Pubdate: Thu, 28 Sep 2006
Source: St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Copyright: 2006 St. Petersburg Times
Contact: http://www.sptimes.com/letters/
Website: http://www.sptimes.com/home.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/419
Author: Maryan Pelland

THEIR AIM: NO DRUGS, NO GANGS

Two deputies have brought two national programs to  county schools. 
They hope to teach children the dangers  of drugs and gangs so 
they'll stay away.

Meet two people who could have a lifelong positive  impact on 
students in Hernando County: sheriff's  Deputies Carlo Daleo and 
Vincent Gargano, who have  brought two national education programs 
into the  schools.

Created to help children learn to make healthy choices,  the programs 
are for fifth- and sixth-graders. DARE  (Drug Abuse Resistance 
Education) and GREAT (Gang  Resistance Education and Training) will 
be part of the  school year for almost 3,000 Hernando students.

DARE, which teaches about drugs and their effects, has  been around 
since the 1980s and is well-received by  educators, parents and students.

GREAT, a course about the dangers of gangs, is in its  second year 
here and growing strong, according to  Daleo.

GREAT doesn't seek to glamorize or popularize gang  ideals or to give 
publicity to any gang, Daleo says.  The instructors focus on positive 
ideas, never  mentioning gangs by name. They share facts - for 
example, gangs have been around since the 1800s.

Another fact: Young people involved in gangs are 65  percent more 
likely to be murdered than the average  person is.

Kids tend to sit up and listen to stuff like that.

Then, the officers talk about getting involved with  family, finding 
healthy activities and choosing the  right friends.

Gargano and Daleo are young, and they seem to get along  with kids. 
Both are known for combining humor with  serious subject matter.

But they take their jobs seriously. The officers were  required to go 
through a rigorous selection process and  extensive training.

They try to educate students - and adults - about  particulars of gang life.

For instance: Someone wears one pant leg rolled because  he or she 
thinks it looks cool, not knowing it may be a  gang tradition.

While walking down the street, that young person is  spotted by a 
gang member who sees this as a rival  emblem. He could be beaten, or even shot.

Daleo and his wife have four children, ages 3 months to  7 years. 
It's not hard to figure out why he's involved  with GREAT, his 
primary responsibility.

"It's scary to raise children in today's world. If I'm  out there 
helping make the community a better place, I  feel good," he said.

Sometimes, he and his family bump into kids who have  been through 
his class. The youngsters usually come  right up and start a conversation.

"I feel like I gave these kids a positive impression of  what cops 
are about. When they know you have a real  life and real interests, 
they carry that impression  with them a long time," Daleo said.

Gargano agreed. "I can talk to kids and they hear me.  They know I 
play guitar. I'm young. I'm normal. I don't  sit home and watch cop 
shows and eat doughnuts," he  said.

Once an Explorer Scout, Gargano later became an  Explorer adviser. 
That's where he found how rewarding  it is to help kids stay safe. 
His philosophy is simple.

If kids identify with the real person in the uniform,  the DARE and 
GREAT messages will mean even more. So the  men build relationships. 
Gargano will even play his  guitar for students when he feels it's appropriate.

Daleo is always thinking of ways to engage kids. His  goal is to show 
that making good decisions and staying  on the right side of the law 
pay off in the short and  long runs.

He carries his message of prevention and awareness to  adults, too. 
Outside the classroom, he speaks to civic  groups, church groups and 
anyone else who is  interested.

"GREAT is an effective program.," he said. "We know -  we're actually 
in the classroom with the kids. 99  percent of them already know 
about DARE so we get that  enthusiasm to work with."

Some might wonder why schools without gang problems  would need such 
programs. But they aren't designed to  cure something that has 
already happened. They are  preventive measures, with the emphasis on 
handling peer  pressure. Even if there aren't gangs in 
school,  knowledge and skills to make better choices are  unbeatable tools.

"Deputy Daleo is very student-centered and that's what  we look for 
in people who work with our children," said  Marcia Austin, principal 
at J.D. Floyd Elementary. "The  program can have a long-term impact. 
It can change  lives."

There's no disagreement on that issue from the School  Board, 
parents, or teachers. The kids like the programs  and the deputies.

The next logical step is expansion, and Gargano has  begun visiting 
classes from kindergarten through fourth  grade to create a presence 
with younger kids.

He incorporates cyber-safety education in his messages  to the community.

As part of the sheriff's youth programs, the deputies  are doing 
their best to connect early with children in  the community.

Other department programs such as the Explorer Post,  Summer Day 
Camp, Collision Avoidance Training and the  Junior Deputy Academy add 
strength to the bond between  community children and law officers.

"All those uniforms and equipment aren't meant to  intimidate kids - 
we want them to know we're just there  to help and keep them 
protected," said Gargano
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