"teen kids news" is about to begin. here's what's happening. i'll continue my report on things that you can do to help rescue our oceans. find out how a special group of scouts created a very special badge. i'll show you how a basketball can be a tool for good will. coming up, i'll tell you why the washington monument is two different colors. we are the p.s. 22 chorus, and you're watching "teen kids news." [ cheers ] >> and it all starts right now on "teen kids news." ♪

welcome to "teen kids news," i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm jessica. here's our top story for this week. our oceans are in danger. and it's our fault. humans pollute, endanger species by over-fishing, and develop communities too close to the water. as we continue our series on "saving the ocean," felipe tells us we can all do something to help turn the tide. >> we call it planet earth. but david helvarg says we should call it planet ocean. after all, water covers more than 70% of the globe. >> and we get so much from the ocean in terms of recreation and transportation, trade, energy and just that sense of awe and wonder of being part of this great blue marble that i think it's only sensible that we give something back.

>> reporter: david is the president of blue frontier, an environmental organization. he wrote this book, "50 ways to save the ocean." >> the first of the 50 ways to save the ocean i say is go to the beach because we protect what we love. but when you go there, make sure you pack out everything you pack in. >> reporter: especially those soda and water bottles. or those bags you bring them in. one of the biggest polluters of the ocean is plastic. even when we're not at the beach, using less plastic can help keep our oceans clean. >> every year americans throw a billion plastic water bottles away. so you know, work for clean tap water. you know, don't use plastic. recycle. and when you go to the store, take a cloth bag for the groceries. >> here's another way you can help save the ocean. tell your parents to only buy fish that are sustainable. these are fish that won't become extinct from being overfished. >> so you know, eating healthy

fish, eating fish that are harvested in a way that you're not taking more than can reproduce and grow back. >> reporter: you can go to websites like this one for california's famous monterey bay aquarium. it provides a listing of sustainable fish. >> another way to save the ocean is to eat more vegetarian and organic food. and that's not an immediate connection, but the connection is that if you're eating organic food that means they're using less synthetic fertilizers and petrochemicals to grow crops. that means less pollution running off into the ocean. >> reporter: according to david, there are five rules to save our ocean. we've covered the first four. enjoy, conserve, clean, protect. the fifth is just as easy. learn and share. helvarg believes our government isn't doing enough to protect the ocean. he says the more we learn, the more we can push our leaders to do the right things. >> young people are always in the front lines of change, and this is a global change. i mean, this is what our planet is. we call it earth.

but really it's not green, it's blue. you go out in space, you look back, it's a big blue marble planet we live on. as planet "ocean" residents we have to do our part. >> reporter: to learn more you can visit helvarg's website, bluefront.org. when it comes to saving the ocean, i guess you can say it's time to sink or swim. >> stay with us. there's lots more still to come on "teen kids news." >> we'll be right back. and now our fox in the classroom update. >> nato confirming one of its air strikes on tripoli went offtarget and caused civilian casualties. the libyan government accusing nato of killing nine civilians in the air strike on a residential neighborhood in the capital. meanwhile, syrian forces sweep through the northwestern border region to block refugees from

escaping to turkey. president bashar al assad blaming saboteurs for the recent violence and protests. wind gusts continue to challenge crews fighting arizona and new mexico wildfires. thousands of residents in southern arizona evacuating their homes as powerful winds push the flames acrossroads and containment lines toward populated areas. the wallow fire burning in eastern arizona for three weeks, keeping residents under an evacuation order for another day. >> it's quite startling to see the acreage that has burned and the area that is still burning. >> all of the arizona wildfires are believed to be human-caused. the internet getting a major face-lift. websites ending in dotcom will soon be passe and replaced with the likes of dot-sport, dot-eco and even dot-x. assigned names and numbers to allow virtually unlimited domain names based on themes as various brands, entertainment and

political causes. groups can petition next year for new updates to dotcom and dot net with suffixes use anything word in any language. high profile companies will likely be among the first to apply for their domain name in a bid to protect their names. this will be the biggest change to the system since 1984. for "teen kids news," i'm whether you're a boy scout or a girl scout, the focus of scouting is to grow, to learn, and to help others. kristen introduces us to some scouts who have discovered a way to take those goals one step further. >> reporter: these scouts are from troop 2746. they are spending the day visiting with the kids at the blythedale children's hospital. many of these young patients will be in the hospital for a very long time, so they really look forward to visits from the scouts. >> the first time i volunteered, we were doing reading buddies. and we were all sort of nervous, because it was our first time doing that.

and it was just like so much fun because we did crafts for the kids and they were all like really sweet. and it was just a lot of fun, and all the nervousness went away after a few minutes. >> reporter: now, it's no secret that girl scouts earn merit badges for doing good deeds. but the organization has never offered one for working with disabled or hospitalized children. of course, the girls in this troop have earned something even more valuable, friendships. >> they're my age and you can talk to them, and that -- they're fun. >> i think one of the major reactions is to see the enthusiasm in our patients. to see the smiles on their faces when the girl scouts come. and they remember the girl scouts and the girl scouts remember our patients. >> i remember that it was inspiring because i'd never really gone to a hospital before. and it was kind of like, i realized that these children were exactly like me. and they weren't really any different, and it kind of just inspired me. >> they're seventh graders now,

so it's been 7 1/2 years. we've come back every year. >> reporter: teen years are a time when kids become keenly aware of the differences in one another, but don't tell that to the members of this girl scout troop. they'd rather focus on the similarities. >> i saw the kids, and i -- first they looked very different from me, but then i noticed how they were very similar because they like to have fun just like us and do crafts and many things just like we do. >> reporter: the troop began to realize how much everyone was benefiting from time spent together. and it occurred to them that scouting should promote programs like this in other communities. >> and what they found was that there was, in fact, no badge existing in the national book that explored that sort of topic. they were surprised, as was i, and they said, "why don't we create one?" and they did. they created the requirements, and then they got so excited about it and the girl scout council got so excited about it, they said, "why don't we roll

this out to other girl scouts?" >> reporter: the rest, as they say, is history. >> here's the badge here. the girls actually designed it. it is intended to be earned by junior girl scouts, fourth, fifth, and sixth-graders. if you look at the badge, it has the handicap, the international handicap symbol in the center. if you get very close, you can see that it has a smiley face on it and a international red cross sign. but also it has a flower. and there's also, by the way, a rainbow, which was -- represented to them, diversity of all experience that we're really the same, and that we all have our own challenges. we all have things that we'd like to work on or improve. >> reporter: one of the things this troop has already improved is a way to keep this program active as the girls move up the ranks. >> the second badge that we developed is part of an ongoing project that the troop is working on to expand the age levels of the girls who can earn the badge. the one that we're working on now is for older girls, seventh

-- eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh and twelfth graders. it's rectangular, which is typical of badges for older girls. one of the exciting things about girl scouting is that it provides girls with an opportunity to think about who they are as people and explore it by doing activities that bolster that. and one of the things that my girls i think are learning about themselves is how much they really love community service and working with other people. >> it's nice. it helps the patients feel more relaxed, and i guess better in general. >> well, we're stuck in the hospital and they make it fun. >> with the girl scouts coming in and wanting to work with our kids and growing with our kids, it's a validation that they're okay. and it's almost a better therapy than we can give them. and it makes the kids feel accepted. and it's a win-win situation, all over the place. >> they really have a great time coming here.

they have a good time. i think part of it is giving back to the community. i think it makes them feel good to help. i think that they enjoy the kids. i think there's friendships that form. >> reporter: to find out how you can get involved in a program like this one, your local girl scout chapter. who knows? by reaching out to help others, you may even come up with an idea for your own merit badge. reporting for "teen kids news," i'm kristen. sometimes a game is about a lot more than what's happening on the court. tyler has the story of a team that traveled a long way to score points and make a point. >> reporter: on the court, they're teammates. off the court, these boys would never have been friends. the reason they're buddies now? the organization, full court

peace, that brought them together. >> full court peace is an organization that uses basketball to unite right now catholics and protestants in northern ireland. >> reporter: the conflict in northern ireland started way before these teens were born, actually centuries ago. >> basically, 800 years ago england owned all of ireland. ireland fought back, and to this day ireland has regained control of all of its land except northern ireland. >> reporter: traditionally, it's thought of as a war between two religions, catholic and protestant. >> when i got there, i couldn't believe how segregated the society was. there were walls running through the neighborhoods where these kids are from that keep them apart and basically sends the message that they shouldn't be friends with each other. that really inspired me to do something to make a change in kids' lives. >> reporter: so michael founded full court peace with basketball to cross the religious divide. >> basketball in northern ireland is not very popular, but it's neutral. sports like cricket and rugby are predominantly protestant,

and gaelic football and hurling are predominantly catholic sports. i just realized that i could get both kids to play. they wouldn't look at a basketball and say "oh, that's only for the other side." >> reporter: now, a few years into the program, it seems their idea was a slam dunk. meet mark and dean. >> i'm protestant. >> and i'm a catholic. >> reporter: new to the sport of basketball, they had to put aside their differences to learn how to play. >> when we're on the court practicing together, the religion is just out the window. >> i just know that they are my teammates. and i'll always stick with them. >> reporter: now they're not only practicing together, they hang out off the court too. >> well, the friendships i've made through full court peace have just been amazing. >> like anytime they come knock on my door, i bring them in, give them a bed to sleep because just they're really, really nice guys. >> reporter: after weekly practices alternating between the catholic and protestant schools, the season culminates with a trip to the united states. >> i think it's important for them to come to america because america is a melting pot and protestants and catholics specifically get along very well in the states. there's no conflict.

>> reporter: once they make it stateside, the boys stay with host families. >> i had a family called the coons, like robert, judy, and their son august, and i actually felt like as if i was their son as well. that's how they made me feel. and his family as well, the smiths, they were -- they were just the nicest people you would ever meet. >> reporter: driving home the message of peace through basketball seems to have rebounded in victory for these boys. >> since full court peace has started, it's just opened a new window to me. like before this i would have never been in dean's area, never been to his school, never met these guys, never sat and chatted with them, and just went away with them, it's just been an amazing experience. >> reporter: full court peace has grown from one team to five teams in just a few years. they've even started a girls' program. eventually, michael would like to bring basketball to rivaling communities in other parts of the world. for more information on full court peace, log on to our

website and click on the link. i'm tyler, and that's sports for this week. the tallest structure in washington, d.c., isn't a skyscraper. it's a monument to a man who's often called the father of our country. it's the first of all the memorials to be built on the national mall, and it continues to be one of the most popular for tourists. lauren visited it as part of our series "washington monuments and memorials." >> reporter: as we all know, george washington served as commander-in-chief of our nation's military during the revolutionary war. in 1789 he became the very first president of the united states. at his funeral, washington was remembered as being "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." that's why it's fitting that the washington monument sits right at the heart of our national mall. the giant stone obelisk is

flanked by the u.s. capitol to the east, the world war ii and lincoln memorials to the west. and just to the north is the white house. construction on the monument began in 1848, but it wasn't completed until 1884. i met bill line from the national park service and asked him about the 36-year delay. >> the reason why it took that long is because of bureaucracy. there was in-fighting. welcome to america, that's the way we do things. >> reporter: but not all of the delay was due to bureaucracy. if you look closely at the monument, you'll notice the stone changes color about a third of the way up. that's a reminder of one of the saddest events in our nation's history. why does the color change? >> the color changes because of basically the civil war. the civil war starting at approximately 1860 caused a stop, a cessation in the construction at the washington monument. the construction on the washington monument didn't start again and didn't resume until well after the civil war was over with.

>> reporter: the monument is 555 feet tall. when it was finished, it was the tallest structure in the world. and it held that title for five years, until the eiffel tower was built. thanks to a special washington, d.c., construction law, the monument remains the tallest structure in the city, overlooking everything else. and yes, there is an elevator to take you to the top. just be prepared to wait in line. >> we saw the washington memorial and went up in it and the jefferson memorial. >> which one's been your favorite so far? >> oh, the washington. >> why? >> it was really cool to go up and to be able to look around and see all the stuff that was around it. >> why do you think it's important to have memorials to our famous presidents? >> because when they died it honors them and it shows respect that we care about them. >> reporter: judging from the millions of people who visit the monument each year, people certainly care a lot about our first president. i'm lauren for "teen kids news."

these students may look young, but they have already accomplished some great things. they're being honored for their community service. the prudential spirit of community awards highlights the importance of volunteerism. two teens from each state were invited to washington, d.c. from that group, ten national honorees were chosen. >> you represent the very best of america and our brightest hope for the future of this great country. >> the winning service projects ranged from building houses for people in juarez, mexico, to raising money for braille services for the blind. national honorees received an award of $5,000, plus a grant of $5,000 for the charity of their choice.

academy award-winning actress susan sarandon was on hand to congratulate them. >> you didn't just want to shake your head or shake your fist and get upset, you wanted to really do something about it. you had the passion and the commitment to take that idea and follow it through into action, and to make that idea a reality. >> for more information on the prudential spirit of community awards, and how you can get involved, visit our website. i'm scott for "teen kids news." remember the song "if i had a million dollars"? even if you don't, let's pretend you had a million dollars. how would you spend it? >> i would do a lot of things. >> probably go on a crazy shopping spree.

>> put a lot into my bank account to save for college. >> for charities for cancer. it seems to be running in my family line a lot. i hope people can find a cure for it soon. >> then i would give a bit to charity. >> i would probably donate some to charity, and then put some in like my college fund. >> then i would probably give some to different people in my family. >> if i won a million dollars, i'd get a nicer house and give some to charity. >> then i'd spend it on stuff. go of a shopping spree. >> for "teen kids news," i'm sam. ♪ they're an internet sensation, and now they're singing with the stars. and they're not even out of

elementary school. clay is the story of those amazing kids from ps 22. >> reporter: p.s. stands for public school. not a fancy school for the gifted and talented, just a regular old public school on new york's staten island. and yet these fifth graders are already making musical waves around the world. over 8 million you tube hits and counting. >> i'm really thankful for all of the opportunities that we had to meet celebrities like rihanna and like all the others, you know. >> reporter: all the other celebrities include tori amos, who was moved to tears when the chorus sang her music. ♪ just stay a while, stay a while, stay a while ♪ >> reporter: a link to this scene on a popular blog sent p.s. 22 into the internet big time. ♪ stay a while and on to television and stage appearances like this one with the band crowded house. ♪ try to forget you make me call your name and i'll shout it to the blue summer sky ♪

>> reporter: the teacher that makes it all happen is gregg breinberg. p.s. 22's fame is thanks to his ability to help the kids really feel the songs they're singing. ♪ time makes you bolder, even children get older ♪ >> i encourage them to find a musical connection to every song we do. we'll discuss lyrics. we're doing music that is emotionally sophisticated, and what's great is that these kids have kind of an emotional experience behind them that, again, when they bring it to the table, they're putting something out there that's behind the notes, behind the rhythm. you can't miss it. you can't miss it. you see it, you can't miss it. ♪ >> reporter: the kids call him mister b. he inspires them to explore not only lyrics, harmony and movement, but also the benefits of hard work. >> i try to be there for these kids. so i try to assume that all these kids need that extra, that extra pat on the back, that

extra bit of motivation, that extra bit of inspiration that says "hey, you're doing something really special you know, and i'm really proud of you," and that's my most important role. >> all right, before we leave today, i want to just go over the new chorus that we learned today. >> reporter: it's their moment to shine before heading on to middle school. every year mr. b auditions a new group of fifth-graders at p.s. 22. but each song will live on, not only on youtube, but also in the confidence and memories these young performers will take with them. ♪ >> one lesson that i've really learned is that when you try and try your hard work always pays off, and you just keep shooting for the stars. ♪ >> great job today. [ cheers and applause ] >> reporter: want to hear more? just type "ps 22 chorus" into your browser. or you can find a link on our "teen kids news" website. >> that's all for now, but we'll be back soon with more "teen kids news." >> thanks for joining us, and have a great week.

♪ ♪ -- captions by vitac -- [uplifting music]

♪ burkhardt: michelle graves is living her dream. a trail guide in utah's newly designated red cliffs national conservation area, she leads clients through 45,000 acres of some of the most ecologically diverse landscape in the west. - i wake up every morning and just go, "wow. i can't believe i live here." and i get back in the mountains, and it's just-- it's spiritual for me. it really is. burkhardt: this public land is rugged and scenic, offering a network of over 130 miles of non-motorized trails. it also shares much of its border with the city of nearly 90,000 residents, st. george, utah. it is why michelle moved here four years ago. - i really told the realtor that i only wanted to look on this red mountain quarter, and i wanted trail access. and i wanted that because that's what's

the most appealing to me in this area. burkhardt: michelle was part of a growing contingent of transplant residents to southwest utah attracted to the area's mild climate and almost limitless opportunities for outdoor recreation in a spectacular setting. - it's really like no other place you can be. it's just so many trail heads and so many places in such a short distance. and it's really a treasure, and we want to preserve it. burkhardt: it is a familiar management dilemma, how to protect such precious areas while also allowing access to a growing number of enthusiasts. red cliffs national conservation area is the culmination of 13 years of public lands conservation that began with the red cliffs desert reserve, a wildlife preserve set aside to help protect the rare mojave desert tortoise. - it's challenging to allow people access to the reserve,

to enjoy the reserve, yet maintain and protect habitat, tortoise habitat as well as populations of tortoises. burkhardt: the mojave desert tortoise is federally listed as a threatened species. only 1% or 2% of hatchlings will ever become adults, making it a bellwether of sorts for the health of the entire ecosystem. - i think the tortoise is like an umbrella species. basically, the health of the individual tortoise and the population of tortoises within the reserve really is a mirror to the health of the reserve. burkhardt: recent studies have shown a decline in tortoise populations within the red cliffs conservation area. habitat encroachment, increased off-trail traffic, and diseases adversely affect the tortoise and in turn other fragile desert life. - the problem is, is we are too close. we're too close to an urban interface. our population is growing, and the problems are only going to get worse

and not better unless, again, we can get citizens activated, engaged. burkhardt: kai reed leads a citizen's advocacy group designed to educate the public about land stewardship. she helps to coordinate volunteers interested in preserving and maintaining this sensitive landscape with the government entities that manage it. - one of the things that i really hope to accomplish is to get the blm to look at people not as maybe something that they have to manage or an adversary but as part of the solution. burkhardt: it is a challenge here and elsewhere as the wild west is being nibbled away by the urban west. - always the question will be, how are we going to balance the human uses that are authorized out there that are consistent with the protection of native species and habitat? how do we balance those things in a way that does the right thing, in essence?

burkhardt: for this american land, i'm bruce burkhardt.