Graffiti Taskforce – For Teachers

CITY OF OXNARD’S
ANTI-GRAFFITI
EDUCATION AND AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Graffiti vandalism is a costly crime that not only destroys property but also young lives. The best way to combat this increasing epidemic is to begin the education process at a young age before the destructive habits begin to take root. The City of Oxnard’s Graffiti Task Force has assembled a comprehensive anti-graffiti campaign targeted at elementary age school children called MEASURE UP! This program is designed to introduce the anti-graffiti message to elementary children through using basic concepts. It also has the flexibility for incorporation into the classroom for on-going reinforcement through art projects or writing assignments. We encourage teachers to use their creativity and to expand upon this subject introduction as an important learning moment in the lives of our children.

The task force has designed and development a brief kid style Power Point presentation with the following information.

This campaign explains to children:

• What graffiti is.
• That it is a crime.
• What happens to areas that are plagued by graffiti.
• What happens to people who write graffiti, and
• How they can help.

The core messages for the campaign are:

• To respect other people’s property.
• Not to become a graffiti vandal.
• Help keep the community clean by asking an adult to report graffiti when they see it.

Tools used to deliver the campaign’s message:

• Brief kid style Power Point for presentations.
• Graffiti in Tahiti storybook by Victoria Wilson-Merritt is recommended for follow-up discussions.
  Books were donated to the local municipal libraries and the Oxnard Police School Resources Officers for this purpose. Contact the Oxnard Public Library or your School Resource Officer for availability.
• Two sided English/Spanish parent flyer that explains the parental responsibilities for their children’s actions as it relates to graffiti.
• MEASURE UP! campaign outreach items for the kids: yo-yos, rulers, and rubber black and white colored bracelets with “I Measure UP to Help Stop Graffiti” embossed on the bracelet.

This program is available to you and your school. Presenters are members of the City’s Graffiti Task Force and the Elementary School Resource Officers from the Oxnard Police Department. Together we can begin to make a difference in our community.

Program Contact: Cyndi Hookstra, Graffiti Task Force Administrator 385-8079

Click here for a list of schools in Oxnard that MEASURE UP! and have joined us in our fight against graffiti!

Oxnard Schools

If your class, school, neighborhood group, business or other organization would like to learn more about what you can do to reduce and remove graffiti, please call us. Representatives from the City’s Graffiti Task Force are available for a discussion and can help your group coordinate a Graffiti Awareness Campaign. Please call 385-8010 for more information.

Last Updated: Jan 23 2014