go to spotskincancer.org to find out how. a message from the american academy of dermatology. >> get ready for "teen kids news." here's what's coming up. >> it's catching on in big cities and small communities, and you can do it, too. >> if you're one of the millions of girls struggling with weight, you'll definitely want to hear what this teen has to say. >> some kids are encouraged to play video games in school. find out why. >> i'll have a tip that just might help you do better on your next test. >> we'll meet a family that's milking their way to success. >> i'll tell you the story behind the story of the boy who wouldn't grow up. >> that and more, next on "teen kids news."

>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm siena. we'll start with our top story. >> five years ago, we told you about the big step one city took to help the environment. brandon reports that more and more communities are now taking up the cause. >> they stuff our landfills, tangle in our trees, and they kill sea birds and mammals. plastic bags -- ever year, we use and throw away millions of them. >> plastic bags are a huge litter problem throughout the world. >> we interviewed mr. bloomenfeld back in 2007 when san francisco became the first city in the u.s. to ban plastic bags. large stores were not allowed to

offer them to customers. the ban was a success. so the city then voted to expand it to every store in town. now communities all across the country are hopping on the "ban" wagon. the day after rye, new york, passed its law against plastic bags, teens were handing out green alternatives. >> there are no more plastic bags going to be offered in stores, so we're helping people out by giving them reusable bags. >> reusable bags are considered the best alternative... >> wonderful. >> ...because even paper bags are bad for the environment. although they can be recycled, they still use up natural resources to make, and the manufacturing process causes pollution. >> it's completely useless to use something once and then throw it away. >> people who work to ban plastic bags say the new laws help reduce the use of paper products, too. >> what most of these communities have seen when they pass these types of laws, is that they've seen an increase in reusable-bag rates, which means

that their purchases of paper bags have gone down. >> by their using a bag that they can use in other stores and at other times, it reduces my costs for paper bags. >> long ago, stores didn't give out bags at all. you had to bring your own. now people are relearning how to do that once again. >> we have a sign by the cash register that asks if they've brought their reusable bag, and a number of people have said, "oh, that's a great reminder. hold on, i'll be right back," and they go back to their car. >> we keep, actually, reusable bags in the back of our car, so every time we go to the store, we use those instead of plastic bags. >> shortly after rye passed its bill, los angeles became the biggest city in the country to outlaw plastic bags. but we still have a long way to go. bangladesh and rwanda banned plastic bags years before any community in the u.s. did. so remember, you don't need a

law to go green. just the desire and the commitment to do the right thing. >> there's more "teen kids news" coming up next. >> we'll be right back.

>> this report is brought to you by fitsmi.com. one out of every three american kids is overweight. and research shows that girls

struggling to get fit are often the least likely to get the help they need. so denise's story is encouraging. about a year ago, she came across fitsmi while surfing the web. it's an online community of teens like her trying to lose weight. and she's willing to share her story with us. hi, denise. >> hello! >> has weight always been an issue for you? >> you know, when i was younger, it was never really an issue, but once i moved into my teens, i moved around a lot. i changed a lot of schools, and along the way, i dropped lots of activities. so that's when the weight really started packing on and just becoming a problem. >> and how did it affect you? >> at the beginning, really, i didn't notice it. i just didn't notice it at all. and then once i moved into my first year of high school, a whole bunch of boys, a whole gang called me chubby and started teasing me, and from that day, it just really

continued like that, and it hurt. >> i bet. and so you joined fitsmi. and what do you get out of that? >> out of fitsmi, i got a lot. the main thing that i learned is i'm not alone. there's so, so many other girls who are going through exactly what i'm going through, who just want to -- who have the same goals as me, who want to lose weight and just be happy, really. and yeah, i learned how to discipline myself. i just set myself goals and how to achieve them. >> adriana willsie is the editor of fitsmi. she says the goal of the website is to help each girl find a solution that best fits her own lifestyle. >> girls who join fitsmi often tell us that they see changes really quickly. and i think that's because we take this big idea of getting healthy, and we break it down into small, really manageable steps. >> the website has lots of helpful tools. for example, the change machine. with it, you can develop your own personal strategy. >> we have over 100 changes to choose from that help you do

everything from eating right to staying active to looking and feeling your best. and it's as easy as browsing the changes we have, adding them to your change machine and then tracking your progress every day. >> my favorite thing about the site is the ability to really interact with all the girls, to interact with everybody, to learn their stories, to hear what they've been through and this has worked for them. and it's just so great to interact with all these girls. >> nothing is holding denise back now. she celebrated her 16th birthday with a brand-new outlook. >> my whole life has changed. in the last year, i've lost over 26 1/2 pounds, and it's just now, it's still working for me. >> and has it changed how you feel about yourself? >> definitely. i used to be that sad girl who was -- i was just always upset. yeah, i was moody, i was grumpy, i was really a pain to be around.

and now i'm just happy all the time. i just want to go out. i want to do things and just... i've learned to just accept who i am and just love myself. >> would you recommend fitsmi to other girls? >> i would recommend fitsmi to everybody. it's no hesitation, no doubt. fitsmi, really -- it's changed my life, and i think it can do the same for anybody, for all girls. >> thank you so much. it was so great talking with you. >> yeah, it was great. >> in coming months, we'll be hearing more from denise. she's agreed to post video blogs to keep us updated on her progress. and to find out more about fitsmi, their website is easy... >> most of fitsmi is free. you can use your change machine, set up a profile, read all the great articles. and for girls who want a little additional support, you can also sign up for affordable fitsmi group coaching. >> as fitsmi says, they understand that every girl is different. they're all about finding what works for you.

for "tkn," i'm carina.

>> a family of 10 has come up with a rather unusual business. as katie reports, thanks to some goats, they're really cleaning up. >> in charlestown, indiana, the jonases have a farm. >> i'm brett jonas. i'm 15, and i'm the oldest in the jonas family. >> and on that farm, they have some goats. >> my name is colter jonas, and i am 13 years old. >> and from those goats, they all make soap. >> i'm emery jonas. i am the third oldest in my family, and i'm 12 right now. >> and there are five more, plus mom and dad. the entire family works to turn milk from goats into soap and other cleaning products. no wonder their company is called "goat milk stuff." >> i started making soap for the

family just because i wanted healthy soap for their skin. and we just brought it to a craft fair, and then the response to it was tremendous. so that was really how the business began. >> it helps that mom has an engineering degree and dad is a former science teacher. >> pj's engineering background and my master's degree definitely has played a part in our success. >> another secret that helped the jonases become soap stars... [ goat bleats ] ...everyone has to pitch in. >> i have a rule around here. i call it my "youngest person rule." and that means that the youngest person capable of doing a job is the one who does it. >> just like cows, goats need to be milked every day. >> sometimes i'll even get up as early as 6:00. >> another big job is filling the online orders that come in from people all over the country. >> i'd say the hardest thing about living in a family that runs a business is when my little brothers or sisters don't do their jobs and i get stuck doing them. >> you have to work with your siblings all the time. you, like, you don't get a break from them. and that can get really

annoying. >> but there's also a lot of positives. >> i mean, you get to do a lot of cool things that most kids don't get to do. >> some of my friends often want to come over and help out. they come over and they bag soap, and we talk. and we all have a lot of fun. >> the family says the proteins in the milk make for better, richer soap. >> the goats are really a part of our family. >> there are some who are mischievous, some are sweet, some are meaner than the other ones, and they all definitely have different personalities. >> i'm extremely proud of my parents and my family. we've worked so hard to get to where we are, and i just, i'm really proud that we've been able to get to where we are. >> no question about it, thanks to great teamwork, this family business is an "udder" success. >> it shouldn't come as a surprise that the more nervous you feel before taking a test, the less likely you'll do well. dr. sian beilock is a psychology professor at the university of chicago. her book "choke" gives insights

on how stress affects us. >> well, there's actually a simple technique for coping with the stress -- it's writing. my research found that students who write about their feelings of anxiety or stress for just 10 minutes before their exam actually perform better on tests. it has to do with the prefrontal cortex. that's the area your brain that sits right above your eyes. your working memory is housed there. you can think of it as a mental scratch pad that helps you work through complex problems. when worries creep in, your working memory becomes overloaded, and that can cause you to cave in to the pressure. but when you write about your feelings, you're giving yourself an opportunity to express those worries. this actually frees up space in your head. writing can also give you insights into what specifically is stressing you out. so the next time you have a big test, take a few minutes. write about your feelings. it should make all the difference. >> i guess you can call that the "write" way to take a test. thanks, dr. beilock. >> you're welcome.

and good luck on your next test. >> to mark our 10th year on tv, each week, we take a look back at one of the stories we've covered. >> it's a truck that goes off-road. way off-road. this is a boston duck. it's a truck that's not afraid to get wet. >> this is, i believe, our 12th season on the boston duck tours. >> we took a special ride on the boston duck tour. it's a way to see the city from land and water in the same vehicle. the ducks were around long before this tour began. they go all the way back to world war ii. and what is a boston duck? >> a boston duck is basically a world war ii amphibious landing craft that has been converted into a touring vehicle. so we take people around the city of boston on land and then also into the charles river. these vehicles were used for a lot of different things during world war ii. and mainly they were used as a supply vehicle because they could take supplies from ships onto the mainland. >> the amphibious trucks became known as "dukws." originally designed by

general motors, the duck was 31 feet long and 8 feet wide. that's over three times the size of your average s.u.v. it weighed 6 1/2 tons, even though it had no armor. it traveled 50 miles per hour on land and 6 miles per hour in water. it's a challenge for the tour's con-duck-tors. [conductors] >> they're pretty interesting to drive 'cause you are basically driving a military tank through boston traffic, which can be challenging at times. >> so is it kind of a pain 'cause it's so slow? sometimes you do wish it had a little more pick-up on land. >> for the tour's passengers, it's the perfect speed to take in the historic boston sights. in boston, i'm tyler for "teen kids news."

and there's a big advantage pares can give tir kids -- makingure they get active least 60 minutes day. studies show th physical activi t only helps kidsay healt, an enhanceimportant il, like concentration ich can improve academicerformance. this means phycal activity can helpour kids in the most important game of all -- life. um] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] [phone ring,] car brakes hard [phone ring] [car crash] glass shatters [sirens] this video was submitted by a student through the safety scholars program. for more information on teen safety visit driversedge.org.

of the united states of america... and to the republic for which it stands... one nation, under god... indivisible, with liberty... and justice for all. our disabled veterans pledged to sacrifice life and limb to ensure our way of life. now, they deserve our support. find out how you can help disabled veterans in your community. visit dav.org.

>> it's one thing to play a video game, but it's a whole different learning experience to be able to create a video game. diyu met some students who are doing just that. >> well, my game is, basically, this guy has been robbed, and he comes home and he sees his house is a mess and his money's gone. and he's been left a ransom note, so he has to go all over. and he goes to the city to, like, defeat the robber and to get all of his money back. >> but the story is just the beginning. it takes s.t.e.m. to get things moving... that's why these students are part of a nationwide competition. >> the national s.t.e.m.

video-game challenge was inspired by president obama's "educate to innovate" initiative with the hopes of calling folks' attention to the need for more science, technology, engineering, and math education in the country. >> the challenge is issued every year to students and teachers. they're going after recognition and prizes like computer equipment. >> today, you know, you're still working on your game. you have, essentially, until thursday. >> for some students, the competition is an eye-opening experience. >> before this challenge, i didn't really like math or science. i thought they were kind of boring. >> once you get kids involved in creating games, they are learning s.t.e.m., but they're also learning a lot of other 21st-century skills, like leadership and teamwork, and they're getting critical thinking and all these other things that come along with it in that package. >> it's a team effort. students start by brainstorming

concepts that would make a good game. >> and part of the process is that they have to come up with a design document first, where they basically map out the whole idea for the game and they have to come up with a story line and all that. >> these kids are learning basic engineering. every step requires figuring out what works and what doesn't. becoming an engineer is a smart career to consider. they're in great demand by all sorts of companies. >> so, wherever we go, engineers are critical in terms of solving some of our biggest problems in the world. >> when you work and study and excel... >> the competition top winners are celebrated in washington, d.c. you can find out more by following the link on our website. but truly, every kid who develops more s.t.e.m. skills has reason to be proud. >> i kind of was into science. i didn't like math as much. but now i see that it's actually really interesting. >> it doesn't even feel like a working class. it's more about having fun, and trying your best, and it's a

good experience. >> and that's exactly the reason behind the s.t.e.m. video-game challenge. for "tkn," i'm diyu. >> a lot of us rely on vending machines for snacks. but they're not usually stocked with the healthiest foods. now some schools and companies are working to change that. they're adding things like fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt, healthy granola bars, and chips that are baked. so the next time you use a vending machine, you just might be able to say, "thanks for the change." >> coming up, i'll take you to broadway for "peter and the starcatcher." w medical website designed especially for older folks. website you say! i can't work on computers, they're not senior-friendly. blah, blah, blah. but the national institutes of health fixed all that. now you can make the type bigger, increase contrast, even make it talk to you.

just go to nihseniorhealth.gov and get the best medical information available anywhere. nih seniorhealth.gov. built with you in mind. and there's a big advantage pares can give tir kids -- makingure they get active least 60 minutes day. studies show th physical activi t only helps kidsay healt, an enhanceimportant il, like concentration ich can improve academicerformance. this means phycal activity can helpour kids in the most important game of all -- life. um] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] ♪[tum] [phone ring,] car brakes hard [phone ring] [car crash] glass shatters [sirens]

this video was submitted by a student through the safety scholars program. for more information on teen safety visit driversedge.org. >> it's a bedtime story many of us grew up with -- "peter pan." but did you ever wonder how peter became the boy who wouldn't grow up? as emily reports, delighted audiences are finding out eight times a week, including twice on wednesdays and saturdays. >> when i was a boy, i wished i could fly. >> the play is called

"peter and the starcatcher." it imagines a time when peter pan was a lonely orphan. while aboard a ship, he meets a girl named molly with a magical secret. >> i'm a starcatcher. [ magical tones ] we have special powers that we use in secret to keep starstuff away from tyrants who try to rule the world. >> the original story about peter pan was written by j.m. barrie in 1902, and it was written for adults. but the book became a children's classic, and this play is packing in the teens. >> oh, it was really, really funny. >> it was so creative, and i wanted to keep seeing more. >> it was just hilarious. >> i think it's perfect for teens, and some of the best people at the stage door have been teenagers. peter pan and my character are 13 years old. there's a lot of our qualities that i think resonate with teenagers. >> celia gave me a quick tour of the theater.

we went under the stage, through a sea of costumes, and then back up again. >> do you want to see my dressing room? >> sure. even though celia is the starcatcher, there's no star hanging on her dressing room door. >> there are no, sort of, "stars" of the show, which is actually something that i really like about this piece, is that it's an ensemble. everybody does everything. >> there's more than 100 different roles in the play, and they're all performed by only 12 actors. >> and we are lords >> and captains. >> mothers. >> orphans. >> sailors. >> pirates. >> tropical kings. >> it's actually some of the most fun i've ever had in my young, short career. >> it's not just the actors who have fun. the set designers are pretty playful, as well. for example, the arch around the stage is handcrafted from household objects. look closely and you'll see the designs are made from things like flyswatters, corks, forks, and garden tools. >> it's a really bare stage, so we're responsible for creating

the entire world, visually and atmospherically. >> and that gets to the heart of "peter and the starcatcher." it's all about using your imagination. peter must use his to rescue a trunk filled with magical starstuff. and the audience has a role to play, as well. >> and use your thoughts to hoist the sails. >> that's the great thing about the theater. everyone brings their imagination. it's the one thing that we carry with us that nobody can take away. >> i spoke with the play's writer at the legendary theater restaurant sardi's >> what's wonderful about the theater is that in the theater, i can say, "see this sword? i'm gonna fight you with it." and you're gonna react as though it's a sword. >> the story of peter pan is over 100 years old. why has it stayed so popular? >> well, how would you feel if someone came home and said, "you never have to have a bedtime, and you never have to have any chores, and you never have to have any homework, and you get to do whatever you want. and you're always going to be as beautiful as you are right now."

does that sound good? that's why. >> can you keep a secret? >> yes, i can. but here's one secret i want everyone to know. "peter and the starcatcher" is a musical that's truly magical. for "tkn," i'm emily. [ whistling and applause ] >> that's all for this week. thanks for joining us. >> we'll see you next time with more "teen kids news."