Some motivated students are getting a lot of help - a million dollars worth of help - in their fight to stop abusive relationships before they start.

Apryl Cornell is a junior at Southeast High School.

"It is so common," she says. "I have friends that have been in that kind of relationship. You can walk down the hallway and see the disrespect. You can just tell."

According to recent studies, 14% of teens say they would do anything to keep a boyfriend or girlfriend and one in five report being physically or sexually abused by a dating partner. Southeast senior Andrew Walker says the numbers are troubling.

"Dating violence is not what's supposed to be happening. It's not supposed to be the norm. And I want people to know they can either get help or help others that are also in these relationships."

These teens are part of a local effort to educate their peers and parents about abuse in young intimate relationships. And that effort just got a really big boost.

On Friday, Wichita Catholic Charities announced they are one of 11 organizations across the country to receive a one million dollar grant supporting a new four year initiative. The money will fund education, mentoring, possible policy changes in public schools and new marketing projects.

The grant comes from an 18 million dollar partnership between The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Blue Shield Of California Foundation.