Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center is seeking $1,000 to support a Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month initiative that brings healthy-relationship education, interactive workshops, and empowerment activities directly to local youth. These funds help us reach teens where they already are—on school campuses—giving them tools that build confidence and emotional safety at a pivotal stage of their development.
Why is it awesome? Because this project supports teens long before challenges arise. Healthy relationship education is one of the most effective ways to prevent harm and strengthen well-being. Many adults who experience relationship violence first encountered unhealthy dynamics as teens, which shows how important it is to reach youth early with positive, practical tools.
Our advocates meet teens on campus and use trauma-informed, interactive workshops to explore what healthy love looks like, recognize early red flags, understand boundaries and consent, and learn how to seek help for themselves or a friend.
Why is it uniquely awesome? Because we use a creative, youth-centered approach. Instead of lectures, we use art and hands-on activities as entry points. Teens build “Love Is…” boards, design posters, create anonymous question boxes, and participate in role-plays that make learning safe, engaging, and memorable. These activities shift attitudes far more effectively than traditional presentations because teens are actively creating—not passively listening.
A single workshop can spark powerful “lightbulb moments”: a teen realizing jealousy isn’t love, a friend recognizing manipulation, someone discovering they deserve boundaries, or a student feeling safe enough to ask, “Where can I get help?” This program also sparks natural peer-to-peer change. Teens influence each other more than adults ever could. This project gives teens the chance to start their relationship journeys with knowledge, confidence, and safety—skills they will carry for life.