Officer Selection

The selection of your G.R.E.A.T. officer is an important part of your program's success. The program is very intensive, and great care must be exercised in the selection of your officer. The following information will aid you in that selection process.

• Enthusiastic
• Dependable
• Enjoys working with children
• Flexible
• Positive
• Comfortable talking with a group of people from diverse backgrounds

• Exemplary work record
• Positive role model
• Well respected by peers
• Well respected by agency management

• Able to grasp concepts and effectively communicate them both to children and adults
• Able to relate well to people, both children and adults
• Able to respond well to impromptu questions

G.R.E.A.T. involves a great deal of personal commitment on the part of the officer(s). It begins with the intensive 40-hour or 80-hour training. The training will require many out-of-classroom hours for preparation. All classroom sessions are mandatory for certification. Those who find that they cannot commit to every session need to reenroll for future available training. Each seminar participant will be required to make several formal presentations. Failure to meet minimum standards will result in noncertification.

While attending the seminar, officers will be under the functional supervision of the G.R.E.A.T. supervisor. Minor disciplinary problems will be handled by the supervisor in charge. Major disciplinary problems will be brought to the attention of the involved officer's agency. Major disciplinary problems may result in noncertification of the officer.

G.R.E.A.T. is a primary duty assignment. Each agency will receive an evaluation of officer performance at the conclusion of the training.

Upon certification, officers will return to teach the G.R.E.A.T. curriculum to children in the classroom. Each officer will soon learn that the assignment demands a great deal of time and energy. Proper preparation for each classroom presentation is essential. Likewise, each officer will be asked to spend out-of-classroom time with the children to provide for informal interaction. This time with the children is most important. Each officer will also need to devote time to parent-teacher meetings. Experienced G.R.E.A.T. officers claim that they have never worked so hard. Additionally, they are also insistent that they have never had a more rewarding assignment. However, these rewards require a great deal of preparation and personal commitment.