>> "teen kids news" is just ahead, and here's what we've got. >> with only 538 members, it's one of the smallest colleges in america, but its impact is enormous. i'll tell you more in my report. >> in sports this week, we'll examine a different way of keeping fit. while not exactly a sport, it's still a step in the right direction. >> it's one of the most recognized and respected symbols in the world. i'll tell you the story behind the american red cross. >> in "speak of the week," we want to know -- what are the words you live by?

>> teens turn out to try out to be a newscaster in our program. i'll have that story. >> so, get ready. "teen kids news" starts right now. >> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm siena. here's this week's top story. >> teens talk a lot about college, but every four years, the country talks about a college that has nothing to do with test scores and applications. it's a key part of how our democracy works, but, as tyler explains, it's kind of complicated. >> the candidates for president campaign all across the coun first, you'll see them in the states with the earliest primary elections. those elections lead to the conventions, where the political

parties choose their nominees. after the conventions, the focus is on states that deliver a big punch in something called the electoral college. and just what is that? >> i have no idea what that is. >> i don't know. >> i've learned about it, but i don't remember exactly. it involves the voting for the president. >> oh, electoral college! i know this. i learned this in sixth grade. i'm sorry. i still don't know. [ laughs ] it just rings a bell. >> the electoral college is a system that was put in place by the founders in the constitution, and it is the process by which we elect presidents every four years. but, essentially, it gives states the right to elect a president rather than through a direct popular vote. >> just so we're clear, when americans vote, their votes don't go directly to the presidential candidates. rather, the votes go to electors in the voters' state. it's these electors, not the people who went to the polls, who actually vote for the president. that's why, during the election,

you'll often hear the term electoral votes. the number of electoral votes each state gets depends on two things. first, every state, plus the district of columbia, is guaranteed at least three electoral votes. >> the idea is to have each state have a certain weight. the focus for the founders was not letting the large states get more power than the small states. >> and that brings us to the second factor that determines how many electoral votes a state gets -- population. as suzanne just explained... >> the focus for the founders was not letting the large states get more power than the small states. >> however, the founding fathers realized they couldn't ignore the fact that population size varied from state to state, so a formula was worked out that gave states more electoral votes if they had more population. so montana, with its population of almost a million, gets three electoral votes, while california's population of

37 million entitles it to 55 electoral votes. still with me? okay, now listen to this. you'd think that if half the people in a state vote for one candidate and half vote for the other, then the electoral votes would be allocated accordingly. not so. only two states -- nebraska and maine -- allocate their electoral votes according to the popular vote. instead, most states are winner takes all. >> the winner-takes-all concept means that each state gives all of its electoral votes based on the popular vote in that state, so if candidate "a" wins the majority of the popular votes, he or she gets all of that state's electoral votes. >> but listen to this. let's say candidate "a" wins every popular vote in colorado. its population is just over 5 million. candidate "b" wins all the popular votes in new mexico and nebraska. their combined population is about 4 million. in a direct election,

candidate "a" would win. he or she got the most votes from the people who went to the polls. but let's now look at the electoral votes. new mexico and nebraska each have five for a total of 10. but colorado only has nine. so here's an example of how candidate "a" can win the popular vote but still lose the presidential election. >> no, i don't think it's fair. >> i don't think it's fair. >> i don't think it's fair. i think the person with the popular vote should win because more overall votes should get the win instead of more electoral votes. >> in fact, many surveys show that most americans would like to get rid of the electoral college and elect the president through a direct popular vote. >> so, whether or not it will ever be overturned is anyone's guess. it seems unlikely because it requires a constitutional amendment, which is a pretty onerous hill to climb, but it also -- it works. it has fulfilled what the founders wanted, which was to have a republic where each state

has their say. >> throughout american history, the selection of a president by the electoral college usually reflected the popular vote. but there have been a few occasions when this was not the case. the most recent example was in 2000. al gore won more popular votes than george w. bush, but bush gained moelectoral votes and became president. >> we'll be right back with more "teen kids news." >> so don't go away.

>> when disaster hits, there's always one sure sign of hope -- the american red cross. but as monika reports, the red cross helps people in many ways. >> the story of the american red cross starts here, in washington d.c. during the civil war, the sanitary commission was started to help sick and injured union soldiers. a woman named clara barton joined that effort. she became known as "the angel of the battlefield." >> during the americanlefield."

civil war, it wasn't too common for women to be near the battlefield. clara barton changed all that by providing aid to soldiers, and so that's why they called her the angel of the battlefield. >> after the war, she visited europe and learned about an organization there called the international red cross. >> the international red cross movement started in europe to help relieve the suffering of people affected by war. it was founded by henry dunant, a swiss businessman, and still today, we honor him by using the reverse of the swiss flag for our symbol -- the red cross against a white background. >> returning to the united states, she founded the american red cross in 1881. and ever since then, the american red cross has been helping people in need. what are some of the big disasters the red cross responded to? >> the red cross has been responding to disasters since its beginnings in 1881, when there was a large wildfire across michigan. and early on, the red cross also responded to floods in johnstown, pennsylvania, when a

dam broke, and a major hurricane that hit off of the coast of south carolina and georgia. the red cross still responds to major disasters today, in modern times, such as 9/11 and hurricane katrina, and even small disasters like everyday house fires. >> what about wars? >> the american red cross trained tens of thousands of nurses for world war i and world war ii, and it also helped with all the major conflicts throughout the 20th century. >> every year, the american red cross responds to more than 70,000 emergencies. they provide first aid, food and shelter to victims of all kinds of disasters, from local flooding and wildfires to massive hurricanes and earthquakes. but the red cross is more than just a disaster-relief agency. >> the red cross started first-aid programs in 1910 to help railroad workers and miners respond to emergencies. then we added learn-to-swim classes, and today we also have pet first aid and babysitting courses. and we also run blood drives across the country. >> in fact, nearly half of all

the nation's donated blood comes from the red cross, and, while it has paid employees, most of the people who work for the red cross are volunteers, and there are more than half a million of them. where does the red cross get its money? >> the work of the red cross is only possible through the support of donors and volunteers who give their blood, their time, and their money to help us do our work. young people have always found creative ways to support the american red cross throughout its history. today, they do it in school clubs, they do it on facebook, and they text donations to the american red cross. >> one of the unique ways the organization has raised money is through what is called the red cross quilt. >> the red cross quilt was used as a fundraiser in 1918 when a bunch of seventh and eighth graders wanted to raise money for red cross work during world war i. they sold each square for $1, and they handstitched on signatures for 10 cents. and they collected signatures of some of the most famous people during that time. >> the quilts also serve as colorful reminders that the red cross has become very much a

part of the fabric of american life. in washington, d.c., for "teen kids news," i'm monika.

>> maybe you've seen them on tv specials or on stage. step dancing is really thrilling to watch, but, as erika learned, it's even more fun to do. >> i'm at ballet arts, the performing arts center of southern westchester, and i'm here to learn about irish step dancing, so let's step inside. [ irish music playing ] irish step dancing has become increasingly popular all across the country. if you're not doing it yourself, chances are you've met someone who is. it's easy to identify. essentially, the upper part of your body remains motionless while your legs do all the work. >> it's a very precise art form.

our biggest rule in irish step dancing would be arms by your side in all solo dancing. >> at first glance, it looks pretty simple, but, like most things in life, there's more to it than meets the eye. so we came to class to find out what it takes to be good. >> irish step dancing is a pretty peppy art form, so you wants lots and lots of energy, smiles, and always remember, arms by your side. >> the origin of "arms by your side" seems to be a mystery. some say it allowed people to dance in small spaces. others say on small stages. still others say it was the result of a restrictive government or a religious doctrine. >> arms in! >> whatever the truth, it definitely helped to create a distinctive style of dance. so, what are the different types of step dancing? >> well, there are five different types. three are soft shoe, and two are done in the hard shoe. there's the reel, the light jig, and the slip jig are the three soft shoe, and then the hornpipe and the double or treble jig is done in the hard shoe.

>> most children start off with soft shoe, and they start off with jigs and reels, and then, as they continue to progress, they go into hard shoes. >> warning -- before you practice hard shoe at home, you may want to first discuss it with your family. [ shoes tapping loudly ] because it can get really loud. what's the most difficult part of learning this type of dance? >> everything is very set -- where your feet have to be, where your arms have to be all the time. it's very precise, so there's not a lot of leeway when you're dancing or competing. the judges know exactly what they're looking for. >> i've got some irish heritage, so i thought it would be a good idea to learn a few basic steps. >> hey, erika. >> hello. >> okay, so, when we first start irish step dancing, we start with our feet in what we would call the fifth position. [ irish music plays ] you did a really good job. >> of course, you don't have to be irish to enjoy irish step dancing, and it's the perfect solution for those of us who feel like we always need to be

in motion. >> whether it's their heritage, their parents did it, or they just want to enjoy it, there's some children that can't stand still, and irish step is perfect for that. >> what do these performers like about it most? >> i like the fast movement. >> i like dancing and moving. >> and i like being in front of a crowd. >> when you dance competitively full-time, you'll be at the studio maybe three to five times a week for two to three hours. and you are just dancing constantly, so it's a great cardiovascular workout. it's just great overall toning muscles. >> and there's one more thing to know if you're considering competitive dance. >> irish step dancers always dance with very curly hair -- very curly hair. >> what do you do if you don't have curly hair, then? >> one, you can get a wig and just stick it over a bun on your head, or, as a lot of our girls do, they go to sleep with soft rollers in their hair and a lot of gel. >> hmm, i think i'd go for the

wig. keeping in step with the news, i'm erika for "teen kids news." hey, did you hear about the new prevention benefits from medicare? the health care law gives us a yearly wellness visit to talk with our doctor about our care. medicare also covers recommended cancer and prevention screenings. plus, fifty percent off brand name prescription drugs... if you're in the donut hole. so i can get the prescriptions i need... to stay healthy. word sure gets around. [ male announcer ] tell your friends and family. learn more at medicare.gov or call 1-800-medicare. share the news. share the health!

>> let's check in with this week's "flag facts." here's kristen. >> old glory has a lot more to it than just stars and stripes. author randy howe gives us a tour across our star-spangled banner. >> well, if you picture the

american flag, we'll start in the upper left-hand corner, and that's called the canton, and there you'll find the blue with the 50 stars. the field is where you find the 13 stripes, so that's the main part of the flag. the staff is the flagpole, so that's the third part of a flag, and the hoist end of the flag is that part of the flag that's closest to the flagpole. the fly end is the end of the flag that's furthest away from the pole. and one reason why the canton is in the upper left-hand part of the flag is that if you have a flag hanging on a pole and there's no wind, you can still see that part of the flag. you wouldn't want to put the most important of the flag on the fly end because then nobody would be able to see it if the flag was hanging limp. >> you've got to salute whoever it was who thought of that. with "flag facts," i'm kristen. >> we like to know what's on your mind, so here's our "speak of the week."

>> here's a couple of s.a.t. words for you... actually, they all mean the same thing -- "a wise saying." so, do you have a favorite wise saying? >> my favorite wise saying is, "the cost of something is what you give up to get it." >> i guess, "anyone who's tried their hardest has never regretted it." >> the golden rule. >> wise saying? "a watched pot never boils." >> "this, too, shall pass." >> "the only mistake in life is the one from which you learn nothing." >> favorite wise saying? oh, man, there's so many. "something somewhere is waiting to be known" -- carl sagan. >> "live life to the fullest." i'm not sure where that's from. i assume it's a general saying. >> "it's not about waiting for the rain to pass. it's about learning to dance in the rain," 'cause it's like you shouldn't wait -- technically,

it's not like you should wait for opportunities to come. like, you should just go for them. >> "with power comes great responsibility." >> well, i always liked saying, "no day but today," about, like, living and taking advantage of the moment. >> "if you don't have something to nice to say, say it in yiddish." >> if you haven't found an adage, maxim, or aphorism to call your own, try this one from eleanor roosevelt... i like that. for "teen kids news," i'm emily. >> troy has some information that might surprise you about how much is enough of a good thing. [ chomp! ] >> it's not enough to just eat the right foods. you also need to know the right amounts. that's called portion control. nutritionist jax hubbard can show us what a normal serving should look like. >> well, it's always good to

take things in our surroundings to use as a standard for determining portion sizes. for example, one slice of bread is about the size of a cd case. a serving of cereal should be about the amount that'll fit into two handfuls. a serving of fruit is about the size of a tennis ball or your fist. a serving of meat is about the size of a deck of cards. so when you're trying to portion out your diet, make sure that you're keeping these tips in mind. >> okay, so, eating a tennis ball may not sound appetizing, but i guess it's a good frame of reference when determining your serving size. thanks, jax. >> thank you.

girl: hi, mom. hi, sweetie.

[ beep ] man: how's it going, buddy? i'm bored. [ beep ] i think i'll ride my bike. [ tv playing ] [ beep ] it may never be this easy to help your kids find balance, but you have more power than you know. the we can! parents' handbook and web site can help you maximize that power. you'll learn how to help kids choose healthier foods... and how to make it fun for them to get active. who can help kids maintain a healthy weight? we can! visit the we can! web site for a free parents' handbook, plus tips, tools, and resources. a message from the u.s. department of health and human services. >> this report is brought to you by b&h tv studio at madame tussauds new york.

we're at madame tussauds new york in times square. teens are coming here today to see if they have what it takes to be a reporter for "teen kids news." >> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm jacelyn. >> i think it takes someone who's really determined and motivated to always give people the truth and care about what people want to hear. >> and remember that everything has to be accurate. >> blue whales are big, and so is their appetite. >> i think a good reporter takes confidence and a lot of personality and enthusiasm. >> someone who's just really personable and really likes to get to know people and talk to people. >> dozens of teens showed up to audition to be our new entertainment reporter. >> i watch "teen kids news" every saturday, and it just seems really fun and interesting. and it's always something cool to try. >> it's something that gives you confidence and makes you look awesome, and it's fun. >> i've been watching it since i was a little girl, and my mom was a reporter, so i want to follow in her footsteps. >> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm kaylee.

>> i'm nyga. >> i'm alexa. >> some of these kids came a long way to audition. >> my name's christian, and i'm from boston, massachusetts. >> i'm ashton, and i'm from jersey. >> from dover, massachusetts. >> staten island, new york. >> i'm kali. i'm from pittsburgh, pa. >> wow, you traveled really far. how long did it take you to get here? >> about 8 or 9 hours. >> when you think of madame tussauds, you probably think of a lot of wax figures on display. so why hold auditions for a living, breathing reporter here? to kick off their newest attraction, the b&h television studio experience. >> it's an authentic television studio, where guests could tape their own newscast and then purchase it, have it e-mailed to their account, where they can post it on social networks. >> what better way to give the real look and feel of a tv studio experience? >> and part of the experience is auditioning before a panel of judges. >> we're looking for someone who is outgoing, who takes direction, who doesn't act, but is very natural, and has a lot of energy.

>> so, how do you prepare for a big chance like this? >> i practiced with my public-speaking teacher, and he gave me a lot of good tips. >> i woke up early, had a good breakfast, and i, like, rehearsed my voice last night just in case. >> i woke up extra early to make sure i watched "teen kids news," and i took a couple of notes on how they act as the reporters, and i'm feeling pretty confident. >> i'm feeling psyched, and i'm ready to go. >> each aspiring reporter was given a story to read. >> we'll have more news when "teen kids news" returns. >> they also got coaching from one of the executive producers of "teen kids news," alan weiss. >> here we go. in 3, in 2... >> here's another weapon in the war... >> ...against obesity... >> ...a talking plate. >> it actually weighs the food you're eating... >> ...and tells if you're eating too fast. >> wait a second. >> that's not new. >> that's mom. >> so, how did it go? >> i think it went well. i was a little nervous, but i smiled the whole time, so... [ chuckles ] >> i was nervous, but, you know, once i did it -- it was all over, i felt fantastic. >> it was a dream come true to

be in that studio. i just loved it. >> oh, i think it went really well. we had a lot of terrific kids show up, and i think we're very excited. >> so, who knows? you might see more than just one new face joining our reporter team in the coming months. by the way, at the exhibit here, you can also see wax figures of famous newscasters like anderson cooper and barbara walters. look, there's even one of me -- guess i'm famous. well, maybe not yet. for "teen kids news," i'm carina. >> that's it for this edition of "teen kids news." >> thanks for watching. see you next week.