>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm livia. here's our top story for this week. for teens, it's an unhappy fact of life -- acne, pimples, zits. whatever you call it, a breakout can really ruin your day... or month. but as scott reports, you can do something about it. >> so, what do you think causes acne? >> i think eating the wrong foods, like foods that aren't good for you, and not getting enough sleep causes acne. >> not being clean. >> probably just not washing

your face enough. >> stress and homework. >> there's no shortage of reasons why we think we get acne. unfortunately, most of them are wrong. >> people assume it's due to chocolate or to pizza or to dirt. >> dr. davis works at the mayo clinic in rochester, minnesota. she says foods and things like dirt don't give us acne. those ugly breakouts are caused by three things -- too much oil in our skin, bacteria, or irritation caused by the way our skin sheds old, dead cells. >> and a lot of parents encourage their teenagers to scrub their face harder, or the teenager thinks they should scrub their face harder to get out the dirt. >> actually, the last thing you want to do is scrub. dr. davis says it's better to wash your face gently, with mild soap and water. but if only it were that easy. chances are, you'll also need some sort of treatment. you can find tons of products at your drugstore. these have ingredients that work in different ways. some kill the bacteria that can be causing the breakout. others get rid of the excess oil on your skin.

still others help remove the old skin and speed up growing new skin. experts say you should first try a product that contains benzoyl peroxide. and don't immediately reach for the highest strength. you could end up with unpleasant side effects, like redness and very dry skin. so you should start with a product that has 2.5% benzoyl peroxide. there's a lot more information on treating acne on the website for the mayo clinic. you might want to check that out. don't be like an ostrich and hide your head in the sand. the sooner you face your acne, the sooner your acne won't be on your face. >> coming up, how yoga can help you deal with those difficult relationships. "teen kids news" will be right back.

>> let's face it -- relationships can be stressful. trying to please your parents, teachers, friends, even the other kids at school, takes a lot of work and sometimes a lot of worry. dealing with the expectations of others while staying true to yourself is a high-wire

balancing act. fortunately, there are ways to handle all that stress. emily has this week's "yoga & you" report. >> "access your inner power" is a book on yoga, and it's written by brenda schnable. so, brenda, there's not a yoga pose for dealing with stressful relationships, is there? >> well, there is, but relationships really deal on an emotional level. if you think of your relationships -- you're happy, sad, angry -- those are all emotions. and the best way to deal with emotions is doing something like working with your mental energy, doing meditation. >> interesting. so, what is meditation? >> meditation -- think of, like, when you're angry with your parents and you really want to calm down. meditation will help you get that focus, concentration, and bring peace back to you. >> so, show me what to do.

>> all right, so, let's sit down. >> okay. >> so, let me show you what to do. you want to find a comfortable seated position. so, you might want to, you know, cross your ankles like this and sit nice and tall. and then take your hands and just place them lightly on your belly. relax those shoulders down and close those eyes. when you close your eyes, you can concentrate better, and you can block out the outside world. and we're gonna concentrate on our breath. now we're gonna take our breath and feel it move our hands. and when you do that, when you concentrate on something like your breath, the anger that you felt with the fight you had with your parents goes away. and you feel better. so, open your eyes. how do you feel? >> it feels good. so, how does meditation help us? >> you know, when we feel better and calmer, we boost our

self-esteem, our self-confidence, and we can handle ourselves. and we begin to trust our own judgment, and therefore, we can not be swayed by other people's opinions or just people-please. >> mm-hmm. i'm feeling calmer and ready to tell my parents about my grades. >> [ chuckles ] >> well, just kidding. i'm an "a" student, if that's not stressful enough. thank you, brenda. >> you're welcome. >> for "yoga & you," i'm emily. >> coming up, we'll walk the walls of england's historic city of york.

>> what was once a roman fortress is today one of england's most popular cities for tourists to visit. nicole tells us more.

>> when you wander along the quaint streets of york, it's hard to imagine that its history was far less colorful. lining these stone lanes, called snickelways, used to be butcher shops. sanitation was nonexistent back then, so the butchers just tossed the unwanted parts onto the street, which was called shambles street. all that blood and guts made quite a mess, and that gave us a word we still use today. when we say something is in great disorder, we say it's in shambles. fortunately, as the town grew, the butcher shops were replaced by chocolate makers. york became famous for its sweets. since many people in the days of yore were illiterate, it was the custom for shops to identify themselves by hanging signs with pictures.

rising above the rooftops are the towers of the largest gothic cathedral in northern europe. called york minster, it took two centuries to build the ornate church. but the town's most unique feature is the protective wall that encircles the old section. and it's a wall that the public is welcome to walk on. the first walls were built by the romans in 71 a.d., then rebuilt by the english in the 12th century. strolling along the old wall is a popular attraction for tourists and locals alike. >> it's great. it brings you around all the sights, so you can pretty much see everything 'cause it brings you around the whole city. >> the wall makes a circuit that runs about 2 1/2 miles. along the way, there are gates and guardhouses. now there are houses outside the old walls, but back in the day,

an army of vikings might have been camped there, preparing to attack. they cut holes in the walls so that the archers could fire their arrows at the enemy. these were called loopholes, a term still in use today, as in a loophole in a contract or a video game. the ancient walls were built to keep first the roman soldiers, and then the townspeople, safe. it must still be working. according to a travel survey, york is one of the world's safest places to visit. in york, for "teen kids news," i'm nicole. >> now we're going to run a state flag up the pole. here are the facts that make this one stand out. >> maine stretches further east than any other u.s. state. it's also our least densely populated eastern state. almost 90% of maine is covered

by forest, which is why it's called the "pine street" state. but maine is also known for its long, rugged coastline. in fact, it competes with florida for having the most shoreline along the atlantic ocean. maine's first state flag appeared in 1901. it was a very simple design. then, in 1909, a new flag was created. it was much more complex, but not everyone saw it as an improvement. >> maine is an interesting flag in that, in recent years, there have been two attempts to return it to its former, simpler design, which was just a pine tree and the north star. what they have now is the state coat of arms, which features still the pine tree, still the north star, but also a moose resting beneath the pine tree. to the left of this image, you have a farmer, and that's in reference to all the agriculture in maine. maine is known for its blueberries and potatoes. to the right, you see a sailor. >> the sailor symbolizes maine's connection to the sea, including its fishing and shipbuilding

industries. the north star has served as a guiding light for sailors since ancient times. just below the star is the state motto, "dirigo," latin for "i lead." a knotted fringe of yellow silk gently surrounds the state seal. unlike other states, maine's first european explorers were probably not british, spanish, french, or italian. it's believed that nordic sailors arrived here almost 600 years before columbus. we know these seafaring adventurers by a more familiar name -- vikings. with "flag facts," i'm veronique. ♪ ♪ every day it's getting closer ♪ ♪ going faster than a roller coaster ♪ ♪ a love like yours will surely come my way ♪ ♪ hey, hey, hey

♪ every day it's getting closer ♪ ♪ going faster than a roller coaster ♪ ♪ a love like yours will surely come my way ♪ ♪ hey, hey, hey babies aren't fully developed until at least 39 weeks, which means babies born even a few weeks early can have breathing, feeding, and learning problems. if your pregnancy is healthy, wait for labor to begin on its own. a healthy baby is worth the wait. be out there! be out there! [female announcer] time was, kids did what came naturally, spending free time running barefoot through the grass, wading knee deep in streams, climbing to the tallest branch. but today, american kids are more likely found texting, watching tv, or gazing at a computer screen.

they spend more than seven hours in front of electronic media. something essential has been lost. childhood's connection to the natural world. that's why national wildlife federation created the be out there movement. kids moving indoors causes a host of problems, from obesity to adhd. but outdoor play can go a long way to improving kid's health, body, mind and spirit. it helps them stay fit, enhances creativity and attention spans and could even make them better students. do your part. be a part of be out there. there's a reason why they call it the great outdoors. learn more at be out there dot org. [kids shouting] be out there!

>> it's a hobby popular with celebs like dakota fanning, cameron diaz, julia roberts, and even russell crowe. and as emily reports, it's catching on with teens, as well. >> i'm here at lion brand yarn studio, where i'll try my hand at a craft that dates back to ancient egypt. let's go inside. it's an explosion of color and an endless supply of inspiration. knitting is where the nimble put their needles and their creativity to the test. what are you working on today? >> today i'm working on a sweater. >> right now i'm working on leg warmers. >> a headband. >> knitting's not just for grandma anymore. >> and what i love about you teen knitters so much is your imagination. i'm blown away by some of the projects i see you guys do. and the color combinations are sometimes things that i wouldn't think of, but they're fantastic. >> you have your yarn and you have your needles and you want to make a slip knot, which you

do that by wrapping the yarn around your fingers. that's pretty much one of the simplest parts of passing on. >> korrina's helping me create my first sweater. this is simple, right? how many different types of stitches are there? >> that is a great question 'cause you'd be surprised to know the answer is two -- the knit stitch and the purl stitch. everything in knitting, all those beautiful, complex stitches, lace, and cables -- they're all from two stitches, the knit and the purl. while i knit and purl, here are a few cool knitting facts. "knitting" comes from the word "knot," which may have started with the dutch. the earliest example is a pair of socks found in ancient egypt. in olden times, knitting was just as popular among men as women. >> we have 120 classes a month. people come and buy their yarn and hang out and meet with friends. it's a great social place to be. >> to sit and knit, you only need two things -- yarn and needles. but both come in various types. there are straight needles,

double-pointed needles, and even needles that are circular. those are handy in making a hat. a woman in england holds the guinness world record for using the largest knitting needles. they were more than 10 feet long. these look much more manageable. here's another technique that i'll try much later -- knitting with four needles at one time. >> and they're for doing something in the round, but that's a little smaller. >> to help figure out what to knit, you can choose from hundreds of free patterns at online sites like lionbrandyarn.com. there are a lot of types of yarns, but if you're just starting, what types of yarns should you look for? >> you want to look for a smooth fiber, also a light color, because you want to be able to see your stitches. and sometimes with black or really deep purple, even though you might love that color, it can be really hard to see. another thing you want to look for is a solid color, and the last thing to consider is what's called the weight of the yarn, which is the thickness. so, a nice, medium-weight yarn,

which uses needle sizes from 9 to 11, is a perfect start. >> i think i'm getting the hang of this. knitting takes patience and concentration, but these girls say it helps them handle the everyday stress we all have. >> it's kind of a therapy almost because you're basically concentrating on one thing, and it's really a lot of fun to do. >> it's fun to make things for your friends. >> once you first start it, sometimes it can be a little tricky and difficult, but once you really learn, you know, get the feel for it, it's really easy and -- yeah, anyone can knit. anyone can knit. >> that's what they keep telling me. if teens want to learn how to knit, how should they start? >> your local yarn store -- like the lion brand yarn studio or a store in your neighborhood -- is a great place to start. find out if they do duet lessons. that's something we do, which is a lesson for a parent and a child or any grown-up that wants to be involved in making sure that you stay on track 'cause sometimes you go home and there's a mistake and you think, "ah, i dropped a stitch!

what do i do?" and if there's someone around that can help you, it's a really great thing. >> okay, so, i'm a long way off from being able to knit a sweater, but with practice, i'm sure i'll get there one day. for "teen kids news," i'm emily.

>> this report is brought to you by big mountain entertainment. >> most of us have spent a lot of time watching animated shows on tv, but did you ever wonder what goes into creating one? well, wonder no more. we're about to find out. joining us are cartoonist richard sirgiovanni and actor zene coley. welcome. >> hi. thanks for having us. >> hey. what's up? thank you. thank you. >> richard, in creating an animated series, what's the first step? >> first you have to open up your imagination when you decide what you're gonna write the show about.

but you should do it on things that you're familiar with. you start with writing the main story line, the premise of the show, start to develop the characters, their personalities. and then you start the design of what these funny-looking characters are gonna look like. >> you've actually done a pilot for a new series called "the grimps." so, let's meet them now. >> ♪ winston, mac, emerson, mooney ♪ ♪ clap your hands ♪ everybody shout ♪ we're the grimps ♪ we're the band ♪ playing where we can ♪ we're the grimps ♪ we're the band ♪ playing one-night stands ♪ come along and sing our song ♪ we're gonna rock it all night long ♪ [ cheers and applause ] >> wow, that's a pretty catchy sound. so, what's the story of "the grimps"? >> as you saw, the grimps are four cool, charming, irrepressible musicians who are on the verge of stardom, with their friend magic alex. at night, it's all about living

the life of a rock star and all the funny and kooky things that happen in being a band. and every episode includes a fun, humor, positive messages, and good old rock-'n'-roll music. >> zene, you do the voice of one of the main characters. tell us about that. >> yeah, well, rich came to me and asked me if i could be the voice of magic alex. and magic alex is kind of like -- i guess like a loafy [scottish accent] scottish kind of guy. and he's the manager, so he kind of like leads the grimps in, you know, some sort of a -- on their journey and kind of just pretty much points them in the right direction. >> let's see -- or, rather, hear -- you in action. here's another clip. >> [ scottish accent ] i have some exciting news. we're about to audition for the famous producer ray mondo. he's looking for a band for his new tv show. [ rim shot ] >> i once say the great ray mondo the magician. he was so bad, he made the audience disappear! [ laughter ]

>> sure, that would be fab. when's the audition? [ chord plays ] >> how about right now? he gave me his cellphone number. >> very impressive. hard to believe that you can sound so old. so, zene, how do you come up with the right voice for a character? >> oof, well, depending on the character -- well, rich came to me and asked me if i could do a scottish accent. i said yes, and i pretty much -- we pretty much were in the booth. and you sort of just listen to what his directions say. like, sometimes you go in there, and you're like [scottish accent] "hey, i've got some exciting news." he won't like it. or [lighthearted] "hey, i've got some exciting news!" and he's like, "yeah, yeah, yeah, so keep playing with that." and you kind of go with what he's saying. and you got your headphones on, you got the microphone, and you pretty much go with that, pretty much where he wants you to go with the voice. and that's it, pretty much. >> and obviously it went pretty well with that voice. richard, there's more to

"the grimps" than just being a rock band trying to make it, isn't there? >> oh, yeah. you see, the grimps have a secret that they keep to themselves and they want no one else to know about it. they were cursed by an evil wizard named spektar 500 years ago because he was jealous of them. and what had happened was, it turned them into these hideous little creatures so no one would ever see them again. but luckily enough, magic alex, who is also a wizard, found the reverse spell, and it turns them back to humans from sunset from sunrise. >> cool! so, let's look at one more clip. [ birds chirping ] [ whoosh! ] >> oh, no. >> he we go again. >> what a drag. >> this is definitely not groovy. >> not until we get rid of this grotty curse. [ ominous music playing ] [ sparkle! ] >> i have to keep working on a new spell. we can't keep going through this every night.

>> that's an interesting concept. richard, what was your inspiration for the grimps? >> when i decide to create this new project, i wanted to do something that combined my two passions, which is rock-'n'-roll music and cartooning. so i did not want to do a cartoon show just about a rock band. i wanted to make it fun, entertaining positive messages, and humor, so i decided to develop this magical and mysterious story line. and i put the whole thing together, and it really, really turned out to be a lot of fun. >> zene, is doing the voice of an animated character easier or harder than regular acting? >> oh, that's a good question. actually, it is easier just because there's less audience, there's a little bit of less pressure, and my favorite thing is, is the script is right in front of you. you've got headphones and microphone and a silent booth, which is cool and different than if you're acting on film or on stage. and you don't have to memorize your lines.

it's all right there, and you're pretty much getting direction from your engineer or director through your cans, which are headphones. and that's just my favorite part, so i would definitely say easier. >> richard, now that you have the pilot completed, what's the next step? >> oh, the next step is to sell "the grimps" to a television network, get in production, and get on the air with our first season, as well as recording new original music that will be used in every episode. >> if a teen wanted to go into animation, what advice do you have? >> oh, i would suggest going and taking animation courses and things of such at a school and also go for an internship at production studios or animation studios, where they'll get a great education. >> good information. thanks for giving us a glimpse at "the grimps." >> thank you. >> thanks. >> bye-bye. >> see you. >> if you're "drawn" to being an animator, as richard said, there are classes you can take. there are also summer camps and even courses online.

>> we'll see you next time on "teen kids news." thanks for watching. have a great week. seaworld and busch gardens. share. majestic wilderness. (music)