♪ we get germs on our hands that can make us sick ♪ ♪ if we open a door or shake a hand ♪ ♪ we spread those germs throughout the land ♪ ♪ so after you go, remember to stop ♪ ♪ shuffle to the sink and do the hand-wash bop ♪ ♪ scrub with soap and take your time ♪ ♪ for 15 seconds, then rinse 'em and dry 'em ♪ ♪ it's nice to share at home, in school ♪ ♪ but sharing germs ♪ is never cool ♪ wash your hands

>> "teen kids news" is about to get started, and here's what we've got for you. >> we'll tell you how your morning wake-up call could help you graduate. >> they're called the dirty dozen even though they're supposed to be good for you. >> do you know which state is named after its snow-covered mountains? if i'piqued your interested, don't miss this week's "flag facts." >> babysitting -- to do it right, you need to have proper training. i'll show you how to get it. >> i'll show you why being funny takes serious work. >> and there's lots more ahead, so stay with us. >> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm livia.

here's this week's top story. >> you don't have to be a math whiz to understand that the more days of school you miss, the more likely it is you won't graduate. in fact, students who miss an average of two days a month have an 80% chance of not getting their high-school diploma. tyler reports on a nationwide effort to fight absenteeism with star power. >> hello, hello, hello. greetings and salutations, everybody. aki students, what's going on? this is your good friend ne-yo. >> yes, that's ne-yo. he's the guest principal for a day at this seattle middle school. >> give it up for the one and only ne-yo! [ loud cheers and applause ] >> his appearance is a reward for these students. they won a nationwide challenge to improve attendance. it's run by an organization called get schooled. >> get schooled was founded in collaboration with viacom -- that includes mtv, bet, nickelodeon -- to really inspire and engage and inform kids so that they can get the

motivation, inspiration, and information they need to do well in school. >> unfortunately, this is something a lot of us need. when it comes to high-school graduation rates, the u.s. does pretty poorly. in fact, compared to other countries, we're all the way down in 17th place. that's why school attendance is so important. >> attendance is the greatest predictor of high-school graduation rates. that means if you want to graduate from high school, the most important thing you can do is actually to go to school every day. >> statistics show kids who miss 10 days or more a year are more likely to drop out. to succeed at school, you have to show up. >> and it's about working hard. it's about being prompt and on time. it's about understanding the importance of education. >> that's why ne-yo and lots of other celebs are part of the get schooled program. they're lending their voices to heyou get going in the morning. >> good morning, students. this is nicki minaj. i'm on the line today for get schooled, reminding you how

important it is to get to school on time every day. trust me. nothing is more important to your future than your education. >> getting a wake-up call from stars like nicki minaj gives even good students an extra boost. >> they're excited for me to get my education, then i'm excited for me to get my education. >> before the wake-up call, i used to, like, wake up like, "oh, i'm tired. i don't want to go to school." now it's like every day i get up at 5:40 so i'm, like, on time. >> get schooled is a national effort to increase attendance, and it's working. >> our attendance has gone up dramatically in the last couple of years, and the emphasis on going to school every morning, they know that we mean business, that every day matters. >> some days can be extra special if your school joins the attendance challenge, or you can sign up for a wake-up call on your own. there's a link on our "teen kids news" website. >> i could call or your principal could call and remind you to get up from school, but somehow we think wiz khalifa or nicki minaj calling would make a much bigger difference.

>> but the biggest difference is the commitment you make to yourself. >> you got to be a self-motivator. you have to. you have to. let the life that you want to lead be your motivation. i see nothing but winners in this room right now, and i need you all to keep it up, all right? keep it up. this is not about a contest. >> it's about your future. i'm tyler for "tkn." >> we'll be back with more "teen kids news" in just a few moments. >> stick with us. >> president obama attending an interfaith vigil in newtown, connecticut, expressing his sorrow and offering support and prayers to those suffering after the mass shooting at sandy hook elementary school that took the lives of 20 children and 6 adults. the president speaking after meeting privately with families of the victims and emergency personnel who responded to the deadly shooting. >> mere words cannot match the

depths of your sorrow, nor can they heal your wounded hearts. i can only hope it helps for you to know that you're not alone in your grief. >> the president vowing that he will use whatever powers possible to prevent another tragedy like this. police saying the gunman, adam lanza, was carrying an arsenal of ammunition large enough to kill just about every student in the school had he been given enough time. 20-year-old lanza first shooting his mother at their home then heading to his former elementary school to massacre the innocent students and teachers before killing himself. two adults now recovering from their injuries. syrian rebel fighters take control of an important military base near aleppo days after syrian warplanes blasting a palestinian refugee camp near damascus, killing eight people and wounding dozens. activists saying more than 40,000 people have been killed in the 21-month civil war.

north koreans marking the first anniversary of the death of their late leader, kim jong il. in pyongyang, people observing three minutes of silence in front of portraits of the country's founder, kim il sung, and kim jong il. kim jong un also taking part in the ceremony marking his father's death. for "teen kids news," i'm jamie colby, "fox news channel in the classroom." >> most of the time, we're urging you to eat more fruits and vegetables, but as jacelyn reports, one organization says, "not so fast." >> fruits and vegetables are good for you because they make you healthy and they give you more energy. >> they have a lot of nutrients, i guess. >> they have a lot of vitamins that you need... and have good fiber. >> they're healthier than fast food. [ chuckles ] >> vitamins -- check. fiber -- check. fruits and vegetables are good for you, but sometimes they're not as healthy as we think.

for example, this apple could carry leftover pesticides. >> these are chemicals that are used to kill living organisms like pests and weeds during the growing phase. >> sara belongs to the environmental working group. its goal is to fight pollution, and that includes identifying foods that have traces of pesticide, or as sara calls it, residue. the worst cases are put on a list they call the dirty dozen. >> every year the federal government tests fruits and vegetables, and what our list is, the dirty dozen list, is a list that we look at the testing results, and then we rank the produce, the fruits and vegetables, based on the total amount of residue that is on those fruits and vegetables. >> when we were shooting this story, apples were on the top of the list because some of them were found to have the most pesticide residue. next was celery, then sweet bell peppers, peaches, strawberries, and so on.

to see the newest list of the dirty dozen, there's a link on our website. >> there have been several studies done that have linked the residues that are found on these fruits and vegetables to a number of different health problems. >> so you're probably thinking, "no problem. i'll just wash them." that'll certainly help... to a point. >> washing fruits and vegetables will not eliminate all of the chemicals. >> that's because the chemicals get into the water and the soil that nourish the plants as they grow. so, what's the solution? one thing you can do is buy in season. fresh produce is less likely to have chemical preservatives. another good bet is produce with thick skins, like grapefruit, pineapples, and avocados. and read labels. look for "organic." >> "organic" means no pesticides and otherwise grown naturally. >> correct. "organic" means that no man-made pesticides or chemical fertilizers were used. also, look for "grown in the usa." our rules for what chemicals are allowed are tougher than some

other countries. >> we recommend shopping both seasonally and locally. >> and there's another advantage to buying food that's grown closer to home. less energy is used to bring it to market. >> as our next report shows, you can learn a lot about a state just by looking at its flag. >> the name "nevada" comes from the spanish phrase "sierra nevada," which means snow-covered mountains. the sierra nevada range rises along the state's western border. in 1857, a huge deposit of silver, known as the comstock lode, was discovered. prospectors flocked to nevada, seeking their fortunes. settlements quickly grew into towns. not only did nevada change, its state flag would change many times. >> nevada's original flag was quite garish.

it had big stars. it had the word "silver" on it, the word "gold." >> over the years, the flag was changed at least three more times, and the slogan "battle born" was added. >> and that's because nevada was added to the union during the civil war. >> the slogan rests upon a sagebrush wreath that partially surrounds "nevada" and a large silver star. the star represents the importance of silver throughout nevada's history. huge quantities of silver still flow out of nevada's mines each year, and huge quantities of silver flow into nevada, as well, thanks to the thousands of slot machines in the state's most famous city, las vegas. with "flag facts," i'm scott. >> it's probably the first job most of us have, but being a good babysitter takes more than just knowing how to diaper and feed. alexa has a report.

>> babies don't come with instruction manuals, but the american red cross has one created especially for babysitters. >> what i want you guys to do is follow step-by-step. >> the book goes along with a hands-on training course that's offered all across the country. >> the babysitting course at the american red cross covers a lot of subjects -- basic childcare, like diapering, spoon-feeding, putting kids to bed, and then we also talk about ways to stay safe on the job, like what to do if an emergency does happen. very carefully roll it. make sure you want to tuck it into like a little ball. we don't want anything to fall out, right? >> i babysitted my siblings before, and i thought if i could babysit other people and make a few extra dollars, it would be pretty cool. >> when we pick up the baby, as into a cradle hold or shoulder hold, what are we concerned with protecting? >> their head. >> head. all the way up, and bring them all the way to your shoulder, whichever one, and one hand goes underneath the rump. >> the red cross babysitter training course is designed for

kids 11 to 15 years old. >> there is a lot to babysitting, more than just playing with the kids while mom or dad isn't there. >> yeah, i didn't know that there would be so many things that you have to learn to babysit properly. >> with your free hand, make sure that the baby's head stays upright. >> actually, it's really, really different than i thought it would be because i thought babysitting was just knowing kids and being able to get paid, but it's actually a lot more work. >> the course runs for more than six hours, even longer if you want to add cpr and choking rescue skills to your résumé. >> choking is probably one of the most common injuries to happen to children and infants, so we do teach how to take care of conscious choking infants and children. >> please do not try any of this without proper training. >> ready? one, two, three, four, five. that did not work. what do you do? >> flip them. >> flip them over again. >> lipica points out that parents feel more comfortable leaving their kids with someone

who has had red cross training. the course also gives tips to help you turn your babysitting skills into a babysitting business. >> and one thing you need if you want to start your business is a résumé, 'cause how else are people gonna know what you know how to do and what experience you have, right? >> and once again, safety comes first. >> so we want to make sure that they know ways to stay safe as they're marketing their own business. for example, we teach not to make your own flyers with your number plastered everywhere because you never know who might see it. >> they'll even help you create your own business cards. here's mine. pretty cool. for "tkn," i'm alexa. >> in "romeo and juliet," shakespeare wrote, "a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet." when it comes to good nutrition, you could say, "sugar by any other name is still not a healthy sweet," especially in the form of sugar called high fructose corn syrup. it's often used in sweetened drinks and many packaged foods.

new research shows eating and drinking a lot of it can harm your ability to learn and remember. so read those labels. making a smart food choice may actually make you smarter, or as shakespeare would say, "to thine own self be true." >> this report is brought to you by "tech now" on "usa today." >> hey there. i'm jennifer jolly. i know -- time is running out to finish -- or start -- your holiday shopping, but don't worry -- here are some great last-minute gadget gifts for everyone in your family. recognize this little guy? that's right -- it's talking tom, the app that more than a half million people are playing with. well, it's just come to life. >> ♪ friend >> ♪ friend j just in time for christmas, the talking friends superstars, plush toys that interact with tom, one another, even other apps. and the best part?

there's no setup. and the apps, both ios and android, are free. everyone appreciates a great pair of headphones, but have you seen how much they can cost? for professional sound quality at half the price than other high-performance headphones, check out these auvio elites. now, they're sold only by radioshack, but right now you can get $10 back on every $50 that you spend either in store or online -- deal! plus, they also come with their own app so that you can adjust the equalizer exactly the way you want it -- music to your ears. this new hp pavilion sleekbook 14 packs a whole lot of value in a lightweight, stylish, future-proof device. a full array of ports allows for fast connections to mobile devices and accessories. comes with up to one terabyte of storage for apps, music, movies, photos, and more. and then, with the brand-new windows 8 ultra-intuitive app interface, make this hp sleekbook a smart choice. smartphones -- also hot again this holiday, and while a lot of

buzz has been around the iphone 5, a number of android devices might be better value for you, like this lg optimus g from at&t. i like the clean, crisp, 4.7-inch high-definition screen -- great for watching movies, working on e-mails, playing video games. the optimus g also comes with a great megapixel camera for shooting photos and high-definition video so that anyone in the family can snap the perfect holiday image. speaking of capturing the perfect holiday image, you know how, when you're with you're friends or your family, you're snapping away and someone says, "hey, grab a shot with my camera, too," or, "will you send me that picture?" the new flock app from the folks who made bump automatically recognizes who you're with, then lets you swap photos right then and there with one touch. just get your friends and family to install the app and then simply take photos with your phone like you normally would. flock groups them into a private group album to view or save. this is one of those apps that,

once you get it, you won't know how you lived without it. so there you have it -- last-minute gifts to keep everyone up on tech. for "teen kids news," i'm jennifer jolly. happy holidays. >> "teen kids news" is celebrating. this season marks 10 years that we've been on the air. each week we're seen in more than 200 cities and in thousands of classrooms, and what makes us especially proud is that the program is broadcast to our country's military families all around the world. but instead of a victory lap, we're taking a look back. over the years, we've had lots of teen reporters. here's one of them. >> "because of winn-dixie" is a film about a young girl whose life changes when she saves a homeless dog. she finds a dog at the winn-dixie supermarket. it sounds simple enough until it's discovered that the dog, named winn-dixie, isn't the only one rescued. >> cut, cut, cut! let's go right away. >> right away. >> director wayne wang is the man in charge of bringing this popular story, based on the novel, to the screen. what do you think the most

important lesson anyone would get out of this film? >> it's about separation. it's about, you know, being isolated from other people and being able to find a way to kind of reconnect with people. >> there's lots of waiting around on a movie set -- not always easy for kids. between takes or shooting, the kids in the movie learn to keep themselves from getting too bored. >> both: fuzzy wuzzy was a bear. fuzzy wuzzy had no hair. ♪ ba-da-da >> kids and dogs are a tough combination on a film set, and this movie has both. how does a director make it all work? >> the interesting thing about working with kids and dogs is that i've realized that you have sort of somewhat control but no real control. you have to kind of accept it or use it. >> the kids are thinking, "i got to get the job done, but i also" -- you know, "there's all this other stuff going on like life." so kids, because of their better perspective, tend

sometimes to be a little distracted. and then animals don't care. they just don't care. >> why should they? especially when they're in the title role. i spoke to mark forbes, the animal trainer on the set, about how they cast the dog winn-dixie. >> we actually brought in a dog book, and wayne wang, our director, looked at the dog book. he wanted to pick a breed that was unusual, we hadn't really seen before, and he came up with a fairly rare breed called a picardy shepherd, which is what we finally ended up going with. >> well, he seemed pretty friendly to me, and the same goes for the rest of the cast and crew of "because of winn-dixie." maybe it's the southern charm that they're creating. if the movie ends up half as good as it looks behind the scenes, it should be a hit. moviemaking looks like a great way to make a living, but it's also a lot of hard work, and it can be dangerous. those were really big mosquitoes.

>> most of us can tell a joke to our family or friends, but have you wondered if you have what it takes to make strangers laugh? veronique introduces us to some teenage comedians. >> and now please welcome to the stage one of comedy central's comics to watch. [ cheers and applause ] >> they say one of the toughest jobs in showbiz is being a stand-up comic. >> i mean, let's be honest. a cup of black coffee is comparable to drinking a cup of dirt, all right? >> first, you need material for your routine. >> this is a song about, uh, things that don't make sense. you make observations about the world, and then you try to make it funny. ♪ how supervillians never seem ♪ to check the ceiling for spider-man ♪ ♪ how curious george isn't curious enough ♪ ♪ to find out the name

of the man in the yellow hat ♪ [ laughter ] >> you also need to be comfortable in front of a room full of strangers. >> get a little louder over here, please. [ cheers and applause ] there we go. >> i started because people were telling me i was funny as a kid, as a little kid. i decided, you know what? if i'm funny, i should put my skills to the test. >> seniors are now getting these cool senior gadgets, like these walkers with the brakes on them. i know they're going at the speed of a turtle, but it's still cool. [ laughter ] >> kids 'n comedy started out just being kids doing stand-up, who wrote their own material. >> i prepared a lot of material, and it actually turned out to be every single joke everyone else told. >> and we developed into workshops and then we developed into classes. >> my mom is deathly afraid of tunnels. every time you go through a tunnel, she puts her head in her lap and cries. >> so now we ended up with kids who are 8 to 18, who come to classes. >> hey, ma, let's count the cracks in the walls.

look -- one, two... >> i'm gonna get a tattoo of like a dragon, or just like something really cool like on my head, like on my skull, right? and then i'm gonna grow my hair back. >> for this performance, the teens were given an assignment called "did you know?" >> did you know that snails are really just freak turtles? [ laughter ] >> apple products are not machine washable? [ laughter ] >> after you die, you can get cremated, and then you can get diamonds made from your ashes? >> did you know what else you could be doing right now? >> kids in the show had to look up little-known facts and then do a comedy routine around them. >> parents, if you have to keep your kids on a leash, maybe it wasn't a good idea having kids at all. [ laughter ] >> i thought they did a terrific job. they really -- especially charlie did about five, six minutes. i was impressed. he did his homework. >> did you know that bagels are really just salty doughnuts? i'm someone who finds these little things and likes to take

them in because the universe is hilarious, and that's kind of why i'm in comedy. i was at the supermarket, and i was buying milk, and i said, "you know, this goes out to all the haters out there who said i couldn't buy milk, and i did." [ laughter ] >> it gives them self-esteem. these kids can go anyplace from here. they can, you know, become doctors and lawyers and journalists and whatever. >> well, at least you cleaned up all that vomit, but was that surgery really necessary? [ laughter ] >> thank you. you've been a great audience. >> so i guess you can say that doing stand-up can really help you to stand out. [ rim shot ] for "tkn," i'm veronique. >> that's "teen kids news" for now. thanks for tuning in. >> we'll be back next week. see you then.

>> write to us at... hi, i'm re 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... no trip to this city of art is complete without a visit to its greatest museum. when the medici family ruled florence from this palace, their offices, or uffizi, were next door, connected by this skyway. today, these offices hold the finest collection of italian paintings anywhere, the uffizi gallery. the uffizi's collection, displayed on one comfortable floor, takes you on a sweep through art history from the 12th through the 17th century. these altarpieces are gothic. being pre-renaissance, they simply tell their story through symbolism rather than realism. the gold-leaf sky isn't realistic, but it implies a rich and holy setting.

the angels are stacked, like a totem pole. on this altarpiece, these panels tell the story of the crucifixion, but they don't create any sense of depth. yet artists were trying. to show jesus' head leaning out, it actually does. giotto, often considered the first modern painter, is still gothic, but notice the progress. a more realistic setting places mary and baby jesus on a throne occupying a believable space. the kneeling angels in front and peek-a-boo saints behind create an illusion of depth. if the renaissance was a foundation of the modern world, a foundation of the renaissance was classical art. sculptors, painters, and poets alike turned to ancient work for inspiration. this 2,000-year-old classical goddess, a roman copy of the much older greek original, stood in the medici family garden.

this venus was considered the epitome of beauty. louis xiv made a copy, napoleon stole it, and in the 19th century, young aristocrats on the grand tour stood right here and swooned. in the renaissance, as in the ancient world, people saw the glory of god in the beauty, order, and harmony of the human body, god's greatest creation. classical statues like this clearly inspired sandro botticelli. for me, his birth of venus is the uffizi's purest expression of renaissance beauty. the goddess of love, born from the foam of a wave, is just waking up. botticelli combines the beauty of nature and the human body. the hands, wings, and robe mingle with the wind. with venus' flyaway hair, the airy spaciousness of the distant horizon, and the flowers, caught at the peak of their beauty, tumbling in slow motion, the world itself seems fresh and newborn.