriaco Medina is thankful to the Unitedville School’s Administrators acceptance of GREAT.
“I wish that it would be extended to other communities, that they would have the opportunity to know about the GREAT program,” says Ciriaco Medina, who maintains during his extra time a computer laboratory at his Police Sub formation in Georgeville.
For more information on the GREAT Program, please, call Ciriaco Medina at cellular 630-2014.

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