The Orange County District Attorney’s Office (OCDA) kicked off its annual soccer camps for students as part of an ongoing gang prevention effort to build self-esteem and encourage healthy and positive choices. Designed to keep at-risk students positively engaged during spring break, the three-day soccer camps taking place across Orange County were organized through the Orange County Gang Reduction Intervention Partnership (OC GRIP) to encourage youth to avoid the eminent dangers of gang life and get involved in healthy team-building extra-curricular programs.
OC GRIP soccer camp participants were treated to a day of activities at Chapman University on Wednesday, April 4. The students took a college tour in the morning, ate lunch provided by the university, then played soccer on their field. Chapman University President Dr. Daniele C. Struppa was at the event, along with District Attorney Tony Rackauckas and Orange Police Department Chief Tom Kisela.
The Fullerton/Buena Park/Anaheim soccer camp is a joint effort between the OCDA, OC GRIP, Chapman University, California State University, Fullerton (CSUF), CSUF Police Chief Dennis Demaio, Orange County Probation Department Chief Steve Sentman, Anaheim Police Department Acting Chief Julian Harvey, Buena Park Police Chief Corey Sianez, Fullerton Police Chief David Hendricks and their respective departments, along with The Way Fellowship Church in Buena Park. Awards were presented by dignitaries from all involved agencies.
There were also Orange/Garden Grove/Stanton and San Clemente/San Juan Capistrano/Mission Viejo soccer camps.
Over 100 students and student volunteers from each of the respective camps, all of which include cities known to have rival criminal street gangs, participated. The camps featured police officers and volunteers coaching and playing soccer with the students during the morning hours, and building character in the afternoon through presentations and guest speakers.
Principal Michelle Rushall of Wakeham Elementary School stated, “The students look forward to soccer camp all school year. It is a wonderful opportunity for the children to get to interact in a fun way with law enforcement, district attorneys, soccer champions and community leaders.”
OC GRIP is in 54 schools in ten cities throughout Orange County and partners with private businesses and corporations, faith-based and non-profit organizations, school districts and community leaders to identify issues involving academics, attendance and behavior in at-risk students and to find solutions. Approximately 370 elementary students will participate in the three soccer camps this spring.
