Youth Programs
Children at Three SHA Developments Get Lessons in Communication and Leadership
Springfield Police Officer Martin Curley talks with children in the Riverview Apartments summer youth program about making good choices, and staying away from the bad stuff.
Springfield Police Officer Martin Curley strode into the Community Room at Springfield Housing Authority’s Riverview Apartments on a recent summer morning to greet two dozen eager young faces – girls and boys at a tender pre-teen age, and ready to lend their ears.
Curley’s messages, straight from the Police Department’s youth gang resistance program, were simple: Stand up to bullies, tell trusted adults if something is wrong, and keep a wide berth from anything that smells of illegal activity or is just plain wrong.
His delivery was geared to the young set, with questions and hypothetical situations sprinkled in to keep his audience on their toes, and an active part of the conversation.
“It’s a great program,” Curley said. “It’s all about anti-violence. We try to help the kids think about the choices that they make, what the consequences are, all around. We talk about the kinds of things they can bring back to their families and their neighborhoods to talk about.”
The program is known as GREAT, an acronym for Gang Resistance Education and Training. During the school year, Curley works with fourth- and fifth-graders in city schools, visiting classes regularly for six weeks at a time.
When summer vacation is in full swing, Curley brings a shortened version of the program to places like Riverview, where he spent a day in late July. He also visited children at John L. Sullivan Apartments, Reed Village, Moxon and Pine James Apartments.
At Riverview, Curley had children help define words like ‘bully,’ ‘victim,’ and ‘bystander,’ and describe the differences between a club and a gang. He then challenged them to describe what they would do if they see someone being bullied, or how they would react to an invitation to join a gang.
“We’re talking here to help you guys out, give you some tools to use to make better decisions,” he explained.
Abdi Adan, 13, and Dianyarett Quinones, 9, trace their hands, filling in each digit with the name of a trusted adult, as part of the anti-gang program at Riverview Apartments.
Children like Abdi Adan and Dianyarett Quinones agreed that Curley was giving them pause to think.
“Gangs are a bad thing for kids,” said Abdi, who at 13 was the oldest participant, also proving an able leader. “Bullying is no good, too. When I see someone who’s a bully, I try to stop them.”
Dianyarett, who is 9, agreed. “This was pretty good. I liked what the policeman said.”
Resident Services Manager Pamela Wells said the visits are part of Springfield Housing Authority’s ongoing efforts to educate children, and keep them busy doing constructive activities during summer months.
“This is a great program from our Police Department,” Wells explained. “It helps children understand that the choices they make are so important.”
Riverview youth counselor Adreanna Caldwell said she could see that the children got a lot out of Curley’s presentation.
“It’s very beneficial for them. They get lessons, and they get to have fun, and get to know each other,” Caldwell said.
After Curley’s program, Caldwell and other staffers followed up with more discussion and a writing exercise.
