We want to create an education program, in public schools to teach children about gangs and their consequences. We will have online courses that will teach the students about self-esteem building, general gang information, how to avoid gangs, and real life scenarios and solutions involving contact with gangs. The children will start the courses in fourth grade and will have to complete one course every month. These programs would show students that there is a better lifestyle than gangs.  This program will stop when the students end their freshman year of high school. When the age increases, the information will begin to be more detailed and intense. We chose fourth grade because we believe that is the time they can take this topic seriously and understand it. If we taught any younger, they would not understand the severe consequences of gangs and they would be scared by the content. If we started at an older age, there is a possibility that they would have already joined gangs. If shown to be effective, we can also add after school programs, such as sports, art, cooking, homework help, etc. These after school programs can get students away from a bad environment. Most kids do not have something to do after school, so they resort to gangs. These after school programs can occupy them and give them something to do in their free time that also develops their skills. This could keep them away from gangs after school, which is when children get in the most trouble. Usually, people do not have anything to do after school, so they resort to gangs for support, comfort, money, and all of the benefits of a family. We decided to promote this program because we feel it has the most potential, it is not very expensive as most schools have these resources, and we believe that it will be the most effective. This program will cost about $33.10 per student.  

Please sign in support of required "Gang Education Program" (GEP) in all New Jersey public schools.