>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm livia. let's start with our top story for this week. ♪ this report is brought to you by big mountain entertainment. a very special school in north carolina received a wonderful gift of music from an up-and-coming pop band. christina tells us more. ♪

>> this school was started by parents of kids with special needs. the goal -- to give them an environment where they can grow, learn, and socialize at their own pace. >> we have kids from kind of all walks of life. >> the students at dynamic community charter school get an individualized education with project-based lessons. this means that they learn with hands-on activities like art, acting in plays, and even listening to music. the school recently adopted a popular song by an up-and-coming new york band as their school anthem. >> we have a mom who is homebound for health issues, and she was scanning around on her computer... >> ♪ i don't wanna be typical ♪ no-o, i just want to be me >> ...and she found the song "i just wanna be me." well, when she listened to it, she started to cry 'cause her son is pretty autistic, has had a really rough time, and the song just resonated with her. >> ♪ oh, yeah, i'm standing on a... ♪ >> "i just wanna be me" is by the band six stories told.

>> well, from the title alone, you can tell it's just saying people want to be themselves, and a lot of the kids at the school here have not been able to be themselves in the previous environments -- just public schools, or they had to be homeschooled because of their differences, of their little quirks. and i couldn't feel like i belonged anywhere until i came to this school. >> bailey has made a complete transformation. it's just staggering to me the changes i've seen in him. academically, his grades have gone up by two letter grades because he feels built up, and he has trust in these teachers, and he knows that they support them. >> since coming to dynamic, many of the students have excelled not only academically, but socially as well. >> i love dynamic because everybody here just -- we're all like family here. we're the dynamic dragons. we accept each other for who we are. we don't judge each other. >> unlike the other schools i went to, i have a lot of friends here, i have a lot of fun, not

as stressful, not as crowded. it's just -- i love it here. >> the kids have really grown since the beginning of the year. there's a couple different students who have grown very largely in social behaviors, where, just having a classroom of friends that might be older or higher functioning versus lower functioning, these kids are getting mentorships. >> what's your name? >> davie. >> nice to meet you. i'm tyler. >> when six stories told learned the school had adopted "i just wanna be me" as their anthem, the band decided to pay them a visit. >> thank you guys so much for having us at your school, for letting us come here and meet you. i wa so excited. i've been waiting for, like, months for this. >> six stories told is coming, and they're gonna be playing our school song, which is "i just wanna be me." >> "just wanna be me" in a nutshell is about being comfortable with who you are. >> the kids were ecstatic to meet and talk with the band members. >> "i recently heard our school's new theme song. although i love country music more than anything, you guys are really good."

this is exactly the venue where we wanted "i just wanna be me" to end up because it's about self-acceptance and self-worth, and i love that, going through the school, you feel that the second you walk in the doors. >> so, the second we pulled up in front of the school, we realized right away it was a really unique environment. it offers an environment for each and every single individual inside the school to feel welcomed, comfortable, socially accepted, and happy. >> ♪ he-e-e-e-e-y ♪ ooh, i love you so [ singing indistinctly ] seeing their smiles and how our music has impacted them, it's just a great feeling, so we're really happy to be a part of this. who out here is ready to hear "i just wanna be me"? >> finally, the moment everyone was waiting for... >> so, they're gonna play, and you guys are gonna play. >> but this performance was extra special... >> [ singing indistinctly ] >> ...because it involved the students. >> ♪ i don't wanna be typical

♪ no-o, i just wanna be me >> ♪ i just wanna be me >> ♪ see-through, invisible ♪ no-o, i just wanna be me >> there's so many things that are special about this school, but i think the most important thing for this population of students is that they've found a community. >> dynamic community has always been an innovative idea in north carolina. there is no other special-needs school that's public. >> [ vocalizing ] ♪ i just wanna be me-e-e-e-e-e >> whoo! >> sadly, since doing this report, we learned that the school was forced to close due to lack of funding. hopefully, the students will keep thriving wherever they end up by continuing to believe the message of the song they love, "i just wanna be me." >> six stories told has come a long way since "teen kids news" first reported on them. the band has recently completed a 14-city u.s. tour, and they've

played in 10 u.k. cities, as well. you can find concert dates on their facebook page. don't go away. "teen kids news" will be right back.

>> exams and tests make many of us a bit hyper, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. getting the heart pumping helps us get energized and puts us on our toes, but, as scott reports, if tests make you far more than just a bit hyper, that can be a bad thing. >> before a big test, i feel nervous, anxious. >> before, really nervous -- after, extremely nervous if i failed or not. >> i get really nervous, and i feel like i'm gonna fail. >> they're describing what experts call "test anxiety." it's a serious issue for many students. to understand it and to deal with it, we're turning to an expert -- psychologist dr. dena rabinowitz. hi. >> hi. how are you? >> i'm good. thank you. first of all, what is test anxiety? >> test anxiety is when a student gets very nervous or

fearful either before or during a test, and it interferes with their ability to perform the way they would otherwise. >> does that mean we actually don't get the highest scores we could get because of test anxiety? >> it does. test anxiety interferes in many different ways. when you're anxious, you can't concentrate and focus, and so it creates problems studying and preparing for the test, and, during the test, it makes it hard to focus on the test questions and getting good answers down on the piece of paper. also, it can make you feel all these different physical symptoms like nausea or dizziness so that, again, it's hard to focus on the test and how you want to perform. >> who's most likely to experience test anxiety? >> anybody can have test anxiety, but the most likely students to experience it are ones who either worry a lot about general issues or about academics in particular or kids who like to be perfect and focus on really high grades and doing really well in school. >> how can we tell if we have test anxiety or just had a hard test?

>> everybody gets anxious once in awhile, and everybody can get anxious before or during a test, but students with test anxiety get far more anxious than the average student, and they get anxious a lot longer and before the test, so it's a much more extreme form of the normal anxiety that everybody else feels. >> in your opinion, has test anxiety actually increased in recent years? >> i think it has. i think that there's been a lot of focus lately on tests and standardized tests and teaching to the tests for teachers. and so, when teachers talk about a test and how important it is, it increases how nervous kids get about that particular test and makes test anxiety that much harder. >> when we return, dr. dena will give us some tips on dealing with test anxiety.

♪ >> i usually just study a lot before, and then, after awhile, i'm not nervous anymore 'cause i

know i'm prepared. >> chew a lot of gum, chew on the top of the pens... just try to get through it. >> study with friends, like, have a study group, and just think positive. think the best. >> we're talking with psychologist dr. dena rabinowitz. so, for those of us who may have test anxiety, what are some of the things we can do to overcome it? >> there's a couple things you can do that will really help. the best thing is to be prepared. if you have laid out your time well, have good study skills, and don't procrastinate before the test, you'll be more ready for the test and feel more confident in your ability to do well. a good night's sleep is also really important, as is eating a meal beforehand so that you don't go in on an empty stomach and feel all those nauseous "butterfly in the stomach" feelings. >> how about relaxation techniques? do the work? >> they do. relaxation techniques are really, really helpful. there's a couple really good ones that you can use before a test to help you relax both your mind and your body. the first is called "diaphragmatic breathing," which

is just another way of saying deep breathing. the way you do it is you breathe in deeply through your nose for about two seconds and then breathe out through your mouth for about three seconds in a slow, steady manner. it looks something like this -- [ breathes deeply ] when you do that, it gives your body a chance to calm down, and it makes the anxiety slightly less. another good technique is called "progressive muscle relaxation," where you focus on a muscle group that's really tense and help it relax. so, for example, i get tense in my shoulders. when i do that, i raise my shoulders up like this, feel the tension in that area, and then release it and feel my whole body relax a little bit. the last thing you can do is a visualization technique in which you just imagine yourself in a more calm, pleasant place, maybe like walking along the beach or hanging out with your friends, and so you're not focusing, in that moment, so much on the test and the stress that causes and

have a more calm and pleasant experience. >> well, what if these techniques don't work? at what point should a student seek help, and who should they go to? >> if you find that your test anxiety is constant, if it's before every test and it's really interfering with your ability to do well, to feel good about yourself, and to study for your tests and perform, that's the time to seek help. there are people in the school who can help you with this like teachers and guidance counselors or you can talk to your parents. they can then decide if you need to see a psychologist or a psychiatrist who can diagnose and treat the test anxiety. >> any final words of advice? >> i think it's really important for students to remember that the purpose of a test is to see if you know the material. one single test is not gonna determine the course of your whole life or whether you get into college. so stay in the moment, try to relax, do the best you can, and don't worry about it so much. >> thank you, dr. dena. you've given us a lot of great information. >> you're welcome. have a good day. >> while we can't stop teachers

from giving us tests, we can work on stopping tests from giving us stress. prepare, visualize, and breath. [ breathing deeply ] >> looking at your phone before you fall asleep may actually make it harder for you to fall asleep. this is because your phone screen mimics the light that the sun produces, tricking your brain into thinking it's daytime. and it's the same for all electronics. so avoid late-night gaming, internet surfing, or watching tv. the experts say you should turn off all electronics at least 15 minutes before going to sleep. sweet dreams. ♪ >> there's lots more ahead on "teen kids news," so don't go away. we'll be right back.

>> hooplaha is a website that features videos that will make you laugh and sometimes make you cry -- for example, this next video. it's of a military family whose dad is serving in afghanistan. >> charity, i'm gonna send a video to your daddy. >> what? >> i'm gonna send a video to your daddy. >> okay. >> what would you tell him? >> i'd tell him that i love him and i miss him and that i will love him for always. >> love him for always? >> mm-hmm. >> and would you give him a big hug or a kiss? >> mm-hmm. >> lydia, grab ryder, please. >> all right, lucy, what would you say? would you say, "love you, daddy"? mommy, what would you say? >> love you, miss you.

>> all right, i'm gonna send this to him on facebook. >> [ laughs ] nice. who is that? [ gasps ] are you freaking kidding me?! >> mrs. bronson, your husband's here reporting for duty. >> dada! >> daddy! daddy! >> dada! >> daddy, welcome back! >> hey, remember, you get the first hug. >> both: daddy! >> [ chuckles ] >> daddy! daddy! >> dada! >> daddy! daddy! >> welcome home, captain bronson. >> dada! ♪ >> if you want to know what the best job in america is, listen up. careercast.com compared a wide range of occupations. they looked at salary, how stressful the job was, and the growth potential. the job that scored the highest is... audiologist. this is a medical professional

who specializes in hearing and balance issues. the pay is good, the stress levels are low, and demand for audiologists is expected to increase as america's population ages. sounds pretty good, doesn't it? >> this message is brought to you by the national road safety foundation. they want you to keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, and your mind on driving. [ indistinct talking ] >> cool party! >> what do you guys want to drink? >> can i have a head-on collision with a concussion twist? [ tires screeching, crash ] >> make mine a fatal accident with no survivors. [ tires screeching, siren wailing ] [ crash ] >> and you? >> a designated driver, please -- you know, just a bottle of water. >> awesome! >> you're a life-saver! ♪ >> on april 1st, the national road safety foundation is sponsoring

teen driver safety day at the new york international auto show, and you're invited. there will be special demonstrations and hands-on activities just for teens, along with lots of great giveaways. adults are welcome, too. so, come to booth 1234 on level 1 at the jacob javits convention center friday, april 1st from 1:30 until 6:00 p.m. see you there! >> a snack that tastes great and is healthy. i'll show you how to make it next on "teen kids news." we'll be right back.

>> let's check in with the culinary institute of america for this week's great recipe. >> when you think of a snack that has avocados, i bet you immediately think of guacamole. well, today we're gonna be making an avocado hummus with homemade pita chips. let's get started. the first thing you're gonna do is take your avocado. only use a knife if you have your parents' permission. and you're gonna take the top off just like this. and using your knife, you're going to slowly go through the

top, until you feel the pit right in the middle, and move the avocado around the knife. just like that. really careful -- put the knife into the pit and give it a little wiggle around until it falls out. and you just take your spoon and get this out like that. put it right in the garbage. okay, now we're gonna take the avocado and scoop it right into a food processor. just like that. and i already have another one cut up right after. there's two avocados. next thing you're gonna do is you're gonna drain a 15-ounce can of chickpeas, and you're gonna put that right in here. okay. and then three cloves of crushed garlic. and two teaspoons of tahini.

tahini is just like a sesame paste. okay, lock in your food processor and give it a whirl. gonna put it on high. gonna take a little while to incorporate everything. okay, now you're gonna slowly stream in two teaspoons of lemon juice. okay. then you're gonna slowly stream in extra virgin olive oil until it's smooth. okay. then you're gonna add some salt.

just do that. now we're going to remove the lid and carefully remove the blade. put that in the sink. and then scoop it all into a bowl. this looks so good. just like that. okay. and there's your dip. now we're gonna get started on the pita chips. so, first thing you're gonna do is you're going to need a round pita about this big, and you can cut it into eight wedges, and

you're gonna line them on a baking sheet. make sure you oven is set to 350 degrees fahrenheit. then, with a brush, you're gonna take extra virgin olive oil and brush it right over the top just like that. it gives it a nice brown color when you put it in the oven. okay. next, you're gonna take some chili powder. if you don't want it be too spicy, you don't have to add too much. we just sprinkle it over the top just like that. okay, some salt. and for a little bit of flavor, we're going to zest some lime over the top. just watch your fingers on this. be very careful.

okay, next, we're gonna put it into a 350-degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. our pita chips have been cooking for about 15 minutes. let's go check on how they're doing. okay, nice and golden-brown. perfect. these are gonna be hot, so, with tongs, put them onto a plate. let's give it a try. mmm! that's really good. at the culinary institute of america, for "teen kids news," i'm nicole. >> that sure looks delicious. for all of us here at

"teen kids news," have a great week. ♪ >> write to us at... >> here's a shout-out to pr newswire for including "teen kids news" on their big screen in times square, new york city.

[music playing] jack: jack hanna's "into the wild" is brought to you by nationwide and the columbus zoo and aquarium, partners in conservation for over 30 years. jack: hi, everyone, i'm jack hanna, coming to you from my home base here at the columbus zoo. and welcome to "into the wild." today we're heading into arizona's bear country to come face to face with some of america's biggest carnivores. all these wolves gonna follow us right now? that thing looks like it's gonna jump in the truck. what are we doing here? this is stupid. black bears, wolves, and there's even a few donkeys, next, as we go "into the wild." hello, baby. hello. hello. i love you.