Title: Weed & Seed In-Sites: Volume VIII, Number 2

Series: Newsletter

Author: Executive Office for Weed and Seed

Published: April/May 2000

Subject: Community Policing, Juvenile Delinquency Prevention

31 pages

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Weed & Seed In-Sites is a publication of the

U.S. Department of Justice

Office of Justice Programs

Executive Office for Weed and Seed

810 Seventh Street NW.

Washington, DC 20531

Phone: 202-616-1152

Fax: 202-616-1159

www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/

Stephen Rickman, Director

Robert M. Samuels, Assistant Director

Nancy Ware, Director of Technical Assistance and Training

Cheryl Driscoll, Supervisory Grants Manager

Paul Casagrande, Special Projects Coordinator

Edison Aponte, Faith Baker, Ila Blue, Eric Chin, Michael Connor, John
Faley,

Sharron Fletcher, Robert Hendricks, Erin Holbert, Louise Lucas,
Katherine

Mera, Andrew Press, Romia Ray, Shannon Taitt, Program Managers

Claude Thomas, Chief of Staff

Linda Hawkes, Administrative Officer/Grant Specialist

Prince Cummings, Personnel Assistant

Penne Soltysik, Public Relations Specialist and In-Sites Editor

Lisa Huff-Galloway, Secretary

Jessica Caldwell, Charmaine Hughes, Program Assistants

Please send all submissions, comments, or address corrections to the
above

address.

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From the Director

This year has been exceptional for many of us. Each day we hear good
news

about steady decreases in crime, violence, and truancy. Rates of
employment

and literacy are rising. We read in the paper about encouraging stories
of

communities rebounding economically and spiritually. And we see
firsthand that

our youth are making a difference and choosing to have aspirations, set
goals,

and live productive lives. Some children in our communities have
motivated us

with their ambition, touched our hearts with their actions, and made us
proud of

them with the inspiring work that they do to make their streets and
schools

better places.

This issue of In-Sites highlights projects that are mobilizing and
educating youth

and training them to be strong community leaders. You will read about
Weed

and Seed sites making great strides in integrating the education of
adults and

children alike into their crime prevention strategies.

Partnering with organizations to coordinate learning opportunities for
the youth

in our Weed and Seed sites has become a priority for EOWS. Through

partnerships with the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC), the
National

Congress for Community Economic Development (NCCED), the Urban

Family Institute, and the U.S. Navy, to name a few, EOWS has integrated

youth-focused programs and training into the Weed and Seed program at
the

national level. You will learn more about these partnerships in this
issue.

We open this issue with a commentary from Jack Calhoun, Chief Executive
and

President of the National Crime Prevention Council, written after the
shooting

incident at Buell Elementary School in Flint, Michigan. The piece was
featured

in the March 2, 2000, edition of the Washington Post. I\'m certain that
you will

find his words inspiring.

Stephen Rickman

Director, EOWS

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A complete brief is now available from the Weed and Seed Community

Policing Summit. The summit hosted more than 25 chiefs of police from
cities

across the country to study current trends and the future of community
policing.

Call 202-616-1152 to order a copy.

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All Officially Recognized Weed and Seed sites are eligible to receive

videotapes from the Weed and Seed Community Broadcast Series. Visit the

EOWS Web site at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/ to learn more about the series,

and call 202-514-0709 to order your copies.

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In This Issue

A Message From Jack Calhoun

In-Sites Receives National Award

EOWS and NCCED Look to Youth for Input on Determining Community

Needs

What\'s Working

o Buffalo Weed and Seed Hosts MLK Day 2000 Celebration at Safe Haven

o Booker T. Washington Gym Future Home of Safe Haven

DEFY

o National DEFY Training Draws Record Numbers

Moving Messages: Buses Transport Voices of Art-Inspired Teens

Group Workcamps

o Building Ties

Winners

o Winston-Salem Weed and Seed Youth Receives Prestigious Award

o Selma Weed and Seed Coordinator Honored

o Davenport Receives Art Education Honor

Law Enforcement and Community Relations

o Salinas Academy Builds Police-Community Relations

o Life After SARA\--An Advanced Model of Community Policing

o Officer of the Year Raises Hoops (and Hopes) in West Valley City

Neighborhood

The Weed and Seed Summit on Community-Oriented Policing

Youth as Resources

o Weed and Seed Sites See the Importance of Involving and Empowering

Youth

Weed & Seed Photo Gallery

\"All Rise for Student Court\"

Conference Corner

State of Florida and U.S. Virgin Islands\' Regional Conference Held in
Tampa

Web Sight

EOWS News

Mark Your Calendar

Mailbox

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The Weed and Seed National Conference 2001 is in the planning stages and

EOWS wants your suggestions and comments. These national conferences are

held once every 2 years, so help EOWS make the 2001 conference the best

yet!

Send your comments to askeows@ojp.usdoj.gov. Sites will be notified with

details after a host city has been selected.

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A Message From Jack Calhoun

Chief Executive and President

National Crime Prevention Council

The tragedy in Mount Morris Township, Michigan, that killed one child
and

branded another for life is a community responsibility and a parental
failure. It

points to the need for Americans to act responsibly in relation to the
possession

of handguns.

There were clear opportunities to prevent this senseless violence:

\(1\) The owners should have kept the weapon locked up, unloaded, and

inaccessible.

\(2\) The child shooter should have been taught by word and deed never
to

touch a handgun.

\(3\) Children at the school who reportedly knew about the gun should
have

been trained to tell a teacher immediately.

Ultimately, a community determines the level of gun violence it will
countenance

by regulating availability, by setting standards for ownership and
storage, and

by establishing expectations for behavior by adults and children.

Parents and gun owners should communicate clearly and frequently with
their

children about the dangers of guns. They should know where their guns
are at

all times. Most importantly, they should never leave guns loaded or
leave them

unsecured in a location that is easily accessible to children. The
reality is that a

gun in the home is more likely to cause injury or death to family and
friends than

to be used in protection of the household. . . . Please lock up your
guns. It\'s the

least we can do.

This message was prepared in response to the tragic shooting of a
6-year-old

child by a classmate at Buell Elementary School in Mount Morris
Township,

Michigan, on February 29, 2000.

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In-Sites Receives National Award

Each year, the National Association of Government Communicators (NAGC)

honors those who have made significant contributions to the art and
science of

communications within government. The NAGC Blue Pencil Award annually

recognizes excellence in writing, photography, editorial content, and
layout and

design in government publications.

This year 474 communications products were submitted for award

consideration. EOWS is very proud to announce that In-Sites won the Blue

Pencil Honorable Mention for Most Improved Publication!

The In-Sites team worked together in the past year to re-engineer the

newsletter to better meet readers\' needs. Improvements for the year
2000

include a new cover design, expansion from 16 to 24 pages, and improved

editorial content, all of which were featured in the Millennium Issue.
In-Sites

will continue to evolve in the coming year as we strive to provide
important

information to our more than 4,000 subscribers.

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EOWS and NCCED Look to Youth for Input on Determining Community

Needs

Jessica Caldwell

Junior, Howard University

EOWS Youth Liaison

EOWS and the National Congress for Community Economic Development

(NCCED) have joined forces to create the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), a

liaison between the youth in Weed and Seed communities and EOWS and

NCCED. The council currently comprises 13 members representing

Charleston, South Carolina; Detroit, Michigan; Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania;

Portland, Oregon; and Washington, D.C.

Council members possess the leadership and initiative needed to offer
advice

on what changes should be made within their communities to benefit
youth. The

council meets three times each year, during the spring, fall, and
winter. A

planning retreat will be held in summer 2000. Members range in age from
16 to

21 and serve a 12-month term.

On December 3, 1999, YAC members gathered for their first meeting at the
4-

H Center in Washington, D.C. This meeting provided an opportunity for
the

participating young people to define their roles as individuals and
their intentions

as a group.

At the end of the 3-day meeting the newly formed YAC came up with a

mission statement: \"to formulate ideas and strategies to improve youth
advocacy

and to promote youth as active social change agents in distressed
communities

through education, civic and community participation, public safety, and

socialization through inter-generational collaborations.\"

The December meeting also laid a foundation for the First National Weed
and

Seed Emerging Young Leaders\' Forum (EYLF). EYLF, coordinated by

NCCED, took place March 30-April 2, 2000, at the 4-H Center in

Washington, D.C. The forum allowed these youth leaders the opportunity
to

study community engagement, leadership development, and career
exploration.

Issues addressed included youth violence and working within

socioeconomically distressed communities. Overall, the forum gave youth
a

sense of empowerment that will carry over into adulthood.

The next issue of In-Sites will provide a full report on the First
National Weed

and Seed Emerging Young Leaders\' Forum.

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What\'s Working

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Buffalo Weed and Seed Hosts MLK Day 2000 Celebration at Safe Haven

Oswaldo Mestre

Buffalo Weed and Seed Director

Buffalo, New York

Although many considered January 17, 2000, a \"day off,\" for hundreds
of

thousands of Americans across the country it was a \"day on\" in honor
of Martin

Luther King, Jr. \"Day On, Not a Day Off\" is a special initiative to
honor the life

and work of Dr. King through community service on the King holiday

sponsored by the Corporation for National Service in partnership with
Best

Buy Co., Inc.; the Do Something Kindness & Justice Challenge; First
Book;

Habitat for Humanity International; the Martin Luther King, Jr., Center
for

Nonviolent Social Change; the Points of Light Foundation; the United Way
of

America; and Youth Services America.

In Buffalo, New York, the \"Martin Luther King 2000 Day of Service\"
(MLK

Day 2000) was celebrated at the King Urban Life Center (Safe Haven),

located in the heart of the Buffalo Weed and Seed target area.

Buffalo Weed and Seed was 1 of 137 organizations chosen nationwide to

receive a grant from the Corporation for National Service to facilitate
the

day-long event. More than 500 community residents and friends were in

attendance as a host of community officials and speakers gave heartfelt

presentations on \"Implementing Dr. King\'s Vision in the New
Millennium.\"

Participants included Buffalo Mayor Anthony M. Masiello, U.S. Attorney
for

the Western District of New York Denise E. O\'Donnell, Bishop of Buffalo

Henry J. Mansell, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Buffalo

Division Michael Mason, and Common Council representatives, including

Byron Brown, Charlie Fisher, Karen Ellington, and various community
leaders.

\"This MLK Day 2000 celebration is not to highlight the King Center; it
is to

give back, through service, to a community that is hungry for change and
ready

for growth,\" said Betty Stone, Vice President of the King Urban Life
Center\'s

Board and Chairperson of the MLK Day 2000 event.

Throughout the day, community residents participated in numerous
interactive

and service-related activities and workshops. Activities included
conflict

resolution and crime prevention breakout sessions facilitated by the
University

of Buffalo and the Buffalo Police Department, abstinence training
workshops

(\"How To Live Out Your Dreams\") presented by Communities Helping To

Achieve Abstinence Together, and a \"Developing a Community Action
Plan\"

workshop facilitated by Buffalo Weed and Seed and geared toward

community-based problem solving. Youth worked on art projects with the

theme \"How Do I See MLK in Me?\" sponsored by the Art Attack program of

the Albright Knox Art Gallery.

The West Seneca Youth Bureau sponsored a \"Blizzard Barbecue\" at which

music and prizes were provided by Buffalo\'s WBLK-FM radio station,

community service volunteers helped AmeriCorps members clean lots and

deliver meals to area homes through Meals on Wheels, and King Urban Life

Center students, under the direction of Deborah Cobb, performed a play
titled

\"I Have a Dream.\"

The day ended with youth making a pledge to perform community service.

Youth in the Weed and Seed target area were asked to pledge 100 hours of

community service to their school and community in the year 2000 by

participating in activities such as cleaning up vacant lots,
volunteering at food

kitchens, or tutoring younger students. Quarterly recognition ceremonies
will

honor these children and offer them encouragement as they strive to meet
their

goals. Those who complete the 100 hours of service will receive special

recognition at next year\'s MLK Day 2001 celebration, and the child
completing

the most community service hours will receive a scholarship award from
the

Buffalo Weed and Seed to attend the 14th National Youth Crime Prevention

Conference, coordinated by the National Crime Prevention Council.

This is the sixth year that the Corporation for National Service has
spearheaded

efforts to fulfill the King Holiday and Service Act of 1994, which seeks
to

transform King\'s birthday into a day of service that reflects his life
and

teachings. This year Best Buy donated \$100,000 to support service
events on

the King holiday, becoming the first national corporate sponsor of the
initiative.

To download the complete MLK Day of Service Toolkit and tips for getting

started for MLK Day 2001 or to learn more about this initiative, visit

www.mlkday.org/. Sites may contact the Buffalo Weed and Seed team at
716-

851-4281 for more information.

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Booker T. Washington Gym Future Home of Safe Haven

Reverend E.J. Tyson

Executive Director of the Vernon,

Texas, Weed and Seed

In this new millennium, Vernon, Texas, Weed and Seed community residents

have much to be thankful for. On January 7, 2000, the Visions Economic

Development Corporation held a news conference to celebrate the planned

renovation of the abandoned Booker T. Washington School gymnasium. The

facility is located in the heart of the Weed and Seed target area and
will be the

site\'s new Safe Haven. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by
Visions

board members, supporting bankers, community residents, representatives
from

the U.S. Attorney\'s Office for the Northern District of Texas, city
leaders, and

Paul Casagrande, Special Projects Coordinator at EOWS.

The gymnasium renovation has been targeted as Phase I of the
corporation\'s

restoration of the entire school complex, which was made possible by
monetary

pledges in excess of \$190,000. Contributions came from local
businesses, civic

clubs, churches, and area residents. The local Bankers\' Clearing House
granted

the construction loan.

Phase II will concentrate on renovating the rest of the building for use
as a

multipurpose community center where youth can be involved in positive,

constructive programs and adults can meet to discuss new ideas for
reviving a

depressed and neglected community. Phase I is expected to be completed
by

June 2000. To learn more about this project, please call the Vernon Weed
and

Seed at 940-552-0728.

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DEFY

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National DEFY Training Draws Record Numbers

The National DEFY Train-the-Trainer Conference in March 2000 attracted

more than 360 attendees, approximately 232 from Weed and Seed sites

nationwide. Held at the Peppermill Hotel in Reno, Nevada, the training

conference agenda was adapted from previous conference formats to better

accommodate the needs of the U.S. Department of Justice and Weed and

Seed site representatives by providing a separate track for Weed and
Seed

participants. The new format was well received and offered more
opportunities

for peer mentoring and interaction.

Like every initiative supported by EOWS, DEFY has grown tremendously.

Each year more sites apply for funding from EOWS to host DEFY programs,

and each year the process becomes increasingly competitive.

\"Why is DEFY important?\" EOWS Director Stephen Rickman asked the

conference audience in his opening remarks. \"DEFY provides drug
education,

but it is also a positive experience for youth who often lack adult role
models.

The family-centered society is becoming more a part of our past rather
than our

current circumstance. As a result, kids from all socioeconomic classes
and

backgrounds are spending less and less time at home with family members.
And

for the economically disadvantaged, the problem is compounded by the

disproportionate number of children being raised in a single-parent
situation and

in poverty. Some of these children are experiencing alienation \[and\]
emotional

depravation and as a consequence they are engaged in antisocial
behavior. Our

children need structure and discipline, our love, and our
involvement\--and they

need our guidance.\"

Rickman continued, \"There is no work more important than what we do to

support our youth. It symbolizes what we are and determines what our
future

will be. While others chase their dreams of accumulating and consuming
things,

you are here planning how to inoculate several thousand youth living in

disenfranchised neighborhoods from drugs and gangs and providing them
with

positive experiences and positive role models. You are special people
who

have not forgotten what really matters in life.\"

The U.S. Navy\'s Maj. Jim Hourican, host of the 2 1/2-day conference,

graciously recognized the contributions of Weed and Seed communities to
the

DEFY program. \"I must take a moment to thank the Weed and Seed

representatives who are here with us,\" Hourican said. \"I remember a
few years

ago there were just a dozen or so of you here, and today I am very happy
to

see that there are \[more than\] 200 Weed and Seed and Department of
Justice

representatives here committed to coordinating this very important
effort in their

own communities.\"

The U.S. Navy\'s Drug Demand Reduction Task Force (DDRTF) launched the

youth mentoring program called Drug Education for Youth (DEFY) in two
pilot

sites\--Pensacola, Florida, and Alameda, California\--in 1992. EOWS
formed a

partnership with the U.S. Navy to bring the DEFY program to three Weed
and

Seed sites in summer 1996\--New Orleans, Louisiana; Atlanta, Georgia;
and

San Antonio, Texas. The 2000 DEFY Camp season plans to bring the program

to more than 65 Weed and Seed communities starting in June. This year,
the

U.S. Air Force has agreed to import the DEFY program into its own
ongoing

drug demand reduction efforts. Approximately 20 Air Force, 40
Navy/Marine,

and 65 Justice-supported DEFY programs will take place around the world.

New curriculum and program management materials for Weed and Seed sites

have been developed by EOWS and a team of volunteer U.S. Attorney\'s

Office staff for the 2000 DEFY program. EOWS will mail these materials
to

attendees of the DEFY Train-the-Trainer Conference and post them on the

EOWS Web site. In the next issue of In-Sites, a full report from a
residential

Phase I DEFY program jointly coordinated by four Washington, D.C., Weed

and Seed sites will be featured.

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Moving Messages: Buses Transport Voices of Art-Inspired Teens

Bill Lohmann

Richmond Times-Dispatch Staff Writer

Their neighborhood is known for guns and drugs, but a group of Gilpin
Court

teens is trying to make a difference with words and art.

Their work\--in the form of colorful, handwritten messages\--is
appearing in

advertising spaces on and in Greater Richmond Transit Co. buses.

The words of teen wisdom are simple, blunt and straight from the heart.

Respect me and I will respect you.

I want to see nature, not crackheads.

I\'m more than what you make me to be.

The first time Demetrice Moore, 16, saw her work on the side of a
purple-

and-white bus, she was taken aback by the pride that swelled inside her.

\"I was overwhelmed,\" she said, standing near the bus on Calhoun Street
in the

housing complex.

It was the same with Ashley Anderson and Tasha Burton, other
participants in

the collaborative project.

\"It feels good to know that people can see it and feel inspired by
it,\" said

Ashley, 15.

The bus art came out of a 14-week Awareness Through Arts program

sponsored by ART 180 and Weed & Seed of Richmond. The program

featured segments on family, peers and community.

\"Community was the last segment, and we wanted them to do something in
the

community rather than just talk about it,\" said Kathleen Lane,
co-founder of

ART 180, a nonprofit organization that aims to give kids in difficult

circumstances a voice through art.

Volunteers from The Martin Agency and the AdCenter at Virginia

Commonwealth University helped shepherd the project.

A high hurdle, Lane said, was getting the kids to say what they wanted
to say

\"and not just regurgitate what we had told them.\" Eventually, they
did.

\"They were surprised,\" she said. \"They weren\'t used to people being
interested

in what they had to say.\"

Respect your elders, you can learn a lot from them. More than you think.

Never let anybody hold you down from trying to succeed.

If I had a daughter I would tell her I love her and to never depend on
anybody

else but yourself.

Three different messages will appear on the sides of 15 buses for at
least a

month. Another dozen messages will appear inside 50 buses.

In a place like Gilpin Court, it is easy to be swallowed up by the
negative. A big

challenge for the instructors was to help the teens find something
positive in their

community and to convince them they can make a difference.

Message received. And passed on.

\"I want people to think about what they\'ve been doing,\" said Ashley
Anderson,

\"and try to change.\"

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Group Workcamps

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Building Ties

In late summer 1999, the Weed and Seed site in Racine, Wisconsin, was
the

subject of considerable local news coverage for hosting the Group
Workcamps

program. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Journal Times, and the
Kenosha

News ran extensive stories with photos of teenagers climbing ladders,

pick-axing roofs, scraping paint, and pouring concrete in the hot summer
sun.

The Group Workcamps project brought more than 400 youth from areas as
far

away as Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to the Racine Weed and Seed site.

Group Workcamps is a national nonprofit organization that recruits young

people from diverse religious congregations across the country to
perform

services in communities needing housing repairs. The project concept was
born

about 20 years ago when Colorado\'s Big Thompson River flooded and
roared

down its canyon on the front range of the Rocky Mountains near Denver.
Many

lives were lost and homes and other personal property were destroyed by
the

water and the load of rocks and debris carried with it. Group
Publishing, Inc., a

nondenominational publisher of Christian curricula for children and
youth,

organized students from area high schools to help in the massive cleanup
effort.

Since then, Workcamps has expanded every summer, providing desperately

needed practical help to people all over the United States. The
Workcamps

secure the use of a local high school for lodging, identify 60-80 homes
in need

of repair, and provide funds for the purchase of materials. Communities
are

invited to apply for assistance through the Group Workcamps headquarters
in

Loveland, Colorado.

The experience is truly life changing for students and leaders alike.
Last

summer, Group Workcamps brought armies of teens to 32 American cities.

Racine Weed and Seed was proud to serve as a cosponsor for Group

Workcamps through the site\'s neighborhood improvement initiative.

The national home repair program organizes Group Workcamps each summer

in communities in need across the United States. Volunteers pay \$335
each for

expenses, with the Group Workcamps program contributing \$15,000 and
local

organizations like the Racine Weed and Seed donating matching funds. The

local sponsor secures the use of a community high school to house
volunteers

for the 1 week volunteers are onsite fixing up houses in the community.
Each

Workcamps program brings youth volunteers to a partnering neighborhood
to

repair and paint houses and make the houses of disabled residents
handicapped

accessible.

\"As I saw which homes were being worked on, I was very happy,\" said
Racine

Alderman Lorna George. \"There\'s a story behind a lot of them.\"

In a letter to the editor of the Journal Times, Racine Weed and Seed
Housing

Coordinator Charlie French wrote, \"There was not a day that went by
that a

youth or an adult leader didn\'t stop me to say what a blessing and
privilege it

was for them to be in such a great community to do this work. I would
have to

politely remind them that it was indeed the community that was blessed
to have

them here.\"

The Group Workcamps program is gearing up for another successful summer.

If your community is interested in receiving more than \$80,000 in
volunteer

labor and building materials, contact a Group Workcamps developer at
1-800-

635-0404, extension 4118.

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Winners

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Winston-Salem Weed and Seed Youth Receives Prestigious Award

William L. Sturdivant

Winston-Salem Weed and Seed Coordinator

Bianca Green, an outstanding fourth grader in Winston-Salem, North
Carolina,

received a prestigious award from the city of Winston-Salem for her
efforts in

relocating a tutorial program in the Salem Garden community.

Green sought out staff from Winston-Salem Weed and Seed and the Resource

Center located in the Salem Garden apartment complex. She expressed her

interest in relocating an afterschool tutorial program to the Resource
Center (the

tutorial program was generally held outside or in someone\'s home). Due
to

space limitations and the increasing number of children between the ages
of 5

and 7 in the community who were participating in the program, the
Resource

Center was the ideal place to meet for the tutoring group, comprising

approximately 20 youth and led by 6 young ladies between the ages of 11
and

15\. The group, which meets regularly on Tuesdays and Thursdays, also
formed

a council and elected a council president and vice president.

Because of their efforts to begin a tutorial program, Green and the
others

received awards presented by Stephen Rickman, Director of the Executive

Office for Weed and Seed; Loretta C. Biggs, Executive Assistant U.S.

Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina; and City
Representative

Joycelyn Johnson. Green also was awarded the prestigious Humanitarian

Award by the Superintendent of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County school

system for her efforts and was highlighted in local newspaper articles
and

television broadcasts.

Green is a natural leader who sets an example for others to follow. She
not only

tutors but also participates in Safe Haven activities at the Reynolds
Park

Recreation Center. Through Weed and Seed, Green and other youth have the

opportunity to participate in educational, cultural, and recreational
activities.

Green\'s activities make a positive difference in the lives of others
and the

community.

Through the efforts of Weed and Seed, the Salem Garden community has

tremendously reduced weapons violations, drug violations, and calls for
police

service. The Weed and Seed strategy, adopted in this community in 1996,
is a

major reason for these reductions. Drug violations have decreased 84
percent,

weapons violations have decreased 79 percent, and children now have safe

places for educational and recreational activities.

As part of the strategy, the Weed and Seed Resource Center was
established

in the Salem Garden community. The Resource Center is open to Salem

Garden residents for meetings, tutorial programs, and special
activities.

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Does your neighborhood include any award-winning residents?

In-Sites would like to learn about the people in Weed and Seed sites who

receive local or national awards in recognition of their achievements in
their

communities. Please send an e-mail to askeows@ojp.usdoj.gov or a letter
to

EOWS telling us about your local winners.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Selma Weed and Seed Coordinator Honored

Ila Blue

EOWS Program Manager

The American Legion Fresno Star Post 38 in Selma, California, honored
Weed

and Seed Police Officer Tom Grilione on Saturday, March 25, 2000, at its

15th Annual Law and Order Banquet. Grilione was nominated for the

American Legion award by Selma Police Chief Thomas Whiteside.

\"Officer Grilione has done an outstanding job as Program Manager for
the

Weed and Seed program in Selma. Under the direction of Officer Grilione,
the

program has fostered better partnerships with residents, apartment
complex

property owners, and businesses,\" Whiteside wrote in his letter of
nomination.

\"Overall, there is a better quality of life in the target area, which
can be

attributed to Officer Grilione\'s efforts.\"

Grilione asked his superiors to assign him to the southwestern area of
Selma

that was unpopular with other officers because of the language barrier
(a large

portion of the area\'s residents speak Spanish only). He served in this
area

during his 5 years as a reserve officer, and the past 2 as a full-time
sworn

officer. When the supervisory position became available for the Weed and

Seed program in that area, the logical candidate was obvious. Grilione
has been

the supervisor of the program since November 1998.

\"Tom had extensive background in working within the targeted community
and

had extreme success building trust and relationships with the low-income

families and children. There was no doubt in my mind that Tom Grilione
was the

right man for the job,\" commented Nora Benavides, former Selma Site

Coordinator who was on the committee that selected Grilione for the
position.

Grilione was honored at Fresno Star Post 38 along with three other law

enforcement officers from the Fresno County region. All four officers
will be

nominated for the Officer of the Year Award, to be awarded by the

Department of California American Legion later this year.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Davenport Receives Art Education Honor

Lou Ann Davenport, an art teacher at Sandburg and Butler elementary
schools

in Springfield, has been named the Illinois Art Education Association\'s

Elementary Art Educator of the Year. Davenport has taught art in public

schools for 19 years and is the director of the Arts Haven program at
the

Springfield, Illinois, Weed and Seed site. The Arts Haven concentrates
mostly

on the visual arts, and last year coordinated a production of the
Nutcracker.

The project enrolls about 35 students in grades 3-12. Davenport believes
that if

students can thrive in the arts classroom they may be able to extend
that

success to other aspects of their lives.

The Arts Haven program, part of the EOWS Special Emphasis Initiative,
offers

children a secure, structured environment where they can develop their
artistic

abilities and learn about career options in the arts.

\"It feels great to be recognized for something you work very hard at,\"
said

Davenport, a member of the approximately 450-member Illinois Art
Education

Association. Davenport holds bachelor\'s and master\'s degrees in art
education

and a master\'s degree in community arts management.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Law Enforcement and Community Relations

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Salinas Academy Builds Police-Community Relations

Anna Velasquez

Site Coordinator for the Salinas, California, Weed and Seed

Paula Placencia, a resident of Salinas, California, and mother of two,
didn\'t

know the police officers who patroled her east Salinas neighborhood very
well.

Nor had she ever truly understood what they did, how they spent their
time, or

how they became police officers in the first place.

Placencia was like thousands of parents throughout the country. While
law

enforcement agencies strive to gain the trust of the communities they
serve,

many parents remain reluctant to get too close to law enforcement

representatives. To bridge this gap, agencies are coordinating efforts
not only to

open the doors of communication to parents but also to teach them the
basics

of law enforcement and community policing.

The Salinas Weed and Seed and the Salinas Police Department created the

Community Academy to help residents understand what police officers do
in

the Weed and Seed target area. After 4 weeks of classes, the academy

graduated 36 parents to form the Alisal Community Parent Patrol on
December

3, 2000. One of these graduates was Paula Placencia.

In four 2-hour sessions, the class learned about how police officers are
selected

and trained, the community services they provide, the laws of arrest,
and

prevention methods related to domestic violence and gang issues.

The December academy was the first of three to be held by summer 2000.
The

graduating class was lauded by civic leaders as models for their
community.

\"I hope you go and educate the community about what you have learned,\"

Monterey County Supervisor for District 1 Simon Salinas told the
graduates.

\"One of the best ways we can solve problems is to keep the doors of

communication open.\"

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Life After SARA\--An Advanced Model of Community Policing

Gino Rodriguez

Oxnard, California, Weed and Seed Program Manager/Police Officer

During the past decade community-oriented policing has used the scan,
assess,

respond, and analyze (SARA) model to address crime in neighborhoods and

communities. This method has been successful, but communities are asking
if

more can be done to link the police and the community together in a
stronger

partnership. To meet these needs, an advanced model of community
policing

has been established in the Oxnard, California, Weed and Seed site.
Designers

call the system the \"5 C\'s of advanced community policing.\"

The 5 C\'s stand for collaboration, cooperation, commitment, compassion,
and

concern. Understanding these terms and using this system every day has

brought increased community participation and pride, closer
relationships

between the community and law enforcement, a reduction in crime, and a
sense

of peace and safety in the community.

A training manual currently is being published for distribution to
Oxnard

residents, law enforcement personnel, educators, members of the faith

community, county service providers, and any interested persons. For
more

information, please contact Officer Gino Rodriguez, Oxnard Police

Department, 805-385-7602, ginorod@excitemail.com.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Officer of the Year Raises Hoops (and Hopes) in West Valley City

Neighborhood

Amy Fox

West Valley City Communications Manager

West Valley City, Utah

Police Officer Larry Schmidt has been building relationships and
basketball

courts in a West Valley City neighborhood. Schmidt started playing
basketball

in November 1999 with many of the youth in the Arlington Park area,
where he

has been assigned as a Weed and Seed officer.

At first only a few of the neighborhood kids would come out and play

basketball with a uniformed police officer. But as Schmidt continued to
play,

more kids and officers began showing up. Now usually 10 to 15 youth show
up

to play or to just hang out around the court with Schmidt, Officer Eric
Reed,

and Sgt. John Rasmussen.

Gordon Mafua, 23, is a resident of the Weed and Seed target area and
said

playing basketball with the cops \"is better than making trouble.\"
Mafua\'s

neighbor Greg Baude, 19, agreed: \"It\'s pretty cool to play with cops.
They can

bust us all the time, but we can beat them at basketball.\"

One area youth said the basketball games have even bridged racial gaps.

\"When we first started playing with the cops, guys started coming out
\[whom\]

we didn\'t get along with,\" said Feterika Manuo, a neighborhood
teenager.

\"Around here the Mexicans and Polynesians don\'t get along\--but now we
do,

and there is no more fighting. I think it is better.\"

For the past 3 to 4 years the neighborhood basketball court had been

neglected\--painted with gang graffiti, a bullet hole through the
backboard, the

goal rims bent. Schmidt wanted to fix up the court. He made use of
moneys

from the Federal Weed and Seed grant intended to weed out crime and
plant

seeds of revitalization. Officers Schmidt and Reed and several youth
from the

neighborhood put up a new backboard and break-free rim at Welker
Memorial

Park.

Schmidt and his fellow officers have been busy with more restoration
activities

and making homes safer by installing security devices such as chains,

peepholes, and window locks. Because of their efforts and improved
police-

community relations, the troubled Weed and Seed neighborhood has

experienced a 40-percent reduction in crime. On October 14, 1999,
Officer

Schmidt saved a family including two children aged 4 and 6 and their
pets from

a burning home in an act of great heroism.

As Schmidt patrols the area, everyone recognizes him and wants to talk
to him.

Many youth want to talk about the completion of the basketball court;
many

adults want to follow up with him about some of the problems they have
seen in

the neighborhood.

\"This has been a great assignment. I know what I am doing really makes
a

difference in people\'s lives,\" Schmidt said. \"It also has been making
a difference

in crime. We have seen calls from the target area drop by more than 40

percent. There\'s still some criminal activity, but we are knocking it
out one

\[incident\] at a time.\"

On January 18, 2000, \"Officer Larry\" was honored by the Cottonwood
Elks

Lodge as Outstanding Officer of the Year.

\"Schmidt is very deserving of this award and that is why he won the

department\'s nomination for it,\" said Police Capt. Lynn Hanson. \"In
his 5 years

with the department he has continually distinguished himself in the
manner \[in

which\] he has performed his job. In his current assignment he has
\[taken\] a new

department program and made it a shining example to other area police

departments.\"

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

The Weed and Seed Summit on Community-Oriented Policing

Cohosting a brain trust, EOWS and the Office of Community Oriented
Policing

Services (COPS) invited 23 police chiefs from rural and urban
jurisdictions

across the country to meet with U.S. Department of Justice
representatives and

criminal justice researchers in Dallas, Texas, for a 2-day summit to
study recent

trends in community policing. Together the group examined promising

approaches, underlying principles, and key components of successful

community policing programs. The summit findings were broadcast live to
more

than 1,500 law enforcement agencies nationwide on Thursday, April 20, as

Part IV of the EOWS Community Training Broadcast Series.

Results of the Weed and Seed Community Policing Survey conducted at the

Site Coordinator Conference in January were announced at the summit (see

below). Also during the live broadcast from the studios of the Law
Enforcement

Training Network in Dallas, Gil Kerlikowske, Deputy Director of COPS,

presented working group findings, including the recommendation that

community policing operate using permanent geographic-based assignments
for

community policing officers. This element is crucial in fostering

police-community trust and relations.

A brief reporting the group\'s findings and the results of the Weed and
Seed

community policing survey is currently in production.

Proceedings from the summit were distributed at the Weed and Seed Law

Enforcement Conference, held May 31 to June 2, 2000, in New Orleans,

Louisiana. Copies are also available by calling 202-616-1152.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Youth as Resources

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Weed and Seed Sites See the Importance of Involving and Empowering Youth

Nicole A. Lester

Program Assistant

National Organization for Weed and Seed (NOWS)

The Weed and Seed strategy is effective in mobilizing community
resources to

combat crime and violence and ensure drug-free neighborhoods. Yet
resources

in many communities remain underutilized. Area youth can be a valuable

resource for any community program. Often, youth know firsthand the
social ills

and crises in their communities, and when youth work together with
adults,

stronger programs, organizations, and communities can be built.

In early March, several Weed and Seed sites were given an opportunity to

learn about the importance of youth-adult partnerships and youth
leadership.

Community leaders from Weed and Seed sites in Texarkana, Arkansas;

Topeka and Wichita, Kansas; and Dallas, Texas, attended a free
skills-building

workshop sponsored by Youth as Resources (YAR) and the Center for Youth

as Resources (CYAR). The 2 1/2-day workshop, \"Bringing Youth as

Resources to Your Community,\" held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, was led

by a team of youth and adult trainers and introduced the YAR philosophy
and

principles of practice such as youth-led community service, youth-adult

partnerships, and youth involvement in governance and philanthropy.

YAR, developed in 1987 by the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)

with funding from Lilly Endowment, Inc., is a community-based program
that

provides youth the opportunity to design and carry out service projects
that

contribute to positive community change.

Darrell Stewart, Assistant Director of Topeka Parks and Recreation and a

North Topeka Weed and Seed Steering Committee member, attended the

YAR workshop to gather ideas for empowering the youth in his community.

North Topeka Weed and Seed already has a number of youth-oriented

programs such as the Youth Activity Board, a program still in
development that

will enable youth to engage in service-learning projects.

\"YAR would give our program ideas more structure,\" Stewart said. \"I
definitely

see YAR becoming a part of our Weed and Seed community. It fits with
what

our community is already working to achieve.\"

Getting past the stereotypes that youth and adults have about each other
is a

key element to the YAR philosophy. Throughout the YAR workshop, trainers

used interactive exercises and small group activities to get youth and
adults

thinking about their perceptions of each other. YAR trainers stressed
the

importance of youth and adults being open-minded and active listeners,
which

may make working together easier for them.

Carrie Jones, coordinator of the Wichita/Sedgwick County Weed and Seed

site in Wichita, Kansas, said that she wants her Weed and Seed community
to

use YAR to get more youth involved in the community. \"Many times, Weed

and Seed sites are located in deprived areas and youth don\'t have
supportive

programs, unless they are the most successful or unless they are the

troublemakers,\" Jones said. \"YAR would get all types of youth involved
in the

community.\"

Each YAR program has a board made up of youth and adults from the

community. YAR boards obtain money from local organizations,
foundations,

and businesses to establish a grant pool. The moneys in the grant pool
are

distributed to youth who apply to the board for funding for community
service

projects. Since 1987, YAR programs have engaged more than 200,000 youth

across the country in youth-led and youth-designed community improvement

projects. Projects tackle a range of social issues including drug abuse,
gangs,

illiteracy, crime, health, and housing.

YAR is a proactive, outcome-oriented program that uniquely involves
youth in

the community by giving them a chance to identify the needed projects in
the

community and make them happen. For more information about Youth as

Resources, contact Jeff Todd, Director of Operations, Center for Youth
as

Resources, 1000 Connecticut Avenue NW., 13th Floor, Washington, DC

20036; 202-261-4163; e-mail Jtodd@ncpc.org. You may also visit the YAR

Web site at www.yar.org.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Weed and Seed Photo Gallery

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Photo Gallery premiered in the last issue of In-Sites (the Millennium
Issue), and

our readers have responded favorably. In-Sites will continue to feature
this

section in future issues as a tribute to Weed and Seed\--these photos
represent

the spirit of our communities and tell a story within themselves. More
than ever

before, Weed and Seed sites are learning to record their successes as
they

celebrate them. We invite sites to forward their community images to us
so that

we may share them with In-Sites readers.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

\"All Rise for Student Court\"

Sheryl Kabat

Program Manager

U.S. Attorney\'s Office for the District of Minnesota

On April 22, 1999, at exactly 10:45 a.m., the gavel sounded. Student
Court at

Four Winds Elementary School in Minneapolis was called to order. The

prosecutors\--mostly eighth graders\--informed the judges that they were
ready

to proceed. The defense attorneys\--more eighth graders\--did the same.
The

jurors, from grades four through eight, listened intently as the
bailiff, another

classmate, summarized the case before them.

The spectators at Student Court that day included someone whose presence

would make most adults quake in their legal briefs. The kids, however,
paid

little attention to their honorable guest, U.S. Attorney General Janet
Reno. After

all, they had a job to do. They had to determine the sentence for a
classmate

who had admitted disrupting the classroom and being disrespectful of a
teacher.

Student Court was developed by the Minnesota Center for Community Legal

Education at the University of Minnesota. The Center worked with the
Webster

Open School in Minneapolis to design and implement its Student Court,
the

prototype for Student Courts at other schools such as Four Winds. The
Center

worked with students directly as it designed the Court, training
students in the

roles of lawyers, bailiffs, and jurors; training attorneys from the
local U.S.

Attorney\'s Office in the roles of judges; and guiding the
implementation of the

weekly court. Because of the popularity and initial success of the
Webster

program, the Center has received requests to help other Minnesota
schools and

communities as they begin to explore the development of Student Courts.

The program is similar to Teen Court, which is popular in cities across
the

country. In Student Court, however, cases pertain solely to school
issues, such

as cheating in class and stealing from fellow students and school staff.
Also,

Student Court focuses on younger students\--primarily those between the
ages

of 9 and 14, when delinquent behavior and violence are usually
experienced for

the first time.

The U.S. Attorney General\'s Office heard about Student Court through
the

U.S. Attorney\'s Office in Minneapolis, which is a partner in the
Student Court

program. Attorney General Reno decided to visit the Student Court at
Four

Winds to see the program in operation. She was very impressed and spent

considerable time with the students talking about their experiences and
asking

for their input on the problem of school violence. It was a great day
for the

program, the kids, and everyone in attendance.

Through Student Court, youth learn to respond to negative behavior in a

nonviolent manner. They learn to talk problems out and communicate\--no

arguing or fighting is allowed. They also learn how to speak up for what
they

expect from others in their schools. Each student defendant in Student
Court

has admitted guilt in wrongdoing, and jurors must consider the reasons
behind

the defendant\'s actions before determining a sentence. All sentences
handed

down by the jury must be restorative in nature and include an order that
the

defendant serve on the jury for at least 3 to 4 weeks.

The U.S. Attorney\'s Office provides a lawyer to serve as Student Court
judge

at each court session. As the only adult given a role, the judge guides
the youth

through the court process, but the students are the driving force behind
the

program. The Minneapolis Student Court Program is in session in two

Minneapolis schools, Webster Open School and Four Winds Elementary

School.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Conference Corner

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

This edition of Conference Corner will highlight some conferences being
offered

by OJP and other Weed and Seed partners.

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) will host its SEARCH National

Conference in Dallas, Texas, June 26 to June 28, 2000. This science and

technology conference will provide information on policy, operations,
and

technical issues surrounding the application of emerging Internet
technologies to

the justice industry. For more information, please contact the registrar
at 916-

392-2550.

The 26th Annual National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA)

Conference will attract more than 2,500 victim assistance professionals,

survivors, and victim\'s rights advocates to Miami, Florida, July 30 to
August 4,

2000\. Visit www.try-nova.org for conference information and
registration

materials.

Weed and Seed will offer its final conference of the year in Miami,
Florida,

September 5-8, 2000. Creating Healthy Communities will unite Weed and

Seed residents, community leaders, youth, site coordinators, Safe Haven

coordinators, law enforcement personnel, and others to discuss their
crime

prevention practices. Special emphasis areas include what\'s working in
gun

abatement, teen pregnancy prevention, youth mentoring, arts-based
programs,

and gang prevention. Sites will learn how they can use special emphasis
grant

funding to better meet the goals of their strategies. Registration
materials will be

posted on the EOWS Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/) as they become

available.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

State of Florida and U.S. Virgin Islands\' Regional Conference Held in
Tampa

William C. Daniels

LECC Assistant

U.S. Attorney\'s Office for the Middle District of Florida

From February 9 to 11, 2000, representatives from 24 Weed and Seed sites

convened in Tampa, Florida, to share their experiences relative to the
Weed

and Seed strategy at a planned regional conference. Site representatives
from

communities throughout the State of Florida, the U.S. Virgin Islands,
and even

as far away as Massachusetts attended the Bay Area event. The U.S.
Attorney

for the Middle District of Florida, Donna Bucella, welcomed the group to
the

conference; other distinguished representatives on the first day
included the

city\'s Mayor and Deputy Chief of Police.

Sites have since reported that the regional meeting format allowed for
an

efficient exchange of information between sites and officials. The host
site, the

city of Tampa, concluded the first day\'s meetings with a warm Floridian

reception at the Tampa Museum.

Conference topics included Community Mobilization Strategies, Progress

Through Partnership\--Sharing Resources, Millennium Marketing,
Developing a

Strategic Plan, and Neighborhood Restoration Strategies. The second day

concluded with participants accompanying the Tampa Police Department in

ride-alongs and Weed and Seed site tours. On the third day the Florida

Regional Community Policing Institute of St. Petersburg, Florida, made a

presentation titled \"Bridging the Gap: Community and Law Enforcement

Partnerships That Work.\"

Did you miss this one? Be sure to sign up early next year, because this
region

seems to have its concepts, commitments, and synergy headed in the right

direction. For more information, call EOWS Program Manager Faith Baker
at

202-305-2586.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Web Sight

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

The divide between the technological haves and have-nots is becoming one
of

the most critical economic and civil rights issues of this decade. The
term \"digital

divide\" is increasingly used to describe the gap between people with
computer

access and skills and those without.

Long before the phrase \"digital divide\" was coined, EOWS took steps to

bridge the technology gap in Weed and Seed communities. Since September

1997, the SeedTech initiative has helped bring 21st-century technology
to more

than 20 communities and has provided job and skills training to
thousands of

target area residents who, without the initiative, would remain
technological

have-nots. As EOWS and SeedTech continue to establish technology and

computer learning centers, other Federal agencies are dedicating
resources to

do the same.

In December 1999, the U.S. Department of Commerce hosted its first
Digital

Divide Summit, which focused on expanding access to information
technologies

for underserved populations and areas. In a speech before the meeting,

President Clinton announced plans for a New Markets Tour of
disadvantaged

communities to focus national attention on the digital divide issue. He
also

announced his signing of an executive memorandum that establishes the
closing

of the digital divide as a key goal of the Federal Government.

The President has proposed a range of programs to expand access to the

Internet, train teachers in new technologies, and provide tax incentives
to

corporations to help bridge the digital divide. The White House
initiative and

others can be reviewed in depth on the Internet. Below are a few Web
sites

that EOWS recommends to communities striving to become technological

haves. The EOWS Web site (www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/) provides links to

these sites.

www.digitaldivide.gov\--This is the U.S. Department of Commerce\'s
digital

divide Web site, a comprehensive clearinghouse for information about the

Clinton Administration\'s efforts to provide all Americans with access
to the

Internet and other information technologies that are crucial to their
economic

growth and personal advancement. The site is a good place to start
learning

about digital divide issues.

www.digitaldividenetwork.org/grants.adp\--A network supported by the

Benton Foundation, in association with the National Urban League, this
site

provides links to funding opportunities for underserved communities. The

network is aimed at a broad audience of policymakers, nonprofit leaders,

foundation officers, educators, community organizers, social
entrepreneurs, and

industry experts.

www.powerup.org\--PowerUP: Bridging the Digital Divide comprises more

than a dozen nonprofit organizations, major corporations, and Federal
agencies

that have joined together to launch a new multimillion-dollar initiative
to help

ensure that America\'s underserved youth acquire the skills and
resources they

need to succeed in the digital age. Currently, PowerUP has four pilot
affiliates:

San Jose, California; Seattle, Washington; Alexandria, Virginia; and

Washington, D.C. During the year 2000, PowerUP plans to expand to 250

affiliates and has a long-term goal of reaching thousands of centers in
years to

come. This site provides program information and details on how to
become a

PowerUP affiliate.

www.OneNetNow.com\--This is a true community Web site designed to bridge

the digital divide using unique resources to reach out to
African-Americans,

Latinos, and others who are being left behind in the technological
revolution.

The dynamic, culturally diverse online community enables its members to

connect through common interests and engage in interactive dialogue.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

EOWS News

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Farewell

Many had the opportunity to say farewell to EOWS Program Manager Stacy

Larsen at the Site Coordinator Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, and the
DEFY

Conference in Reno, Nevada. Larsen, who left EOWS on February 28,

managed up to 25 Weed and Seed sites over the past 2 years. EOWS

benefited greatly from her talents and contributions to Weed and Seed
and

wishes her family much success in relocating to Portland, Oregon.

Welcome

On March 13, 2000, EOWS welcomed two new Program Managers from

previous positions at the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA). Erin
Holbert has

worked for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) for 5 years; Shannon
Taitt,

for 2 1/2 years. Both participated in the development and implementation
of

national programs and policies related to the Local Law Enforcement
Block

Grants Program and the Edward Byrne Memorial Grant fund.

While serving at BJA, Holbert gained extensive knowledge and experience
in

the development, implementation, and administration of various criminal
justice

programs. Prior to BJA, Holbert was an auditor in the private sector.
She holds

a bachelor\'s degree in business administration, which she used in her
efforts as a

Peace Corps Volunteer assisting small businesses in Jamaica.

Prior to accepting a position with the U.S. Department of Justice in
1997, Taitt

was a Program Development Specialist with the North Carolina Governor\'s

Crime Commission. She was responsible for the administration of grant
funds in

the areas of law enforcement, juvenile justice, and domestic violence.
She also

provided training and technical assistance to State and local agencies
interested

in receiving Federal block and discretionary grant funds. Taitt is a
graduate of

North Carolina State University, where she earned a B.A. in political
science

and criminal justice and a master\'s degree in public administration.

Our Creative Community

EOWS would like the name of the biggest Weed and Seed conference to come

from our most creative resource\--our sites! The excitement seems to
have

settled down from Communities of the New Millennium, the Weed and Seed

1999 National Conference, and now it is time to begin planning our 2001

National Conference. While EOWS makes a host city selection, we\'re
inviting

sites to submit suggestions for the conference title. Visit the EOWS Web
site

(www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/) for details!

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Mark Your Calendar

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

July 9-13 The National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE)

24th Annual Training Conference and Exhibition will be held in Biloxi,

Mississippi, at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum & Convention Center. More

than 1,300 attendees will attend workshops that include topics in
cultural

diversity training, domestic violence, sexual harassment, crisis
management,

computer technology, community policing, and more. For more information,

please visit www.noblenatl.org/confers.htm or call 703-658-9479.

August 1-4 The Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.)

National Conference 2000 will be held in Tucson, Arizona, offering 4
days of

skill development workshops and opportunities for professionals to
network.

Specific topics include avoiding burnout, researching funding sources,
grant

writing, negative impacts of media on children, school violence
education, Gang

Resistance Education and Training Summer Component, gang trends, and

special incident disaster planning. For more information, please visit

www.atf.treas.gov/great/2000conf.htm or call 520-791-4177.

September 13-15 Fathers Behind Bars and on the Street, a joint
conference of

the Family and Corrections Network and the National Practitioners
Network

for Fathers and Families, will be held in Durham, North Carolina.
Through three

tracks (Corrections, Community and Theory, and Policy), the conference
will

look at the needs of fathers, addressing the major factors contributing
to

children growing up in single-parent homes and in fragile families and
more. For

more information, please visit www.fcnetwork.org/ or call 202-737-6680.

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

Mailbox

\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\--

EOWS receives hundreds of queries from the field each month. Our Mailbox

section provides a forum in which to answer questions and share
comments.

Via this shared line of communication, Weed and Seed sites can keep

themselves informed and up-to-date\--so we need you to participate!
E-mail

your questions and comments to askeows@ojp.usdoj.gov or mail them to

EOWS, 810 Seventh Street NW., Washington, DC 20531.

DEFY Web Site

\"Is there an official DEFY Web site maintained by the U.S. Navy\'s Drug

Demand Reduction Task Force? It was mentioned at the DEFY

Train-the-Trainer Conference in Reno, Nevada.\"

Pam Lightsey

Weed and Seed Coordinator

U.S. Attorney\'s Office for the Middle District of Georgia

According to the U.S. Navy, a DEFY Web site is close to being launched.

DEFY is a fast-growing mentoring program implemented internationally;

therefore, it is expected that the Navy\'s DEFY Web page will cover
efforts at

the international level. EOWS will post DEFY information relevant to
Weed

and Seed on the EOWS Web site as it becomes available, including
manuals,

downloadable forms, and reports from various camps as they kick off
Phase I

of the DEFY program. When the Navy\'s DEFY Web site is launched, EOWS

will feature the link on its Web site.

Weed and Seed Logo

\"We\'d like to get or download the Weed and Seed logo to put on our

stationery. Can you advise how to do this?\"

Jim Johnson

Long Branch Neighborhood Initiative

Silver Spring, Maryland

A logo is available for download at www.ojp.usdoj.gov/eows/. The logo is
for

use by Officially Recognized Weed and Seed sites only. This logo file is
not the

highest resolution image file available but is satisfactory for
stationery and Web

page design. For a higher resolution image, call EOWS at 202-514-0709,
and

we will e-mail to you the images in the appropriate format. The Weed and
Seed

Guide to Promoting Your Weed and Seed Site contains a section on the use
of

the Weed and Seed logo. For a copy of this guide, please call the number
listed

above.

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LT 415

April/May 2000