SUPERINTENDENT JORDAN ANNOUNCES GANG VIOLENCE SUPPRESSION GRANT
June 28, 1999County Superintendent Sheila Jordan announced that the Office of Criminal Justice Planning has awarded a grant of $100,000 to reduce the level of gang violence in the community and divert gang activity into positive and constructive behaviors.
The grant will be used for gang violence suppression programs at the Hayward Community Day School which is operated by the County Office of Education for students who have been expelled from their school because of anti-social behavior, poor school attendance, negative attitude toward school authority, low self-esteem and below grade level achievement.
The Gang Violence Suppression program will be administered by Students in Business (SIB), a private, non-profit, community-based organization established in 1992. "SIB assists schools and communities in developing mentoring programs that match students with community and business volunteers in an effort to assist students in achieving personal, academic and career exploration goals," said Robert Goetsch, SIB administrator.
According to Goetsch, this program will teach students the skills needed to use their emotions in a positive and constructive way. "It will include personalized support from a caring adult to serve as a friend, guide and coach, and will address the four underlying risk factors affecting students in the area--tendency toward violence, lack of adult attention and support, ample time to get into trouble, and lack of vision for career-job opportunities," said Goetsch.
"I think this is a real win-win situation," said Jordan. "Our students will benefit by getting the mentoring and support services they need to stay on the right path to becoming responsible and contributing members of the community. And, our communities benefit, too, because there will be a reduction in the problems that are caused in neighborhoods by gang and gang-related violence."
Alameda
County Office of Education
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