>> "teen kids news" salutes america on the anniversary of 9/11. >> we'll tell you how these school walls and halls are honoring those who lost their lives that terrible day. >> and i'll report on people who are working hard to keep the memory and lessons of 9/11 alive in classrooms across the country. >> in "speak of the week," we'll find out what makes us proud to call ourselves americans. >> we're still singing its praises. find out what happened the night of the rockets' red glare. >> this special edition of "teen kids news" begins right now.

>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm siena. we'll start with our top story. >> most of us were just little kids when the 9/11 terrorist attacks took place in 2001. they're a painful but important part of our nation's history, and we'll hear more about that later in the program. but now scott tells us how some students used brushes, paint, and their school's walls to pay special tribute. >> detail, left face! >> you don't often see an honor guard like this at the opening of a student art project, but this is no ordinary art project. these images capture the horror and heroism of 9/11, events that took place not far from mckinley junior high school in brooklyn, new york. we've reported on mckinley before -- how the students here made national headlines with their unusual art project, giant

hallway murals. >> we bring everything that we learned in class to, like, another level. we draw it. we write poems about it. we do a lot of extra things that i don't think in other schools they do it. >> over the past few years, a new section of art has been in the works. the students created a history lesson on the walls, and when it was ready, special guests were invited for a dedication. in addition to proud parents and educators, there were people with a close personal connection to that day -- people for whom 9/11 will never just be a lesson in a textbook. >> on tuesday morning, september 11, 2001, arab terrorists seized four passenger jets that had taken off from boston. the hijackers crashed two of the planes into the world trade center in new york and a third into the pentagon in washington. the fourth jet plummeted into a pennsylvania field after passengers rushed the terrorists. i think it's important that we continue to teach our youth these important moments in history, and if you read the textbooks, this is just a

paragraph. so, this makes the children understand the significance of an event like 9/11 -- brings it to life. >> with speeches, plaques, and presentations, the students were welcomed into a unique community -- a community of people who work to keep the memory of 9/11 alive. >> you gave your lives so that others might live. >> we wanted to honor the memory of everyone who lost their lives, but we also wanted to celebrate the achievement of these kids, and the firefighters, the police officers, everyone who came, helped us do that more than we ever imagined possible. [ bagpipes playing "amazing grace" ] >> after the ceremony and the photographs, everyone filed into the school for a tour back through time. [ music continues ] much of the art here is inspired by famous works done by classical artists.

see the number "343" on the helmet? it represents the number of firefighters who died on 9/11. >> i was one of the lucky ones that was not killed that day, but i lost many of my friends. >> while the kids were working on the mural, captain berkman would come and visit. she helped them understand what happened that day. >> i didn't know anything about 9/11 at the beginning of this, and i've learned so much. >> and i love seeing people come and see what we did! >> it makes me, like, proud, 'cause, like, all the work that we -- all of us -- done -- it's, like, really special to some people. >> unfortunately, my brother was one of the firemen who passed away, so that's my personal connection. it's very fulfilling to see his memory honored in a place such as this. >> in fact, the students took special care to honor all those who lost their lives in the attacks. >> and we put every single name, 3,000 names, on the wall. >> and every name helps to make sure that we never forget.

the poet robert frost once wrote, "something there is that doesn't love a wall." had he visited mckinley junior high school, he probably would have changed his mind. >> when we return, we'll travel back 200 years. >> that's where the story of our national anthem begins. we'll be right back. >> across america, railroad tracks that once rattled with loads of goods now lie dormant and overgrown, but that's changing. [ train whistle blows ] with gas and oil prices rising, rail shipping is enjoying a resurgence, and the small town of north creek, new york, is seeing the reopening of tracks that were shut down more than 20 years ago. >> trains use only about 1/4 of the fuel that trucks use, and they emit maybe 1/4 of the pollutants, so it's a much more

environmentally friendly way to move anything, really. >> ed ellis, president of iowa pacific holdings, says the rail company will clear 30 miles of overgrowth, allowing these iron giants to haul rock from an old mine to new customers, creating dozens of jobs. short-line railroads across america are gaining steam. according to industry statistics, last year, traffic was up in almost every major commodity, including a 25% increase in automobiles and parts and a 10% increase in the transfer of lumber and chemicals. but not everyone wants to see the trains back on track. local environmentalist charles morrison says the government never should have laid the rails here, which cut through a state forest preserve, in the 1940s. >> the solution is to have the land that was taken by the federal government returned to the people of new york state, and that can only be done by removing the rails and going to court. >> this project has yet to be derailed by lawsuits, and ellis sees more opportunities across

the nation. >> this is something that's just gonna continue to grow over the next decade. >> for "teen kids news," i'm molly line, "fox news channel in the classroom." >> this is a red, white, and blue edition of "teen kids news," so for our "speak of the week," we asked you to tell us what makes you proud to be an american. >> america -- you have a lot of opportunities, and we have freedoms that other countries don't have, so it's just nice to be able to be say what you want and do what you want and have the opportunity to, like, succeed in your career or whatever you choose to do >> i mean, the fact that people come from all over the world to this country for an opportunity is amazing. >> i'm proud to be an american because this is a free country and everyone has rights and equality, no matter who you are.

>> everything that we've done and accomplished -- it makes us a very prominent country, and i'm proud to be a part of it. >> i'm proud to be an american because of the melting pot. >> i like that there's a lot of culture, diversity, and ideas in america. >> i'm proud to be an american because of all the people who served for us and our country. >> 'cause you can pursue your dreams and follow your heart and live out your life in a very good way. >> they all deserve stars for great answers. actually, make that 50 stars. with "speak of the week," i'm jacelyn. >> it's been said that the pen is mightier than the sword. words can inspire us, unite us, and even help us win battles, especially when put to music. carly tells us more. >> we sing it at school, at important ceremonies, and even before sporting events. our national anthem has a proud history, and it all began right here in baltimore harbor two centuries ago.

>> this was the war of 1812. we weren't doing so well. the americans were losing at that time. and the british had just burned washington. that was kind of scaring the people in baltimore city. and fort mchenry was the only thing standing in between the british ships and baltimore city. >> can you describe fort mchenry to us? >> absolutely. from the air, the fort looks like a giant star. it has points on it called "bastions" so that the cannons can have crossfire all the way around the fort. and fort mchenry is named for james mchenry. he was the secretary of war at the time fort mchenry was being built. >> we are standing on the parade ground. this grassy area is where troops would muster for various ceremonies, such as inspection, morning parade, and whatnot. around us are the barracks. they would have been -- back in 1814, they would have been one story. the second story was added in 1829. the fort as you see it now, in general, looks more like it would have done in the civil war. >> the american general in charge of the fort wanted to show the british that we weren't afraid. so, he sent word here, to the home of mary pickersgill.

mary was a well-known flag maker. so, mary, what did the general ask you to do? >> why, he asked me to make a flag that was so large, the british would have no trouble seeing it from a distance. it was 30'x42'. each stripe was 2' wide, and every star was 2' from tip to tip. >> wow! that sounds really big. >> it was very large -- the largest flag to ever fly from a flagpole, as i understand. >> and did you have to work fast? >> well, i did work from sunrise till around 10:00 or 11:00 at night for about 6 weeks, so it did take me quite a while, and i worked as quickly as possible. >> to give you an idea of just how big the flag really is... it was this big. when did the battle begin? >> on september 13, 1814, the british began firing on the fort. >> we are at the fort's water battery. this is the main line of defense for fort mchenry. cannons like these are what kept the british ships at bay.

>> an american lawyer happened to be with the british ships. he was negotiating the release of a prisoner -- an american prisoner of war -- and so he was there for the whole bombardment, and he saw the entire battle. and his name was francis scott key. >> we'll have more on the history of "the star-spangled banner" when "tkn" continues. [ fifes and drums play ] [ cannon fires ] >> fort mchenry was the only thing standing in between the british ships and baltimore city. >> ♪ o say can you see by the dawn's early light ♪ >> why did key write that first line? >> "o say can you see"? key wasn't sure who won the fight. it was dark the morning after the battle. he's looking through a spyglass, and then he sees the giant

american flag going over the fort and realizes that the americans held out, the americans won, and that inspired him to write the poem the "defence of fort mchenry." >> ♪ what so proudly we hailed ♪ at the twilight's last gleaming ♪ ♪ whose broad stripes and bright stars ♪ ♪ through the perilous fight >> when francis scott key wrote his poem, there were only 15 stars and 15 stripes on the american flag. >> ♪ o'er the ramparts we watched ♪ ♪ were so gallantly streaming? >> so, what exactly are the ramparts? >> the ramparts are the brick walls surrounding the fort, and "ramparts" is another name for a wall. so, when key says, "o'er the ramparts," "o'er" is another word for "over," so he's saying, "we watched over the ramparts for the flag." >> ♪ and the rockets' red glare ♪ ♪ the bombs bursting in air

>> during the battle, a bomb crashed straight through the roof of our powder magazine. if it had actually exploded, it would have blown the fort sky-high. >> ♪ gave proof through the night ♪ ♪ that our flag was still there ♪ >> the british bombarded the fort for 25 hours, and they were out by key bridge, so they were 2 miles out on the water. our guns could only shoot for a mile and a half, so they were out of our range. so, after 25 hours of bombing, they were not defeating the fort and they weren't getting to baltimore, so the british decided to leave. >> what happened to key's poem? >> well, key went back to baltimore, wrote the rest of the poem, and then he gave it to a local printer, and it was printed on handbills. it was to put it in modern terms, it went viral. it went up and down the atlantic coast, and two weeks later, a music store -- carr's music store -- changed the name from the "defence of fort mchenry" to

"the star-spangled banner." >> when did it become our national anthem? >> it became the official national anthem in 1931. for a lot of years, it was sung like a national anthem, they called it a national air, but it really wasn't until the 1920s that a grassroots movement came afoot to make it official, and herbert hoover signed it into a resolution and public law in 1931. >> what are some of the highlights of the bicentennial exhibit? >> we have a lot going on for the bicentennial. we have our new state-of-the-art visitor and education center, where we have 5,000 square feet of pure awesome exhibits. you can vote on declaring the war of 1812, an interesting imax movie that puts you in the center of the action, and fort mchenry is getting all new exhibits inside the old fort, so it's an incredible story, and it's never been told like it has been right now for the bicentennial. >> ♪ o say does that star-spangled banner yet wave ♪

♪ o'er the land of the free ♪ and the home of the brave? >> yes, it does. 200 years later, our flag still proudly waves, spangled with a lot more stars. for "tkn," i'm carly. >> we're continuing our special coverage of 9/11/2001. on that day, terrorists hijacked four planes. two were flown into new york city's world trade center buildings. in washington, d.c., a plane was slammed into the pentagon. the fourth plane never made it to its intended target. those on board fought the terrorists to regain control of the aircraft. that plane, with its heroic passengers and crew, crashed into a field in pennsylvania. >> it was a tragic day for our country -- in fact, the worst attack on u.s. soil since the bombing of pearl harbor at the start of world war ii. earlier, during scott's report

on the school mural in honor of 9/11, the principal there made this point. >> i think it's important that we continue to teach our youth these important moments in history, and if you read the textbooks, this is just a paragraph. >> tyler reports on an organization that's trying to change that. they want schools to make 9/11 more than just a paragraph in a textbook. >> i think that teens should learn about it because it's a big part of history and all the devastation that happened. they should know about it. >> and that's one of the reasons why teens and others from across the country come here, to the 9/11 tribute center. located right next to where the twin towers once stood, the center gives what it calls "person-to-person history." >> i catch a glimpse of a plane coming down hudson river. i watch the plane. i watch the plane come and circle around the statue of liberty, and then i watch the plane drive right into the south tower. >> bill spade was one of the hundreds of firemen who rushed to the scene that day. he's one of the lucky ones to survive. now he shares his story with visitors.

>> i just don't want people to forget. so many lives were lost that day. >> and that's the mission of the tribute center -- to help people understand that 9/11 is more than just a date. it's a pivotal moment in our nation's history. it's a message the founder of the tribute center feels is especially important for our generation to learn. in fact, he says that he's surprised at how little some students today know about the attacks. >> they don't understand what 9/11 is, how it happened, who did it to us, and why. >> in school, we are taught about global history back from the 1500s, but when it comes to world trade centers, we're not taught about it at all. >> the tribute center would like to see schools do more when it comes to teaching about the attacks. >> we feel it's very important to have a curriculum to teach the history of 9/11. >> many of the kids we spoke to agree. >> the united states should have that in their curriculum because -- because everybody's affected by it. >> i think this should be taught

in school because teens should have a right to know about this -- about what happened. >> the tribute center is packed with exhibits. it also runs special programs for students, as well as guided walking tours of the area. >> for mr. ielpi, the center is very personal. his son jonathan, a firefighter, died on 9/11. that's his helmet and coat, along with photos of comrades who gave their lives trying to save others. an important part of the tribute center is a look at what happened aft9/11. the center believes that through education comes understanding. that's why visitors are asked to share their thoughts. for more information on the 9/11 tribute center, follow the link on our website. >> memorials in steel and stone are only one of the many ways we remember those who died in the

attacks on tuesday, september 11, 2001. another lasting legacy is the creation of tuesday's children. it's an organization dedicated to helping all those who lost loved ones in the disaster. among other things, it offers teens programs like mentoring, counseling, and community service. over the years, tuesday's children has gone global. they've now also reached out to families around the world who've been victimized by terrorism. [ patriotic music plays ] >> the first actual award of the medal of honor went to the surviving members of the andrews raid. this was a sort of a spy mission that went on in georgia, where a

civilian scout and spy named andrews led a group of soldiers and civilians to capture a confederate locomotive and to use it to go up and down the railroad lines to destroy bridges, tear up tracks, and such. the raid, unfortunately, was not successful, and many of them were captured. andrews was hanged, and the surviving soldiers, once they were returned from captivity, were given the medal of honor. and the first one given out, actually presented, was to a soldier named jacob parrott, a very young man, about 18 years old. he'd been severely mistreated by the confederates, so secretary of war stanton specifically said to him, "i want you to have this medal." [ music continues ] >> this report is brought to you by paramount home media distribution. >> open your eyes! >> [ gasps ] >> you won't believe your eyes

when you see the masterpiece "titanic" on blu-ray for the first time ever. >> i'm flying, jack! >> the film earned more than $2 billion dollars and 11 academy awards and made kate winslet and leonardo dicaprio global stars. "titanic" tells the story of the epic romance of two star-crossed lovers. it's set against the backdrop of the legendary and tragic maiden voyage of what was known as the "ship of dreams." >> titaniwill founder. >> but the ship can't sink. >> she's made of iron, sir. i assure you, she can... and she will. >> rose! [ people screaming ] >> director james cameron's awesome film is now being released in stunning high definition and in both 2-d and 3-d. >> why'd you do that, huh?! >> why? because this beloved blockbuster deserves to be seen with the

highest-quality picture and sound to appreciate every spectacular moment. >> it's overwhelming. >> you'll be overwhelmed, too. the blu-ray/dvd combo has more than 2 1/2 hours of brand-new bonus features, including 30 deleted scenes, 60 behind-the-scenes featurettes, and more. >> do not let go of my hand! >> you won't want to let go, and you won't have to. "titanic" is available now on blu-ray. for "tkn," i'm carina. >> to continue our special edition marking the anniversary of 9/11, we have an update on a story we first reported on a few years ago. the arrival of the uss new york in 2009 was a very special occasion. the ship was built with steel from the wreckage of the world trade center. this new jersey volunteer firefighter came up with the

idea. >> the uss new yois built on emotion. it's recycling that emotion, taking america's worst day and turning it into our greatest national symbol, and i felt that this was something special -- that not only i but, you know, the nation can rally around. >> there are 360 in the crew. in addition, the ship can carry 300 marines. >> what we do is we respond to different crises, whether it's humanitarian assistance, whether it's a need in a different country. >> in the years since we covered this story, tuss new york has been on very active duty. over the summer, the ship was in the persian gulf, hosting training flights for helicopter pilots. the crew knows their ship has a special meaning for all of us, so they have a blog. if you'd like to check it out, there's a link on our website. that's all for this week. thanks for joining us. >> we'll see you next time with more "teen kids news." of the best of europe.

venice seems to be every italy connoisseur's... prague has always been beautiful... germany... the irish civilization... the eiffel tower was built... hope you've enjoyed the magic of... while bulgaria welcomes westernization, traditional ways persist. leaving the cities, we find a land steeped in history, from time-warp villages and donkey carts to fortified monasteries. [ children's choir singing ] high in the mountains 70 miles south of sofia, the rila monastery is the country's revered national treasure. it's a formidable fortress on the outside... a spiritual sanctuary on the inside. [ singing continues ]

monasteries were built on remote and holy sights throughout bulgaria. dating from the 10th century, the rila monastery survives, but just barely. a handful of monks keep the flame alive. this 14th-century bell tower, the only part of the original monastery to survive a 19th-century fire, served as a final refuge during attacks. [ rhythmic clacking ] a drumming priest invites pilgrims, both orthodox and tourists, to the daily mass. through the country's medieval glory days, tsars made lavish gifts to rila, and for centuries, top artists made theircontributions. 19th-century frescoes show important portraits. here's saint ivan of rilski, who founded rila in 927...

bible scenes with an eastern orthodox slant, like the 40 days of trials your soul goes through after death... and mary. the rila monastery is dedicated to the virgin mary. rila has been a national pilgrimage site for ages. the way the mountains and walls of rila seem to cradle a rich artistic treasure reminds visitors how this monastery helped keep bulgarian culture alive through five centuries of turkish rule. [ speaking bulgarian ] mountain villages capture the rural life that's so quintessentially bulgarian. women still gather at the town laundromat to wash clothes...

scrub kids, and share the latest gossip. here in the village of banya, tobacco's the main crop. villagers are busy drying hay to get their animals through the winter. this was traditionally an agricultural society. urbanization and industrialization were forced on the country by its communist regime. today, as bulgaria undergoes great changes, many people have reverted to working off the land. modernization in rural areas is happening slowly. we found that locals were quick to share a smile. poor as many farmers are, we enjoyed generous bulgarian hospitality at every turn. [ both speaking bulgarian ]

[ shouting and cheering ] some villages have a church, some have a mosque, and some have both. five centuries of ottoman rule left its mark. today, nearly a million people, about a tenth of all bulgarians, are muslim.