The GREAT Program: the police started it to keep youth productively engaged and off the streets. It was primarily designed for kids still in school, but it was extended to the youth at the Wagner's Facility - in an initiative between the police department and the Belize Central Prison. Today Courtney Weatherburne stopped by the graduation ceremony to find out how these kids benefitted from this program.
Courtney Weatherburne reporting
A tribute to the GREAT Program, but more importantly, a strong message for these young inmates from the Wagner's Youth Facility. After about 8 weeks, 22 of them graduated:
Virgilio Murrillo, Acting CEO, Belize Central Prison
"Congratulations to you guys because I saw the interest, I stepped over here a couple times and I saw the keen interest, you could hear a pin drop when Mr. Shall was teaching this program. I came here myself a couple of instances and everyone was so engaged with their work book and the attentive listening."
Sr. Supt Howell Gillett, Southside Commander
"I want you to now go out, don't keep knowledge because it is like swimming, if you don't practice to swim one day you will lose all the knowledge of swimming and it is same thing with the knowledge you have gained from the GREAT program, you need to share it with other. You are here today in the prison and tomorrow you may well be a businessman on the street but you have to make that change, the change has to come from within."
And these graduates say the program has changed them and they are committed to carry on what they have learned.
Voice of: Inmate
"I don't want to be what society accuse me of, I want to show them that I am somebody else different in life."
Voice of: Inmates
"I like how it help me deal with my anger management, because when I came here, I was an angry person still had the streets in me and when I deal with this program it made me leave talking alone, give thought to the problem and don't worry about what anyone is saying. Just try keep on the right track."
And to make sure they stay on the right track, Prison CEO re-assured them that there is hope for them to live a productive life in society.
Virgilio Murrillo, Acting CEO, Belize Central Prison
"It is only when it gets dark that you can see the stars, you may want to reflect, and I am talking to you youths, you may want to reflect on your coming to prison as this dark moment which you can see the stars, not literally the stars but the stars in yourself."
"Remember being GREAT like what Mr. Ganzi said in his song, is another term for being a star."
The program ran from April 24th to June 22nd.
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