>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm siena. we'll start with our top story. 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. we have a special report from tyler and ellie on a rather unusual group of friends. >> and we're gonna slide the

connector right into here. [ camera shutter clicks ] >> meet taylor, rachel, lindsey, and amy. >> well, 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 pledge to do 1,000 hours of community service. [ record scratches ] >> you heard right. one thousand hours of volunteer work. >> the mission is to inspire other teens to help out in their communities and do community service, 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, was it? >> it was january. >> january? and kind 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 kind of how it all just came together. >> what you were just watching is actually from a news story tyler did over three years ago. so, did those four friends achieve their goal of doing 1,000 hours of community service before graduating high school? so, let's go find out. hey, guys! >> hi! >> so, when tyler did his report, you were all sophomores. now you're seniors, right? >> yes. >> correct. >> and i guess you're still friends. >> yeah. >> of course. >> so, here's the big question. did you do the thousand hours of community service? >> i'm thrilled to say that we have. >> so, let's hear what you've done, starting with you, taylor. >> we've done so much over these four years. one of the things that sticks with me that we've done numerous years was feeding the veterans. every month, the wednesday of the month, we would go in, make

a big meal, and feed them, and we also brought gifts for christmas and thanksgiving. we brought pies on thanksgiving, and that was such a great experience. >> we also held a golf tournament for the kids in guatemala to get medical supplies for them, 'cause they all have cleft and lip palates. we also raised thousands of dollars to also get special spoons and special cups for them, as well. >> we also went to tuscaloosa, alabama, for habit for humanity, and we helped build houses that got tornado damage a few years ago. >> and we also traveled to guatemala twice. we went to an orphanage down there, and we played with them. we fed them. and we also went to a school, and we gave them supplies that we donated. >> that's amazing. when you were interviewed by tyler years ago, you said that one goal was to make other teens want to volunteer. do you think that worked out? >> yes. we're in the process actually of

actually trying to promote a new group of freshmen who are coming up, and we're talking to eighth graders right now and having them apply and try and be the next four friends. so, we're really interested in finding girls that are interested in volunteering and helping those specific girls start their own group, as well as helping other students that are interested. and we have seen students already participate in volunteering activities because they've seen us volunteering. >> that's great. so, now that you're graduating high school, what are your plans going forward? >> well, we're all going to college, and i think we all plan on doing our own volunteer things, like with our college or, like, maybe getting together over like a spring break or something and doing some activities together. >> definitely continuing to volunteer. >> yeah. >> absolutely. >> these girls will be the first

to tell you that when it comes to community service, the most important thing isn't the number of hours that you do. what's most important is that you do something. or as these four friends would say... >> nobody can do everything... >> but everyone can do something. >> words to live by. for "teen kids news," i'm ellie. >> whoo-hoo! [ laughter ] >> this week's driving tip is brought to you by the national road safety foundation. >> so, how was your drive? >> interesting. >> can you really ride a bike

with square wheels? to find out the answer, you need to know math, and that's why we're here at this rather unusual museum. i'll have a report.

>> the famous astronomer galileo said that we can't understand the world around us without first understanding math. what galileo didn't say was that seeing math in action can be surprisingly fun. scott tells us more. >> the national museum of mathematics welcomes visitor all ages seven days a week. >> they make, like, games, and you're learning and you don't even notice. >> so, people think that math is just about, you know, numbers and symbols all on a page and incomprehensible equations. and we wanted to show people the meaning behind the math. >> located on manhattan's east side, the museum is chock-full with all kinds of hands-on displays and activities. so, what are the five most interesting exhibits for teens

here at the museum? >> well, come on, scott. how about i show you? >> all right. our first stop is the human tree. that's what you turn into when you step on the red circle. you can change the seasons and even create intricate combinations. the point of this exhibit is to teach about fractals. >> a fractal is where you take one unit, and you repeat it over and over again, ever smaller each time, and so you'll notice that each generation of this tree is another copy of you and of me. we're just getting smaller and smaller. >> when it comes to learning about patterns, you might say this exhibit on fractals is "tree-mendous." let's move on to number four. >> so, let's come to the fourth exhibit now. number four, this is called "harmony of the spheres," and this is an exhibit that focuses on the relationship between math and music. and the way it works is that each one of these balls represents a chord -- a chord that has three notes, which is also called a triad.

so, when i touch that, we're hearing a chord. >> depending on which spheres you touch, you can actually create not just different music, but different emotions. >> i can show you that on this side, we have a minor chord, so that sounds kind of sad, whereas on this side we have a major chord, and that sounds kind of happy. >> so, it's musical math, then? >> it's musical math, and this is one of two music-and-math exhibits we have in the museum. there are a lot of relationships between math and music. >> next is number three. the math square is a colorful way to show relationships. for example, here it's drawing a border around each kid to literally prove a point. >> that border shows all the points on this square that are closer to them than to any other person on the square. so, you might have a very big portion if there's nobody near

you, or if there's lots of people standing around, you'll all get very small portions. >> okay. well, do you mind if i try it out? >> not at all -- let's step right on. you've got a very big region. i've got a smaller region because i'm sharing with this young man. >> next on our must-see list is a high-tech sculpture competition. the first step is designing an image on the computer. >> the best part about this is not only is she creating something beautiful, but we can then print those on our 3-d printer. >> not every design gets printed. visitors vote for their favorites. the images receiving the most votes are transformed from computer images into physical objects. so, this actually prints out what kids have drawn in a three-dimensional shape. >> yes, it actually builds by putting layer after layer after layer. >> the objects created by the three-dimensional printer become part of the exhibit. when we return, we'll find out

what the most popular exhibit is here at the museum of mathematics.

>> we're touring the five most popular exhibits at the museum of mathematics. so far we have learned about fractals, musical triads, the properties of a square, and designing in three dimensions -- proof positive that math is anything but dull. >> at first i was kind of skeptical. i was like, "a museum about math." but then we came in, and it was so much fun. >> a lot of people when they hear about a museum for math may think it's boring. so, what did you think? >> i thought it was pretty cool. >> so, would you tell other kids to come here, and what would you tell them was fun about it? >> everything. >> and the top exhibit here at the museum of mathematics? >> now, this is the most popular exhibit in the whole museum. this is our square-wheeled-tricycle exhibit, and what's so surprising about

it is that you can ride on bicycles that have square wheels, and your ride is perfectly smooth. >> the secret is the design. the wheels -- and the bumpy surface they ride on -- fit together with mathematical precision. for all you math mavens, it has to do with what's called a "catenary" curve. >> and so the square wheels, the point of the wheel is exactly fitting into the bottom of each hump, and so you get a perfectly smooth ride because the bicycle seat is not going up and down, but the wheel mates perfectly with the track. and that's one example of how mathematics can make the seemingly impossible suddenly possible. >> math at its finest. >> absolutely. >> while they say, "seeing is believing," i needed a test ride to be convinced. amazingly, it was just like riding a bike with round wheels. no question about it -- all the exhibits here add up to a fascinating experience. at the national museum of math, i'm scott for "teen kids news." >> you want to look your best and feel your best?

pay attention to how you begin your day. you might think you're making a healthy choice for breakfast. but you might need to rethink your routine. nicole got advice from an expert -- nutrition specialist dr. deb kennedy. >> so, dr. deb, a lot of teens start their day with a bowl of cereal. is that a healthy way to start the day? >> it can absolutely be a healthy way to star the day, but it depends what cereal you choose. so, you want to choose a cereal. four is your magic number. four grams of sugar equals one teaspoon of sugar, and there is no need for a cereal to be more than a teaspoon of sugar per cup. that is sweet enough. so, you want to look at the label, and on the label it's going to say sugars. and as long as the product doesn't have any milk or fruit in it, those sugars equal the added sugars in there most likely. but if it has milk or fruit in it, it also counts those types of sugars. so, labels can be really, really confusing. so, what i tell people also, as you look at the ingredient

list -- if the first three ingredients has the word "sugar" in it or any of its impostors, like corn syrup, dextrose, barley malt -- there is about 25 different names for sugar. if any of the first three ingredients is sugar, put the box away, and no one will get hurt, okay? >> but what about serving size? can't that confuse you, as well? >> right. usually they're standardized. so, both these boxes have one cup as a serving size. so, you can compare the sugars in each of them. so, when you look at sugars, it's a great way to compare, but definitely make sure that the serving sizes are the same in order to do that. >> so, i'm in a rush a lot of the time, and i always grab a breakfast bar. how bad is that for me? >> okay. so, if the breakfast bar looks like a candy bar, and it's got a chocolate shell, and it's got caramel in the middle, tastes like a candy bar, and smells like a candy bar, do you think it's going to be healthy for you? >> no. >> no, right? so, you can find cereal or a granola bar. just again, make sure the first

three ingredients is not an added sugar. and if it looks like candy and you find yourself liking it as much as candy, take a look at the sugar label. >> breakfast is supposed to fuel you, not fool you. so, read those labels and make sure you're not overdoing the sugar. for "teen kids news," i'm nicole. ♪ america's service members and veterans are strong.

forged out of bravery, sacrifice, and duty. ♪ sometimes reaching out for help can be the most challenging and worthwhile mission of all. ♪ when you recognize something isn't right, make the call to the veterans crisis line or military crisis line. dial 1-800-273-8255 and press 1. 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. institute of america are sharing some of their favorite recipes with "teen kids news." here's what's cooking this week. >> so, you've got friends coming over for a movie, but you don't want to serve the same old, same old popcorn.

well, i've got a recipe for you. it's chili popcorn, and it's a great way to spice up the usual movie snack. we're gonna start with about eight cups of freshly popped popcorn. now were gonna make a spice mixture. it starts with a pinch of salt. but if you're cutting down on your salt, you can just leave it out. now were gonna add a 1/4 teaspoon of chili powder... an 1/8 of a teaspoon paprika... an 1/8 of a teaspoon of garlic powder... and an 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. cayenne pepper is really spicy, so if you don't like things too spicy, cut down on the amount of cayenne pepper that you add. there we go. it's all mixed up. let's sprinkle it over our popcorn, and then we'll just toss it with a spatula so it's all evenly coated.

told you it was easy. now all you have to do is decide on a movie. and that is chili popcorn at the culinary institute of america. for "teen kids news," i'm andrea. >> okay, everyone, it's time to find out what teens think. here's "speak of the week." >> it can seem like high school lasts forever. but have you considered what you're doing afterwards? for instance, do you intend to go to college? >> i want to go to stanford, 'cause i know it's a good school, and i like the campus and sports and stuff. >> i think i'm going to go to baylor, which is down in waco, texas, 'cause that's where my brother's going, and both my parents went. >> i intend to go to auckland university, which is in new zealand. >> i do want to go to college, and i'm not so sure yet, but maybe like nyu or some good

college with, like, business and music. >> i do intend to go to college, probably at auburn university. >> yes, i would like to go to spellman university in atlanta, georgia. >> there certainly are a lot of colleges to choose from. you just have to find what's right for you. as for me, i'm going to baruch college. with "speak of the week," i'm tatyana. >> we all know that unlike pinocchio, people's noses don't grow when they lie. but if you're not telling the truth, your nose can still give you away. scientists have found that the nose actually gets hotter when a person's lying. so, i guess you can say that when it comes to lying, the nose knows. tell you about a 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. music i want some more.

what's he doing? please sir, i want some more. more? he has asked for... thank you. well he did say please... yes he did. and thank you. please and thank you. pass it on. (crowd of children) thank you. um] (crowd of children) thank you. ♪[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.

>> this report is brought to you by nbc sports at the auto shows on nbcsn. >> well, it's day two of the press preview here at the l.a. auto show. and there are a lot of cars to show you -- cars that i'm pretty much thinking you're gonna want to talk to mom and dad about. we'll start with this -- a little luxury from a company you wouldn't normally think of as luxury. this is a kia. it's the new k900, and it will go on sale early in january of 2014. it's gonna have a v-8 engine if you want it. check that backseat out! your brother and your sister are going to love that. that's from kia on sale in january. well, lincoln is showing off the all-new mkc. this is a crossover. what's cool about this is the car can park itself automatically. hear your mom ord complain about parallel parking? well, don't worry about it, 'cause the car will do it both going into the parking space and coming out of it. look at all that l.e.d. lighting, as well. the lincoln mkc will be on sale in january of 2014. and from audi it's the

number-one brand for people under 30 years old, and audi has the a3 and the s3 and a drop-top convertible that's absolutely gorgeous. check out this screen, how thin it is. when it comes up, it will act as a hot spot for eight different wi-fi devices and it has 4g on board. well, you may have heard the term "fuel cell," but what does it really mean? well, hyundai can answer that with this car. this is the hyundai tucson, and it is a fuel-cell vehicle that's been introduced here -- meaning it doesn't run on gasoline. it runs on hydrogen. it doesn't use any fuel at all other than hydrogen to create electricity. they'll lease it to families for about $499 a month within the next year. well, acura has a hybrid, also a pretty environmentally friendly car. it's called the rlx. well, using a three-motor hybrid system, this will not only get you great gas mileage but offer up you and your family a whole lot of comfort. look for it in the spring of

2014. well, who doesn't like a sports car? i know i do, and so does jaguar. take a look at this jag. it's over-the-top. the ultimate f-type coupe is what they call it. 550 horsepower and look at that spoiler on the back that goes up automatically. 2014 early in the year for availability, $65,000. and why not, well, take a subaru for a little ride? this is the wrx -- 268 horsepower out of that 4-cylinder engine. this car has been very popular. ooh, be careful! the wrx goes on sale in 2014. well, nissan's excited about this -- the all-new nismo. it's the return of the sentra nismo. look. the performance market said to nissan, "we want this car." the nismo is all about performance -- 240 horsepower and about 240 pound feet of torque with those 19-inch rims. it's going to be hot as is this. this is the gtr. look for both cars within the next year.

okay, and how about a convertible? this one's from bmw. you're going to love it. it's the bmw 4 series. if you know about hard-top convertibles, you know that when they go into the trunk, they don't leave a lot of room left over to put your luggage in. well, bmw, they've solved that problem. look at all that space! look for it, in showrooms, within the next year. well, land rover. they're getting big, and they're getting fancy. this is the range rover autobiography that inside it's all about luxury, as well. the front has the high-end leather that you'd expect, and the backseats have chairs that will massage you and your brothers and sisters and even give you a place to put your feet. and then, finally, a station wagon. volvo's got the return. this is the v60. it's super-safe, and it even will help to avoid running into cyclists or pedestrians. the v60 will go on sale in 2014. from the l.a. auto show, a lot of cars to talk about. now it's time to sit down at the dinner table maybe and talk about them with mom and dad.

from the l.a. auto show, i'm doug brauner for "teen kids news." >> that's our show for this week. thanks for watching "teen kids news." we'll see you next time.

announcer: brought to you by... ...for more than 40 years, working to preserve the world we share. hanna: j.j. the gray whale returns to the ocean. it's history in the making. find out why. [ african tribal music plays ]