Get Involved As a Group An individual voice becomes even stronger when joined by others. Find out if there is a group in your school that focuses on teen dating violence, or if there is interest in starting one. (Be sure to first find out your school's policy on how to do it.) Once you have a group mobilized for action, the following steps will help to create a successful event or project. Step one: Identify the problem The project needs to be tailored to your school or community. Brainstorm things you think contribute to the abusive behavior you've witnessed. Are people uninformed? Was there an incident at school that wasn't dealt with properly? Does your school need a better sexual harassment policy? You know the issues in your environment best, jot them down. See sample brainstorm A. Remember, at this point you're only trying to make a list of what the problems might be. Work with other people and you'll be able to cover more ground and generate a bigger list. Step two: Research, research and more research Research doesn't have to be overwhelming, or limited to the library or Web. Choose a few issues from your brainstorm list that you are interested in exploring. Talk to a teacher about both your concerns about teen dating violence. Conduct an informal survey of your classmates to get a better idea of their concerns. You might also read up on school policy. Is it up to date? Does it include everyone in the school? Research helps you refine your ideas and tailor your project to your area. See a sample survey or sample research. Step three: Focus your ideas Narrow down to a few issues where you'd like to concentrate. With these researched issues, brainstorm some possible solutions. This is a good exercise to do in a group. See sample brainstorm B. Step four: Putting your ideas into action From the short-list, pick the solution that people are most excited about and seems the most doable. Depending on your idea, it may require different amounts of planning and support from teachers and classmates. Take the time to figure out a plan by working backwards from your goal. See a sample plan. Step five: Taking it one step further Depending on the success at your school, you might want to take you campaign one step further and contact the local media to get attention for your event, or convince local lawmakers to take on your cause.     At first, I couldn't believe it when Katelyn starting dating Jared. Every girl at school wanted him - how did she do it?