The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office is presenting a local
video to help influence the county’s fifth- and sixth-grade
elementary students not to join gangs.
The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office is presenting a local video to help influence the county’s fifth- and sixth-grade elementary students not to join gangs.
The video, “How to Stay Out of Gangs and Follow Your Dreams,” was made in partnership with the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce’s Leadership SBC program and local students and community leaders. The sheriff’s office has already presented the video to Spring Grove Elementary and R. O. Hardin Elementary. Undersheriff Pat Turturici helped oversee the making of the video and said fifth- and sixth-graders are easier to influence than older students.
“If we can help save one kid from getting into drugs, alcohol and gangs it’s a success,” Turturici said.
Sheriff Curtis Hill and School Resource Officer Deputy Rich Brown presented the video to fifth- and sixth-grade students at Spring Grove Elementary School on Friday. Sheriff Hill stressed the importance of making good life decisions to stay out of gangs.
“Each and every one of you has a chance to be happy,” Sheriff Hill said to the assembly.
The video featured students from local schools, scenes from downtown Hollister and interviews with inmates from the San Benito County jail. The inmates had all been in gangs and spoke of the dangers of joining a gang.
“Friends don’t tell you to go out and shoot somebody,” one female inmate said. “They don’t tell you to beat up somebody. They don’t put you in that type of situation.”
Another female inmate spoke of having to be away from her five children because her gang involvement and drug use have landed her in jail. One male inmate spoke of his failed dream to become an electrician.
The video featured older students who have become involved in positive activities like sports, Boy Scouts and YMCA dance classes. The video encouraged students to get involved in such activities and to seek help when gang members confront them.
Spring Grove sixth-grade teacher Addie Muenzer said the video is effective because it was made locally. She said students often see videos made outside the community and they cannot relate.
Spring Grove sixth-grade students Annie Hernandez, 11, and Michelle Perry, 11, said they related to the video because it was local.
“They did it in our town,” Hernandez said.
Although the sheriff’s office would show the video to seventh- and eighth-grade students if requested, Turturici said younger students stay engaged with the video and tend not to mock its message. Getting to students at an early age is important, Muenzer said.
“Because you start to see them get influenced by gangs,” he said.
After the video students had a question-and-answer session with Brown. Deputy Brown urged students to seek out parents, teachers or the police when confronted by gangs.
“You’re not in this battle by yourself,” Brown said.
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335, or [email protected].
