G.R.E.A.T. Effort Helps Get Rid Of Graffiti

SHADY HILLS - While cars raced by below at 70 mph and faster, a band of youngsters eagerly took paint rollers to concrete covering up graffiti on a Suncoast Parkway overpass.

The sun was already out with a vengeance about 9 a.m. today but the first five children on Lawless Road working with Pasco deputies, assigned as school resource officers, didn't seem to mind.

Giant mushrooms, a pot leaf, the word "Rock" and the numbers "727" were emblazoned in bright blue spray paint above the traffic. Unrecognizable symbols marked the walls as well. But not for long.

The children from the summer day camp at Hudson's Veterans Memorial Park quickly applied gray paint over the graffiti.

"I'm having fun," said 10-year-old Paige Theede.

Throughout the day, youths from other county recreation camps covered unwanted markings on bridges and buildings in other parts of Pasco. The effort is part of the sheriff's office Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) Program, taught to sixth-graders. School resource officers are working with children in different programs over the summer to do community outreach projects.

"The G.R.E.A.T. program is obviously a positive thing," said Sgt. Kurt Pinto, middle school SRO supervisor. "The kids seem to take to it real well."

The annual anti-graffiti campaign is perhaps the most visible program.

"Basically, we just want to get rid of the graffiti that has taken place here in the area," said Cpl. Mike McKnight, SRO at Bayonet Point Middle School.

Deputies staked out areas hit hard with gang graffiti and mischievous markings, and planned out a route for today. Campers arrived by van at the different sites throughout the day.

"We wanted to get the kids involved, let them know it's not OK to do this kind of thing," McKnight said.

The message seemed to be sinking in.

"It's bad. People shouldn't do it," Paige said as she took a brief break from painting.

"People are doing the wrong thing," said 8-year-old Adam McKnight, who tagged along with his camp mates and his father, Mike McKnight.

As some of the youngsters moved to the other side of the Suncoast Parkway overpass, one deputy noticed graffiti threatening the law enforcement community.

"It says 'Die Popo,' so we really want to cover that up," said Cpl. Joe Kwiatkowski, who will open Crews Lake Middle School in the fall. "We gave a second coat on that."

The cleanups go beyond teaching students that vandalism is wrong.

"It teaches them the value of property by cleaning it up," Kwiatkowski said. "They learn about gang awareness, the community and making good choices. ... This is teaching them responsibility and respect for the community and working together as a team."

Removing the graffiti quickly is important because it's a deterrent, Kwiakowski said. "If you let it hang, you get more."
That's something Theodore Slocum, 14, didn't want to see.

"I think it's good for kids our age to see what mistakes people have made and paint over them," he said. "Hopefully, nobody comes over here and does it again."