and much more, next on "teen kids news." welcome to "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm jessica. here's our top story for this week. a new state hasn't joined the usa since our grandparents were kids. it was a very big deal when hawaii came on board in 1959. will we see history like that made again in our own lifetime? nicole has the story. >> christopher columbus discovered it on his second voyage to the new world. spain claimed the land and named it puerto rico, meaning rich port. the spanish influence can be seen in the architecture and in the language spoken here. but the people of puerto rico have been u.s. citizens since

1917, even though it is not a state. >> puerto rico is a territory of the united states. we are american citizens by birth, yet we cannot vote for the president and do not have a full congressional delegation. >> they do have pedro pierluisi, the resident commissioner for puerto rico. he's elected to represent the territory in the u.s. house of representatives. and he has an office in the longworth house office building, which is right across the street from the u.s. capitol. while commissioner pierluisi cannot vote on final passage of bills, he can work behind the scenes, for example, on committees. and he's using that influence to promote statehood for his people. >> we're part of this nation, we have been part of this nation for over a century and we want to contribute the same way that others do up here.

in fact, with almost 4 million residents, puerto rico has a bigger population than that of 24 u.s. states have, including oregon, oklahoma and connecticut. statehood means congress would have to add some new seats, two new senators and at least seven new representatives. that could affect the balance of power here on capitol hill. commissioner pierluisi received this gavel in recognition for his introducing the puerto rico democracy act to the house of representatives. the act calls for puerto ricans to hold a plebiscite, that means a vote, on one of three options -- becoming a state, becoming an independent country or remaining a u.s. territory. in earlier plebiscites, puerto ricans have voted against statehood. one reason, becoming a state would mean they would have to pay more taxes. yet for generations, puerto ricans have shown their devotion to this country by joining our

armed forces. they fight and die for the united states, so many say statehood makes sense. >> i am puerto rican in that i have the customs and the traditions of the puerto rican people and the puerto rican culture, but i am an american citizen. >> to become a state takes more than just a plebiscite. congress also has to agree. lawmakers opposed to extending statehood to puerto rico argue that it will cost too much. they also claim that since spanish is puerto rico's native language, that could create a communications barrier. not so, says commissioner pierluisi. he thinks both issues can be overcome and that puerto rico will become a state someday. >> i, myself, believe that's the way to go. we should be first-class citizens. >> puerto rico is not the only u.s. territory.

so, if it does become a state, we might also hear from folks in the u.s. virgin islands, the northern mariana islands, american samoa and guam. for "teen kids news," i'm nicole. stay with us, there's lots more still to come on "teen kids be right back. two incredible lash looks, one genius brush. twist to one, for length and drama... or two, for length and definition. it's mascara, with a twist. new revlon, customeyes mascara.

volunteering is something many teens do. for some, it's a requirement for high school. for others, it's to give back to their community. no matter the reason, more are doing it. in fact, over 55% of teens in the u.s. volunteer. tyler tells us how four friends are making a difference. >> meet taylor, rachel, lindsey, and amy.

we're four friends, four years, for a difference and we came up with our name because the four of us are really good friends and for our four years of high school, we pledged to do 1,000 hours of community service. >> you heard right, 1,000 hours of volunteer work. >> the mission is to inspire other teens to help out in their communities and do community service. and just because it's better than doing other stuff basically. >> and it makes you feel better as a person and it's really fun. >> their plan was hatched during their freshman year of high school. a devastating world event got them thinking. >> we started talking about it earlier in the year and then we really sat down in like january or february and kinda of -- it was around the haiti earthquake, so we thought it would be a good idea to have a dance at our school to benefit it.

and that's kinda how it all just came together. >> the girls quickly realized what a difference they could make, and that the possibilities were endless. they've served at soup kitchens and worked a "hunger walk." they ran a kids' camp and have spent time with the seniors at their local nursing home. they've collected backpacks for kids who need them and volunteered at the local library. >> they've touched a lot of different lives in the community, from the elderly to the children and to the homeless, they've done a remarkable job. >> not only are the girls reaching out to people within their community, their efforts have gone worldwide. >> this year, we were able to make 30 bibs for kids in guatemala with cleft palate, so um, and that was a really fun project and we're thinking of going there and bringing the bibs and going to the actual orphanage. >> while community service is a lot of work, the girls say the secret is to keep it fun! >> every time we usually do community service, like we always hung out before a lot, but now whenever we hang out, it usually has to do with community service also. we're having fun altogether, but

we're helping other people, too. >> and they encourage others to do the same. >> when we made bibs for guatamala, we had a sleepover with pizza and music, so in between, we were having fun and hanging out so that's good advice to give. just try to and like hang out with friends and do it, it makes it easier. >> having fun isn't the only benefit to volunteering. >> i think i've changed because i never thought i was really like shy before, but i feel like this has just like opened me up so much more. >> i'm amazed by the growth in each one of these girls and their awareness of the needs of the community first and foremost. you can't create change without being aware of what needs to change first. so i've been very impressed with their excitement to get involved and make a difference. >> the girls are well on the way to reaching their 1,000-hour goal. before the start of sophomore year, they had already amassed

280 hours of community service.

there's a reason why these players are not wearing heavy football gear while they practice, the same reason they're working out late in the day as the hot sun starts to fade and taking frequent breaks for something to drink. >> go get some water. >> their coaches are taking steps to avoid a dangerous condition called heat stroke. >> heat stroke is very important to know about. it occurs when you're playing an activity, inside or outside, and your body just can't cool off. and what happens is you get very red, very hot, you get tired, you get crampy, and you just don't feel right. it's because your body just loses control to keep you cool. >> heat stroke is a medical emergency. in fact, it can be deadly. among football players alone, there have been at least 39 heat-related deaths in recent years. >> we've seen the headlines. kids have died from this.

and that's simply unacceptable. >> scott hallenbeck is executive director of usa football. it's an organization that oversees youth football leagues. >> we make sure we teach coaches, players and parents about the symptoms and signs of heat stroke in our coaching schools, in our online courses a number of resources to help them understand that it is critical to young athletes. >> coach dan bevilacqua took the usa football course. he knows higher temperatures mean extra safety measures are necessary. >> so we tell kids when the heat index is above 90, we don't wear equipment at all, we do mostly agility drills, and we don't do any contact. >> and they break more frequently for getting water. hydration is a key part of prevention. and it begins well before the whistle blows for practice. >> we tell them even before the season starts when we address the parents, they should drink

at least one liter of water three hours before practice time. >> you've heard the expression, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. in this case, it's a bottle of prevention, and the wisdom to get off the field if you're feeling thirsty, dizzy or nauseous. >> if you stay out there in the sun and you continue to be in the heat, what happens is you go onto heat stroke. and now what happens is your body can't control the sweating, and you get too hot. and when you get too hot, your body doesn't work right. and that's what happens when you get cardiac or heart problems or heart attack or heart irregularities, and that's a serious problem when you get the heat stroke. >> and that is why these kids and their coaches understand that heat can be a game changer, and a practice changer, too. more than 40 states now have heat illness prevention guidelines requiring more frequent water breaks and lighter workouts when the temperature climbs. >> if it's hot like today, you could get dehydrated and can have like a bad day and get really sick. >> we hear more about heat stroke among football players because they start practice in the heat of summer.

but anyone can get heat stroke, so make sure you're properly hydrated whenever you're active. do you have more than one classmate with the same name? that used to be more likely than it is now. studies show there's a trend toward parents choosing unique names for their babies, so uncommon names are becoming common. i have a love for skatin. it all started when i was little and my dad took me to our local rink.. that love of skating took me to the olympics. i also have a love for reading. i remember my mom reading to me at night. those stories helped me reach for the stars as i drifted off to sleep. that's why i've joined with reading is fundamental, america's largest children's literacy group. together we inspire children to become life-long readers, so they can go for the gold. go to rif dot org, and inspire a child to read today. honey, i can't find my internet cord. oh, i'll borrow hailey's. you're downloading movies. fast! from here?

where is her cord?! we switched to at&t high speed internet and got wireless access. no more cords. wireless, okay, honestly, can i just get a cord, please? dad, the cord's invisible. [ female announcer ] for a limited time, call to get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with select services and a 1-year price guarantee. it's our fastest internet for the price. oooh. videos online? here? how much is that? nothin'. at&t high speed internet at home includes access here. our invisible cord is really long, dad. oooh. [ female announcer ] get access to the entire at&t national wi-fi network for no extra charge. so for a limited time, get high speed internet for just $14.95 a month for 12 months with select services and a 1-year price guarantee. aren't you glad we switched to at&t? yes...but i want my own invisible cord. you already have one. oh. ♪

if you're a teen, you're a target for advertisers. we represent a huge market. so people who want to sell us things are taking aim all day and all night. siena has the story of a campaign to help kids defend themselves from being ambushed by advertisers.

>> outdoors, indoors, on the air, on the page, online, advertising is everywhere. in fact, we see more than 3,000 ads every day. ads do serve a useful purpose in our economy. they inform and entice people to buy products. and they help pay for programs like "teen kids news" to be on the air. so instead of telling us not to look at advertising, a new approach is teaching kids how to look at it. >> who is responsible for this ad? >> teacher oscar ramirez is using a lesson plan called "admongo." it was created by a government agency called the federal trade commission with the help of scholastic. the goal, to help kids think critically about commercial messages. >> what else can we ask? >> what does the ad want you to think or do? >> we're trying to give them the tools to navigate through this advertising-rich environment as

they move forward in life. >> but as they say on late night commercials, "wait, there's more." the admongo interactive computer game invites you to explore the world of advertising. to see how commercials are constructed, you're asked to analyze ads like this one for a make-believe energy drink. >> i think they want you to believe that summit soda will, like, give you energy that you can do all the extreme sports, like live your life, and that fast music all goes to the idea that it's giving you energy. >> if you teach kids to start thinking critically about advertising at an early age, that will be their first and best line of defense against falling prey to false or deceptive advertising. >> the folks behind this campaign call it "aducation." the students in this classroom call it fun. it's really fun because you're learning at the same time you're playing a game. >> she's right. they are learning a lot about

how advertising is developed. they're also learning how to weigh which claims should be believed and which ones to be skeptical about. >> they're getting you to ask, who's behind this advertisement? should i believe it because this person is sponsoring it? and what are they really trying to get me to think? >> don't just fall for some really famous person telling you to buy something because they are getting paid for it. >> kids today are really surrounded by an ocean of advertising, and that ocean only gets deeper. as they get older, it's really important that kids learn how to swim. what are you guys going to do >> we should ask, who is responsible for this ad? if you want to check out the admongo computer game for yourself, there's a link on our "teen kids news" website. the culinary institute of america is also called the cia. students there don't aspire to be like angelina jolie's

character, salt. rather they aspire to learn the different ways to use salt and all the other ingredients used in cooking. we asked cia students to show us some easy-to-do recipes. here's this week's recommendation. >> when you get home from school, you're always looking for an afternoon snack. i'm going to show you how to make a frozen peach smoothie that'll boost your energy for your homework and your sports. first thing we're gonna do is we're gonna take ice and put it in the bottom of our blender. next, were gonna take our fresh fruit. i have two sliced bananas. make sure we get all of that. and i have some canned peaches. next, i'm gonna add my liquids. i have some low-fat yogurt here, and i like to use yogurt instead of ice cream because it's a little more healthy. next, i'm gonna add some peach nectar. you can really use any fruit juice, you can use pineapple or

apple. it's your smoothie. make it whatever you want. and we're gonna sweeten it up with a little bit of honey. we're using honey instead of sugar to make this a healthy snack. i'm using about one tablespoon. i'm gonna put the top on top of our blender. and were gonna start by buzzing it on low speed first. this will prevent it from shooting up and getting you. so, i've been blending it for about a minute now, and it looks nice and smooth, so i'm gonna go ahead and get my glasses out of the freezer where they have been getting nice and frosty. i can also garnish my glass with a slice of peach.

i'm just gonna pour a smoothie for myself. and now i'm ready to take on the afternoon. from the culinary institute of america, for "teen kids news," i'm steve. cheers.

whale watching can be exciting. but it got a little too exciting for two people off the coast of south africa. they watched a whale leap out of the ocean and dive back in. the next time the whale came up out of the water, he landed on their sailboat. but everybody wound up okay including the whale. >> this report is brought to you by mti -- music theatre international. one weekend, over 2,000 teens and lots of big dreams. roll those together and you've

got the 2011 junior theater festival. ♪ we dance to the music of the gods ♪ >> this student theater festival is the largest program of its kind. >> the goal of music theater international is to ensure there is a new audience, a growing audience, a building audience for live theater in america, which is an american art form. >> over the weekend, students attended workshops on performing and technical skills. >> so i was walking in the mall and then i see this platypus store. >> the theme of the festival was "i have a dream," in honor of martin luther king jr. day. so it was fitting that the event took place in dr. king's hometown of atlanta, georgia.

>> when i hit record, it's going to flash white. >> teens were invited to share their own personal dreams. >> my "i have a dream" is i really want to be on broadway. >> i would like to become a music teacher and i'd like to work at the academy of the theater arts. ♪ i love you a bushel and a peck, a bushel and a peck and a hug around the net neck ♪ >> the junior theater festival's mission includes building musical theater programs in schools where programs do not exist. >> to inspire students and teachers in deserving communities, there's a special sponsored schools program. >> a big, great big junior theater festival welcome to our first sponsored group tonight, the atlanta youth academy from southwest atlanta. >> some of these kids are new arrivals to america.

forced to flee war or poverty, they came to this country to start a new life. >> many of the students from our school who are attending this festival are refugees and it's been the first opportunity for them to perform in a place like this. it was just an awe-inspiring experience, so i think a confidence has been born in them that they didn't have before. >> and that's part of the goal of the festival -- to build confidence and unity. >> the theatre community is just kind of a big family and that's something that i haven't gotten to experience before i came here. >> i'm gonna say this, this. you're gonna say this, this that. >> some big names in the music world were on hand to offer professional expertise and advice. >> never lose the love of what you do, you know what i mean? find the reason why you do it and never lose the love of it. \m zippity do-da, zippity-hey, my oh my what a wonderful day! \m/m

>> i've learned at the junior theatre festival that like it really doesn't matter whether you win or lose, that theatre is just meant to bring people together and make the world a better place. >> if you'd like to learn more about the junior theater festival, check out our website. for "teen kids news," i'm elizabeth. that wraps up our show, but we'll be back soon with more "teen kids news." >> thanks for joining us, and have a great week! -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com

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