"teen kids news" is on now and here's what we've got. i'll tell you why teams of teens are spending the night on fields like this, all over the country. like to shop? we'll show you where it all began back when beaver pelts and otter skins were all the rage. watch how teens like you are helping neighbors in need. our question of the week is out of this world! 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. would you stay up all night to help cure cancer? for thousands of teens, the answer is a resounding yes. because as jack found out, contributing to a good cause, can be a lot of fun! >> they're signing up for the 3:00 time slot. that's 3:00 in the morning, because this is the relay for life. >> relay for life is an overnight event where teams of 8 to 15 people come out, and they take turns walking the track throughout the whole night and raise money to fight back against cancer. >> the motto is "there is no finish line until we find a cure." and people have been marching toward that elusive finish line for more than a quarter century.

raising awareness and raising money for research. in one night, this relay in connecticut is bringing in more than $60,000. >> since relay for life first began in 1985, they've raised almost $4 billion! >> all the money we raise goes to the american cancer society, and its put toward research, education, advocacy, and patient services. >> but for many of the people out here tonight, the relay is personal. later on, these memorials will light up the night each with a tribute to a loved one who fought cancer, people like margaret's mom. why did you decide to participate? >> because it's for a good cause and i lost my mother last summer to lung cancer. >> she battled it for five years, and we thought it's a great cause to come out and support. >> wow are you proud that your daughter is participating in this event? >> very proud, very proud. i think the whole school is proud of everybody here. >> events like this are being held in almost 5,000 communities across america. and in 19 other countries. >> as the sun goes down and the lights come on, the music gets a

little louder. and so does the laughter! people are ready for a long night of walking and cheering. some even brought tents like my classmates. our teacher came along, too. >> cancer touches a lot of peoples' lives in a lot of different ways, and i know that our students really care about supporting each other. >> the only rule is that each team must have at least one member walking on the track at all times. through the night, there's plenty of time to talk and learn how cancer has affected the lives of those around us. why are you participating in this event, ben? >> last year, over the summer, my great uncle died of cancer. and i thought this would be a good way to support him, and continue his memory. >> my mom and my grandma had cancer, so i'm here doing this for them. >> my mother died from cancer

when i was about five years old. >> actually my mom just went through treatment, and she has cancer as well. so it's a really important event for me, and i really enjoy being here. >> separate, you can't do much. but together it's like a group, it's amazing what you can do. >> strength in numbers. >> yeah. >> if you want to put together a team to fight cancer, check the link on our website, or go to relayforlife.org. the american cancer society says that every step taken at a relay for life event brings us all one step closer to finding a cure. for "teen kids news," i'm jack. >> stay with us, there's lots more still to come on "teen kids news." >> we'll be right back.

let's show a little state pride. here's kristen with some interesting facts about our state flags. in september, 1783, american colonists and members of the british parliament signed "the treaty of paris," officially ending the revolutionary war.

part of that treaty granted a parcel of land to the united states known as the northwest territory. that territory would become ohio. in 1803, ohio was admitted as our 17th state, but it existed without a state flag for almost 100 years, until an architect named john eisemann came up with a most unusual design. >> the ohio flag is the only state flag out of the 50 that s not a rectangle. it's a swallowtail flag that we usually see on a boat. what it is, is a pennant, and it comes to two points, and they chose that to be distinct. they wanted ohio to look different than all the other state flags, and they certainly achieved that. they chose to use the red white and blue of the american flag, several states have done that. but they also achieved simplicity by putting the letter "o" in the canton of the flag. and the letter "o" has two meanings to people in ohio. it's "o" for ohio, but it's also "the buckeye state." >> buckeyes are round nuts, commonly found in ohio, that native americans thought resembled the eye of a male

deer, a buck. >> 13 stars are clustered around the "o" representing the original 13 states. four more stars stand beside them, representing the next four states to be admitted to our nation, including ohio. the red and white stripes symbolize roads and waterways, which help establish ohio as a center of american interstate commerce. with flag facts, i'm kristen. cookies, candy and soda are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to sweet treats. we know we should cut back on sugary foods, but is it okay to splurge occasionally? nutritionist jax hubbard has the answer. >> of course its okay to splurge, but the key word is occasionally. too much sugar is unhealthy for you, so you want to make sure that you're eating it in moderation. be aware of the amount you're

eating and avoid mindless eating like eating out of habit or when you're bored or when you're watching tv and remember to eat your treat slowly and enjoy every bit of it. it will make it that much better! >> so, slow down and savor. sparingly, of course. thanks, jax. >> thanks for having me. >> are aliens real or fiction? you tell us, coming up!

all right young america, what's your opinion? we'll find out in speak of the week. >> it's a pretty big universe out there, so do you think we're alone or is there life on other planets? >> i totally do! totally do! not necessarily in this solar system, but i mean there are like millions of galaxies and universes and everything. i mean, there has got to be life

somewhere else! without a doubt! >> i think there's like micro organisms, but not like organisms that are big enough to communicate. >> i think so, just because the universe is so big and it would make sense that we weren't the only planet, but you can't know for sure. >> do you think we'll ever make contact? >> maybe eventually, but i don't know how soon. yes, but not the kind of freaky alien green dudes. i think it's more kind of what we see here like little creatures that we just haven't found yet. little microorganisms, that kind of thing. >> and do you think we'll ever find them or make contact? >> probably, but it won't be in our time. >> i'm not sure if there's life on another planet. um, i don't believe in aliens so i don't think so. >> in the 1990s, nasa actually started a program to search for extraterrestrial life. nothing was found, but the program continues to this day. for "teen kids news," i'm siena.

what makes people happier buying things or experience? eight different studies say the answer is buying an experience is a better bet. whether it's a movie or a vacation, a positive experience is remembered, sometimes for a lifetime. but when you buy a thing you're more likely to worry whether you made the right choice, or paid too much. or worse that someone else bought the same thing for less! it's time for word! here's a chance to test your vocabulary. find the real meaning that matches the word. let's start with this one -- ephemeral. is it an adjective that means having to do with art painted on a wall. is it an adjective that means lasting only a short time. or a noun that means the generic name of a pain relief medicine. the answer is lasting only a short time. this game of word is ephemeral, but the lessons last a lifetime. we hope. let's try this one -- irrigate.

it's a verb. maybe it means to annoy constantly. or it could mean to make wet or supply with water. or it means to drill with a rotating tool. ouch! no, irrigate is a nice verb. it means to make wet, or supply with water. farmers irrigate their land so crops will grow. now let's try this -- superfluous. it's an adjective that means either beyond what is necessary. extremely graceful. or being really, really sick with the flu. superfluous means beyond what is necessary. just your thanks for this game of word is enough, anything more would be superfluous! but i'll take it anyway. ephemeral, lasting only a short time. irrigate, to supply with water. superfluous, beyond what is necessary. that's "word!" for kids news.

>> all across america there are families struggling to make ends meet. some are even finding it hard just to put food on the table. tyler reports on how a group of teens spend their sundays trying to make a difference. on a day that many of us spend relaxing and hanging out with friends, these teens decided to roll up their sleeves and get to work. >> giving back to the community is one of my favorite things i do. i spend a lot of time during the week doing that also and it just feels amazing to be able to put this hard work into something you know is really great. in the end it's always worth it. >> more than 100 kids are taking part in a massive food drive that will support a local food pantry. >> this is all made possible by organizations like the "families feeding families" program which is sponsored by the united jewish appeal.

>> uj federation is a philanthropy that helps people. essentially that's it. >> we're sorting food that people from all over the county have donated and it's going to the bronx community counsel food bank. >> it feels really good to give back to my community and to people who need it. >> but before any of this can get shipped out, everything needs to get organized. the teens are each given a specific job and are assigned to a zone. >> i'm a sorter, so basically i'm getting everyone putting a bunch of food on the table and we have to separate it if it's soup or pasta or vegetables. >> then everything is date checked to make sure that none of the food has expired. >> one kid found something from 1995 in the pile. so we have to make sure that none of that stuff gets to the families. to be packaged and placed on a truck to be sent out. >> it's kind of like an assembly line at a factory. each person doing their own part, working together towards a

common goal. >> i think it's great, i feel very rewarded that just something as simple as putting cans in a box is going to help people get food. >> but even though it may look like a lot of food, it still isn't enough to feed all the families that are struggling. >> it's an extraordinary need that's out there. there are so many poor people and people who just have difficulty getting by. >> if you're interested in lending a hand, check to see if there are food drives in your area. your teachers or religious leaders might be able to offer some guidance. >> i definitely think that the programs are helping. we've done this for three years. everyone comes out to help so it has to do something. >> i think a lot of people will benefit from this so i -- it feels pretty good. >> it feels really rewarding because i love helping people who like are hungry or anything or anyone in need. it makes you feel really great. >> it just takes a few hours on a weekend to make a difference. and it doesn't hurt that you're having a good time while doing it. for more on u.j.a.'s families

feeding families program visit our website. this medical report is brought to you by viropharma incorporated. >> jenny is the picture of a normal teen. but one morning a few years ago her life changed forever. >> i looked in the mirror and it wasn't me. i don't even know how to explain what i felt when i looked in the mirror because my cheeks were out to here, my lips were splitting down the middle they were so swollen, my eyes were like little teenie tiny slits. i couldn't even see them. >> just imagine how scary that could be! at the age of 12, jenny found out she had a rare disease called hae. hereditary angioedema. it can cause sudden, painful swelling anywhere in the body. >> some people have tremendous swelling of their hands. you can't button a button, you can't work a computer, you can't clean yourself. you become totally incapable of doing anything as long as the swelling occurs. >> the most painful for me was in my stomach because the intestines swell and it was some kind of balloon inside you.

>> hae is caused by a deficiency in a protein found in the blood that controls swelling. 75% of attacks occur before the age of 15. and symptoms often get worse during puberty. >> different things can provoke it. a weather change. physical stress. emotional stress. so you may be totally well and totally normal one day, and the next day have an event that lands you in the emergency room. >> hae can be fatal. but fortunately research has recently led to new medications to help prevent and manage attacks. >> with some of the new treatments people have literally had a new life. >> hae is one of thousands of rare diseases that most people have never heard of. fortunately for people like jenny scientists are paying attention. you can help, too, by learning how a rare disease could affect someone you know. for more information follow the link on our website.

online quizzes can be a fun way to put your skills to the test or to take a well deserved break from all that tedious homework. think you have what it takes to name all 50 jelly belly flavors in just 7 minutes? what about naming the villains from disney movies? sporcle.com has over 100,000 stimulating games just waiting to challenge you. the website also lets you create your own quizzes, which, if you're lucky, can be featured on the sporcle's home page!

new research finds that adults are just as likely as teens to text while driving. and they're more likely to talk on the phone. hey, they need to hang up and set a better example! animals can be loveable creatures. but if they aren't well trained, they can be real beasts.

and that's where animal trainers come in. whether it's a household pet, a four-legged movie star, or a k-9 cop, animals are taught obedience and discipline. many animals can be trained to live and work with people, but dogs are worked with the most. this is a job that takes lots of patience. trainers use different techniques but rewarding the correct action is usually done with food or praise. obviously a love of animals is needed to be a trainer. but if you think it's all fun, you may be barking up the wrong tree. animal training involves every aspect of their care and upkeep. it can be a physically demanding job if you work at a zoo or with large animals. most schools don't have degrees in animal training, so one way to learn is through apprenticeships.

it might be a good idea to work at a kennel or grooming service. you'll get experience, and make some money at the same time. more high-powered jobs such as for movies or live shows are harder to get and might require further skills. if you want to learn more about what it takes to become an animal trainer, check out acinet.org. i'm lily for work it! 400 years ago, henry hudson sailed into the harbor of a small island. it was here that early trade with native americans would grow to become the center of trade for an entire nation. erika has the story. >> the date is september 11, 1609. henry hudson has been hired by dutch businessmen to find a new trade route to india. instead, hudson discovers a secluded island, rich in natural resources. the dutch purchase it from a local tribe known as "the manahattas." then, in 1664, england captures the island, naming it after the duke of york. today, we know it as manhattan in the city of new york.

i took a walk around manhattan's south street seaport with historian michael lord. it wound up being a trip into the past. so what was the beginning of commerce here in new york? >> well, i guess commerce would probably even predate hudson, if you're talking about native americans trading with one another. they had a tremendous number of animal pelts. they had lumber. this place was loaded with woods. >> while native americans are rich in resources, europeans have depleted much of theirs, including animals used for clothing. >> europeans had no more beavers, because they had already trapped them and all their lumber was diminishing. so all of that lumber, all of those beaver pelts, begin to be shipped over to amsterdam. beaver pelts would become very fancy hats, water proof hats. that was the bling-bling of its day. lumber went to making the masts for sails, and those masts for sailing ships then all of a sudden became sailing ships that came back over here to pick up more goods. >> europeans bring beautiful

textiles and sophisticated farming tools, for both native americans and settlers. >> and that helped them grow more food, helped them become more settled, helped them trade more goods. it's all about trade here. >> the tall ships would come in and pick up goods, and take them across the atlantic, and to other parts of the globe this part of new york is really where the city began. >> it had a wonderful natural harbor where ships could easily get in and out. >> peck slip is one of those places. the street is so wide here because it used to be an inlet from the east river, where ships would come in and unload their goods. >> new york gradually becomes the nation's portal to the world. this allows the country to develop and grow. ironically, that same growth leads to a loss of space for incoming ships. >> if you look at it, it's kinda got a pyramid shape, because when this was once open to the water, ships would just come right in here. >> to compensate for the loss of natural docks, piers are built, projecting into the river. >> so the east river keeps getting more narrow as manhattan keeps getting wider. >> these are the oldest buildings in the neighborhood.

they date back to about 1811, about 200 years ago. these are four or five story tall buildings, and in the early 1800s, these are the skyscrapers of the day. they're the most enormous buildings you would have seen here in new york in 1811. >> but as trade continues to expand, so do the buildings. today, new york's skyline reflects its stature as a thriving center of business and trade in a modern world. and as for the seaport, where it all began with just a few hundred settlers -- >> right now we see about 10 million people annually. it's a very busy place, and you know, people are always shopping for something. >> the goods may be different, but the focus remains the same. fortunately, elements from those early beginnings remain with us for the future. >> so what you've got now, is historically preserved. >> stepping from the past into the present, at the south street seaport, for "teen kids news," i'm erika. >> 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 write to us at info at teen kids news.com. on behalf of everyone here at teen kids news we want to give a special thanks to all of our military overseas and all the navy ships at sea.