>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm livia. let's start with our top story. >> bet you didn't know there's a kid who's been racing cars since he was 5 years old. he does it to raise money to fight cancer. or how about the club at school that sells "compliment grams" in the cafeteria? >> it's a piece of paper with hershey kisses on it, and people send it to each other, and it has a really nice compliment. >> these are just some of the many uplifting videos you can see on hooplaha.com.

>> hooplaha was formed because our founder wanted to find an antidote to bad news. he was sick of listening to the nightly news and hearing all the bad stories. >> i guess their founder never saw "teen kids news." anyway, the idea behind the site is to bring good things to light. >> they can cover stuff like inspiring animals, amazing nonprofits and charities, teens doing good, and, really, just individuals that have great inspirational stories, whether it's overcoming adversity or just doing good things. >> this video is about a guy who started a whole new trend -- sending positive tweets to friends who needed a boost. >> and then they started telling their friends, and those people started telling their friends, and, then, soon it became a pretty, pretty popular following. >> the staff spends days scouring the web for feel-good videos. >> so, he's running the ironman for his brother. >> they also produce a lot of

their own videos, like this one, about some kittens enjoying their first day in the great outdoors. >> hooplaha is always looking for people to come to us, especially teens, because they have a lot of new ideas and creativity that we might not have thought of. so, we love getting those kind of ideas. >> once they've collected a number of videos, the next step is deciding which ones to run when. that happens during the weekly planning meeting. >> what about if we did a follow-up to what dogs teach us for the week of the 8th through the 14th, or what day do you suggest? in those meetings, what we'll do is we'll kind of go through each story and move them around on the big board. it's funny because we're definitely into social media and new trends, but we have to rely on a big, physical board just because we are producing so much content, that it's the easiest way for us to kind of visualize it. this story has to do with obama

and the white house and stuff. >> here's another example of a cool video. nevia wants to be the first person in her family to go to college. so, she's set a pretty amazing goal -- to read more than 300 books every year. that's almost a book a day. >> without education you'll just be a nobody. >> we love in our videos to profile teens doing good. a lot of times people assume that only adults are the ones that can make a difference in the world, but it's not true. we find that a lot of times teens are the ones out there, doing good and making a difference. >> one girl can advocate trying to be the change they wish to see in the world. >> you can never get enough smiles. there's more where that came from. >> the reaction to hooplaha has been an overall "that's awesome." people are really excited that they have a place they can go to find happiness and inspiration all in one spot. >> and if you're wondering about the unusual name... "hoopla" means excitement. and "ha"? well, that comes from "ha ha."

so, if their videos make you laugh or even just grin a bit, then they've accomplished their goal. by the way, if they'd have asked me, i'd have suggested they call their site "hoopla-haha," but they didn't ask me.

>> this report is sponsored by the national road safety foundation. >> hi! >> hi. >> come on in. i'm marilou. >> nice to meet you. i'm emily. >> nice to meet you. come on in. hi. >> i'm alan. >> nice to meet you. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> good storyboards. >> 18-year-old emily mochel

arrived with her mother and met the tv crew she was going to be working with. >> and this is sean. sean's shooting it for "teen kids news." >> of the hundreds of psa concepts submitted to the national road safety foundation in this year's contest, emily's was judged best of class. >> my concept is a group of kids goes into a house party and goes to the "bartender" and orders drinks. but instead of ordering drinks, they're ordering car accidents. so, it's kind of a foreshadowing of what would happen if each of them drove home after drinking, and then the last friend, though, realizes that that's what's going to happen and decides to be the designated driver of the night and just orders a water. so, everyone thanks her, and we have a happy ending instead of a crash at the end of the night. >> and this is rick. rick will be your d.p. on the psa shoot. as you know, the idea is that it's a party. >> yes. >> and the kids will be over here. they'll be partying in this area over here. >> okay. >> just to be clear -- while we

all know that teens should not be drinking alcohol, the point of this psa is to get as many teens as possible to act responsibly. if you can't stop your friends from drinking, you can at least stop them from driving. >> okay, guys, so, everybody sit down. let's go over the storyboards. so, as you know, storyboards are what you create in doing a spot. so, even though you have the vision in your head, you have to make sure that everybody else has the same vision. >> the director then walked the production team through the storyboards and the script. >> so, obviously we can't create a car crash in the kitchen. so, that's why the chroma key is there. >> "chroma key" is a technical term for green screen. it's a technique that allows the editor to fill in whatever background is desired. for example, it looks like i'm standing outside... but fortunately i'm really not. >> my creative-writing teacher gets all these contests, and she was like "guys, i really like this one. i really think you should all do it." so, she made it a requirement. and i decided to really take it seriously because i do want to go into advertising.

so, i drew up all the storyboards and everything, and she read it, and she's like, "emily, i love it." so, we sent it out, and i prayed, and i got really lucky, and i got the phone call, and i was really excited. >> the actors in this psa are students from tuckahoe high school. emily learned what it was like to do casting. >> okay, stephanie, we're gonna do the line, "can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist?" >> okay. >> okay? i'll feed you the line, "what do you guys want to drink, and then you just answer it, okay? >> okay. >> so, what do you guys want to drink? >> can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? >> excellent. perfect. >> good. great. >> thank you very much. >> thank you. she had really good speech, and she has energy. >> make a note for yourself. and let's move on to the next one. >> okay, great. who's next? >> can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? >> can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? >> can i have a head-on collision? >> hi. can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? >> i think he's got great personality and great energy. >> very good. all right, let's do it.

>> all right, let's go. >> okay, so, everybody did a really great job, and we had a really tough time picking, but we're gonna go in another room e gonna figure out which lines you're gonna have exactly. but we picked michael, laura, and stephanie. >> whoo-hoo! >> round of applause to you guys, but honestly everybody did a really great job. so, thank you for coming and helping out, too. >> you're welcome. >> thank you. >> okay, so, in order to keep the sunlight from being too bright in the shot, we're gonna have to put what's called "n.d.," neutral density, on the window. so, why don't you cut this? we've doubled it 'cause it was so bright with the sun. >> almost like tinting your windows. >> okay. >> while rick was getting the lights set up, emily helped the producer prop the scene. >> all right, so, we can set them up here. on television, it's not just the camera work and the lights. you got to set up the props, too.

>> a local news crew dropped by to interview emily. >> but instead they're ordering an accident, as if they drove home. that's what's going to happen. >> once the extras were put into their positions... >> guys -- you guys should be laughing, having a good time back there. this is a great party. >> ...it was time to start shooting the spot. >> nrsf "order death" scene 1, take 3. >> action! >> cool party! >> what do you guys want to drink? >> can i have a head-on collision with a...concussion twist? >> action! >> cool party! >> what do you guys want to drink? >> can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? >> action! >> cool party! >> what do you guys want to drink? >> can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? >> emily also got the opportunity to be on camera. >> make mine a fatal accident, with no survivors. >> she played the part of the bartender. >> and you? >> a designated driver, please? you know, just a bottle of water. >> awesome! >> you're a lifesaver! >> after what seemed like a hundred takes, the scenes with the actors were finally done. >> it was good. that was good. >> they were all amazingly

talented and really sweet, and they joked around, and they were really fun, but they were also really good at what they were doing. >> now the crew setup the green screen for the special-effects shots. >> that looks pretty good. what do you think? >> great, great. >> okay? all right, we'll do it one more time. that should do it. perfect! >> great. >> absolutely perfect. that is a wrap. >> yay! >> tomorrow we get to go edit. so, making some cool decisions about if we're going to have some special effects, or if it's just gonna be what we filmed and different things like that. >> we'll follow emily into the edit room when "teen kids news" continues. >> what do you guys want to drink?

>> and here's the edit room. >> hi. >> you remember rick, yesterday was your cameraman. >> today i'm your editor. >> today he's your editor! >> awesome! >> high school senior from weston, florida, emily mochel is living her dream. not only did she win the nrsf's "drive to life" psa contest, she and her mom got an all-expenses-paid trip to new york to work with an award-winning production company. >> all right, so this is your chair. >> whoo! all official and everything. >> and this is your edit system, and rick will walk you through it. you guys have a couple of hours to make magic. >> awesome. >> you ready to make magic? >> yes. >> all right, rick, it's all yours. >> okay. all right, what i did was just to get things started, i strung together a couple of clips. >> a designated driver, pleas? you know, just a bottle of water. >> awesome! >> you're a lifesaver! >> a designated driver, pleas? you know, just a bottle of water. >> that, like, sort of came out from behind your head. >> i was gonna say. i kind of was in the way there. >> yeah. >> like, start with the kids walking in and then kind of cut

to that just for a couple seconds, and then go back to... it might be too much movement, but it might also be a little more interesting, depending on how it works. >> okay. this is the most important keyboard command -- command "z." that's "undo." [ laughs ] >> i know that one! >> that's the most important one. i mean, i thought that was good 'cause they're not actually drinking it, but it's, you know... >> it looks like... >> they could be drinking it. >> yeah. >> cool party. >> what do you guys want to drink? >> can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? [ tires screeching, car crashing ] >> i like it. >> hey, guys. >> hi. >> all right. >> once the music and effects were tweaked, it was time to bring in the director and producers. >> all right. >> cool party. >> what do you guys want to drink? >> can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? [ tires screeching, car crashing ] >> i think it looks terrific. it really looks good. what do you guys think?

>> it looks great. >> yeah, fantastic. love it. >> how about you? you happy with it? >> i love it. >> does it tell the story? do you feel the way it needs -- >> i think it really does. >> and you think that this will be something that young people relate to? >> i hope so, yeah. i learned about how editing works, about how to pick music so that it's not overpowering, but it's still fits with the mood, about picking the different clips that best show what we're trying to convey. now we get to go present it to the national road safety foundation and see if they like it. >> we'll have that part of the story next week, along with the world debut of her psa. >> i'll have a pop quiz that might save you from getting sick.

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.

>> you might be looking forward to a big game, a big test, or a big date. if you get sick, that could be a big problem. but there's something you can be doing several times a day to protect yourself. wash your hands. and before you say, "well, duh!" see how you do on monika's quiz. >> we all know we're supposed to keep our hands free of germs. but you might be shocked to find out how often we don't wash our hands. >> [ coughing ] >> a recent survey found only one in three people washes after coughing or sneezing. do you? >> well, when i cough and sneeze i usually do, because it's so important to be sanitary, but it depends what situation i'm in. >> not quite. the experts say there should be no exceptions. >> [ sneezes ] >> every time you cough or sneeze, viruses, bacteria, and germs that live in the saliva of

your mouth and nose simply get sprayed all over your environment. >> [ sneezes ] >> you then pick up a book, touch an elevator button, use a keyboard that is a communal keyboard, and those germs get transmitted from your hands to a communal object. another person comes and touches that object, and then they touch their nose, and then the next day they're sick. the most common method of transmission of a cold is a noninfected person rubbing their nose or face after touching an object used by a person with a cold. >> that's why public-health experts have been telling us to sneeze and cough into our elbows. but for most activities, you need your hands. when do you wash them? you know you should wash up after using the restroom and before preparing food. but do you wash your hands every time after petting an animal? how about after handling money? >> i don't wash my hands after handling money. >> no, i don't wash my hands after handling money. should i? >> a survey finds only one in

five people washes after handling money, which is precisely why it's so germy! >> a simple one-dollar bill lasts for approximately 18 months, and during those 18 months that one-dollar bill is touched by thousands of people -- people who do not wash their hands after sneezing, people who do not wash their hands after using the bathroom, people who have handled raw meat, people who have their one-dollar bill licked by their pet. everybody touches the money, and nobody actually thinks about washing their hands after using money. money is one of the filthiest things we have out there. okay, you're getting the point. we need to wash more often. but how long is long enough... >> i consider myself a fairly hygienic person. so, i would wash my hands for, like, a minute just lathering, lathering my hands under the running water. >> well, a gold star for him.

but you don't have to wash so long. the experts recommend at least 15 to 20 seconds -- about as long as it takes for a slow chorus of "happy birthday" or some other familiar tune. >> you have to wash them long enough to say the abcs. >> and you definitely want to actually get in there. don't just rub the soap against your two fingers. rub in between your fingers. rub the tops of your hands. rub your wrists, as well. >> remember louis pasteur? he was the french scientist in the 1800s who made the connection between germs and illness. once he realized microbes existed, he refused to shake hands or touch doorknobs without gloves. does all this sound obvious to you? well, i'm sorry to report that a recent survey of students found about half of them don't wash their hands after the bathroom. >> i think that's disgusting. everyone should definitely wash their hands after going to the bathroom. >> i mean, you should wash off anytime you do something. i mean, it's called, like, responsibility. >> okay, we know you're not performing surgery. but just as doctors scrub up

before they head to the operating room, you need to think about protecting yourself and the people and food you touch. experts recommend warm water and soap. hand sanitizers are okay in a pinch, but they don't replace the real thing. so, lather up! >> it's a craze that swept the country when our grandparents were little. and it's back. i'll give you the scoop on the hoop. um]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.

>> hoops have been used as toys for ages, but in the 1950s a combination of plastic and great marketing brought us the hula hoop. it spun into a national craze. and now it's back. >> i like to hula hoop because it's fun and active, and you get a lot of exercise out of it. >> well, we're going to learn how to lift it and catch it in our hand. >> stefan pildes is a master hooper. he performs at rock concerts,

street fairs, and even on cruise ships. and he teaches a class called "groove hoops." >> people are tired of aerobics or step classes. they're looking for new things that give them a sense of joy and happiness. hula hooping makes everyone smile. >> hooping sure makes people smile in stefan's class. some of them have been taking lessons for years, like erica and angelica, who hoop along with their mom. what trick are you going to show us? >> i'm going to show you a cool one. can i show you right now? >> yes, absolutely. if you put your heart into your hoops, you'll wind up with the moves to prove it. is hooping a sport, a game, or an exercise? >> it is an exercise. it can be considered as a sport, but most people don't think of it as a sport. and it is definitely a fun game. but it's definitely an exercise. >> so, if you're hooping with your friends, do you always win the "who can hoop the longest?"

games? >> yes! >> the world record for nonstop hooping is held by roxann rose. she went an incredible 90 hours. you'd think that just after one hour, she'd be too pooped to hoop. what do you like about hooping? >> i love everything. i love that you can express yourself. i love that you, like, dance. i love to dance. it's hard for beginners, b once you get to know it, it's really fun and easy. >> in fact, it's so easy even my mom can do it! so, what im waiting for? so, can you teach me how to hoop? >> absolutely! >> let's go! >> okay! let's start by putting one foot in front of the other. and you're going to rock your hips forward and back, forward and back. that's great. and when you're ready, give it a firm push across your hips and just like a locomotive, forward and back, forward and back. there you go. you got it! yeah! great job. okay, here comes your first trick. we're gonna take a look at which way our hoop is going and walk around in a circle following our hoop. there you go.

but that's not really much of a trick. the trick comes when we lift one foot, and we spin around in a circle. >> aah! >> there you go! there you go! that's great. that's great. >> well, if at first you don't succeed, hoop, hoop again. before long, i was so into it, i was asking stefan for some vocabulary lessons, too. so, "current" means direction? >> yes, current is the direction that you hoop in, just like a river would flow. >> so, is it more natural to go left or right? >> well, everyone is different, but the moment you pick up a hoop and spin it, you'll know what your current is. >> let's see if i can find my current. stefan says hooping is more of an art form than a sport -- an art form that gives you a great workout. hooping has gotten so popular, it even has its own holiday --

world hoop day. unfortunately, it's not a school holiday. for "teen kids news," i'm nicole. >> well, that wraps it up for this week's "teen kids news," but we'll be back next week. so, see you then.

♪ >> it's not always conservation organizations that come to the rescue of ill, injured or abandoned animals. sometimes, it's just ordinary people who are led to do extraordinary things when wildlife needs help. today, jack visits with some of these unsung heroes and the creatures they've taken under their wing. he finds a sanctuary for slow-moving sloths,