"teen kids news" is next, and here's what we've got. underage, addicted and now deep in debt. a young gambler talks to us about the dangers of betting. you may have taken a tour of a museum, but have you ever given a tour of a museum? i'll introduce you to some teens who are doing just that. i've got new information about how music affects exercise. major league baseball is pitching in to help iraq war veterans. i'll have the story. find out how growing up online could affect our ability to connect in person. what's it take to make it on broadway? i'll show you! all that and more, so stay tuned for "teen kids news."

hi, i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm jessica. let's check out this week's big stories from around the world. >> here's lauren with the headlines. space shuttle "atlantis" completed its mission to repair the hubble telescope. the crew spent two weeks fixing the hubble. nasa says that the updates have made it more powerful than ever! president obama met with israel's prime minister to discuss peace in the middle east. while they were not in agreement on how to handle the situation, they did agree on another major issue -- the world leaders both spoke out against iran's threat of nuclear weapons. just last week, the price of a first-class stamp went up to 44 cents. this week, however, the u.s. postal service says they are still losing money. they have announced massive job cuts due to the troubled economy.

meanwhile, the treasury secretary had some good economic news. he says that the economy has stabilized. but it may take a while for americans to notice. a survey of shoppers found most are willing to pay more for gifts that are green. it's like buying a little extra present for mother nature. jessica? that's nice, thanks, lauren. it's illegal, if you're under 21. but that doesn't stop some teens from taking big risks -- gambling. felipe introduces us to one gambler who learned an expensive lesson. felipe? >> reporter: jessica, the saying goes, "what happens in vegas stays in vegas." that is, until things get out of hand. we met an underage player who was drawn to gambling by the thrill of winning. but soon she was losing the game, and a lot of money. now she's in gambler's anonymous. we can't reveal her identity, but she wanted to speak up to help other young people avoid the mistakes she made. >> the colors, the noises.

everyone was dressed nice. everyone was laughing. >> reporter: rebecca got hooked on gambling during a road trip. she was only 20, but in canada, that was old enough to go after the jackpot. it's 19 to drink and 19 to gamble. >> basically, my friends were like, "roulette's an easy game, red or black. how could you lose, you know?" >> reporter: she didn't lose, and didn't think she ever would. >> having that quick money in my hand was just like unreal for me. and when i was driving home, that's all was thinking about. "i can't wait to be 21, i can't wait to do this." >> reporter: so rebecca didn't wait until she was 21. with the help of a fake id, she started taking regular trips to u.s. casinos. soon, she and her friends were draining their bank accounts to play. >> in one night, i want to say anywhere from $500 to $2,000. we would just take out of the atm or have with us in cash. >> reporter: when the cash ran out, rebecca found another

option, gambling online with a credit card. she recalls the day the card arrived in the mail. >> i remember the second i got it i went on the computer. i made a big mess. >> reporter: "seventeen" editor-in-chief ann shoket found out rebecca's story is more common than you may think. the magazine investigated girls who gamble. "seventeen" discovered nearly half of 12th grade girls have tried gambling. and studies show girls and boys who gamble are more likely to become addicted than adults. most get started online. >> when girls are gambling online in their bedrooms, and their parents are asleep, and nobody's paying attention, and they log onto some gambling site, nobody knows that they've logged onto that site. no one knows that they're spending hours and hours and hours at home, sort of getting deeper and deeper and deeper in the hole. and nobody knows what they're feeling on the inside. >> reporter: many people turn to gambling because they're bored

or lonely. and some people naturally crave the danger that comes with the game. >> my big thing was escaping reality. escaping problems. >> reporter: like other dangerous habits, drugs and alcohol, gambling can become an addiction. but this problem looks very different. >> it's so easy to hide a gambling addiction until the losses start to build up, until your parents have to get involved, until creditors get involved, until you've maxed out all of your credit cards, that's when things become a major problem everybody can see. >> reporter: in less than a year, rebecca's bills were out of control. >> close to $10,000. like i wouldn't even open up my credit card bills, i'd just throw them in the garbage because i knew, you know, i just knew the number was high. it just wasn't a number i could pay off. >> reporter: when she couldn't pay her car loan, rebecca had to tell her mom, she had a problem. her mom helped her join gamblers anonymous. that's where rebecca heard some scary stories. >> about people losing their home and they have kids to take

care of, living on the streets and i was just like this could get really, really bad. >> reporter: today, rebecca attends gambler's anonymous meetings regularly, with a counselor. she's paying off her debt, and staying away from the casinos. >> i feel very lucky and very, very relieved that everything is going the way it really should be for a 21 year old. you know, saving money up, getting her bills paid on time. and being responsible. it makes me feel great to be responsible. >> reporter: not every person who tries gambling will become addicted, but if you are tempted, talk to someone. you may be turning to gambling because of other issues in your life. for more information on this problem, check out our website teenkidsnews.com. mwanzaa? thanks, felipe. an oklahoma woman got a big surprise while she was washing her car. her dog was still inside, and he managed to put the car in reverse. good thing for everyone, the car backed into something that stopped it before anyone got hurt. lesson learned.

when you're washing the car? ignition off. dog out. coming up next, a cool job for teens that might surprise you. >> we'll be right back.

thinking about a summer job? maybe you should check out museums in your area. kristen found out that some of them are happy to bring teens on board. >> in 1609, henry hudson discovered what we now call the hudson river, and that's where our story begins. >> it starts in a place called lake tear of the clouds. >> reporter: the students giving this tour are called junior docents, and if they sound like they know what they're talking about, it's because they do! >> a junior docent is a youth educator in the museum. they're people that train to give tours in the galleries and teach workshops, which are craft projects, and family related activities on the weekend. >> reporter: each year, scores of students apply for these positions, at museums all across the country. >> my sister's in the program,

and like, she always came home, and said how amazing it is. so i was like, i kinda want to do it. so that's why i joined. >> the main criteria is that they're interested in the program. and there is an application process which includes an interview, and they are interviewed by our junior docents. they can start as early as 7th or 8th grade, in middle school, and stay on through high school. >> reporter: this tour is being given at the hudson river museum, in yonkers, new york. as you might imagine, it's designed to educate visitors about the many aspects of america's biggest inland waterway. >> you notice all the erosion in the river is in the corners. >> we learned how long the hudson river was. it was 315 miles long. >> i learned different kinds of things that happen in the hudson river. >> i learned four kinds of trees today. >> some of my responsibilities include giving tours in places like riverama as well as the galleries upstairs. i also help run the workshops and i help children with workshops there.

>> reporter: while we were here, we figured this was a good time to find out where the word "docent" comes from. who knows? it might appear on our college sats someday. >> it comes from dochere, or docere, which is latin. it means educator or teacher, and it's a word used frequently at museums to describe somebody who's not just a teacher, where they profess or teach something, but they really engage their audience. >> reporter: engaging the audience is key. that's why the docent training program puts a strong emphasis on good communication. >> i've learned leadership skills, i've also learned how to speak in front of people without, you know, being afraid. >> when we came in and when we began building homes. >> i like all of it. but if i had to pick a favorite part, it would be the actually working, the getting in there with the visitors and helping them. >> they learn to be leaders, they lead each other, they lead groups, and then eventually they lead in the community. >> we have over two hundred students who have gone through

the program over the years. on average, students stay in the program for about five years. >> reporter: next year, this museum will celebrate the 400th anniversary of the discovery of the hudson river, an event that played a significant role in american history. history also tells us, many of these junior docents will be here to help with the celebration. for "teen kids news," i'm kristen. how much do you know about presidential history? i'll give you four clues. try to guess the president! >> this president was truly a big man in washington. his weight topped 330 pounds. the republican convention of 1908 tapped him to run for office. but he disliked campaigning and lost when he ran for a second term. later, he was named to lead the united states supreme court.

william howard taft, our 27th president. he said his greatest honor was not the presidency, it was being chief justice.

there are all kinds of ways to honor the men and women who serve in our military. major league baseball is wearing its heart on its hats. lily has the story. >> reporter: the competition on the field is fierce. but when it comes to supporting our u.s. soldiers, major league baseball players are all on the same team. >> i pray for 'em every day, you know, during the game, 'cause they have tough stuff to deal with over there. >> reporter: and when they're done fighting, these veterans aren't coming home to a parade.

>> so many of these youngsters are coming home from iraq, from afghanistan, having trouble finding jobs, having trouble re-adjusting. >> reporter: that's why major league baseball is going to bat for soldiers with "welcome back veterans." the goal of the project is to raise $100 million, and provide 100,000 jobs for veterans. to help raise money, players are trading their regular hats for these! stars and stripes replace team colors on the special caps. players wore them during games on the fourth of july and september 11th. part of the sales are donated to welcome back veterans. the effort hits home for new york mets outfielder ryan church. so what is it like having a brother fighting in iraq? >> it's nerve-wracking, you know. i think about him everyday, but i think i'm very honored and blessed to have a brother who's fighting for our country, fighting for freedom. >> reporter: "welcome back veterans" was started by the

chairman of the new york mets. he got the idea after his whole team visited the walter reed army medical center. bob dupuy helped get the entire league involved. he personally understands the importance of supporting veterans. he fought in the very unpopular vietnam war. >> you didn't talk about having served. you know, there was an embarrassment factor, and it was difficult adjusting. >> reporter: bob says adjusting may be even more difficult for soldiers today. >> i think as technology has become more advanced. i think as things have started to move more rapidly and to be out of the mainstream for a significant period of time makes it even more difficult for the young people now to get readjusted than it did for us coming back 40 years ago. >> reporter: bob has suggestions for kids who want to help soldiers but can't donate money to the cause. >> write a letter, write a letter to your congressman or woman, write a letter to companies and say hire these veterans as they return.

i would ask them to go to the website and read about the experiences and see if they know people who might be in a position to hire a returning veteran. >> reporter: players hope to raise $100 million. just as importantly, they hope to raise awareness. i'm lily for "teen kids news." if you exercise to music, you know it helps pump you up. a sports psychologist has been researching the effect. he says music can actually reduce how hard you think you're working by 10%. but he says music is more effective as a booster if you don't use it all the time.

ok, this time, i'm gonna do it. i'm going to actually go to school. tell me about some of the stuff you've had to deal with. i just dropped out completely. i just got caught up in it, the whole scene with the alcohol and the drugs. i was arrested. a lot of my friends were really concerned. especially my friend erin. you just have to find someone-- they don't have to tell you advice. they don't have to do that. they just listen. announcer: give your friends the boost they need to graduate. join us at boostup.org we've grown up with the internet, so communicating online comes naturally. but no matter how much you think you know about the internet, you might need to know more. nicole talked to an expert, and here's the second part of her report. >> reporter: we're back with dr. michael osit, a psychologist

who works with teens and adults. what are the signs that you're becoming dependent on, or even addicted, to technology? >> the latest search, nicole, says that kids are spending half their leisure time in front of screens. video games, televisions, cell phones, the computer, of course. so i think there is a risk of becoming addicted or overly dependent on them. there are three signs. one has to do with physical signs. physical signs, like eye strain, headaches, sometimes you get pain in your wrist from using your wrist too much using technology, loss of sleep, sometimes even loss of appetite or missing meals. another sign would be in the realm of psychological behavior. you begin to feel irritable, anger easily, sometimes you have low frustration tolerance, sometimes you even feel nervous or anxious when you're not using technology. you're compelled or have this need to use it when you're not. then you're making choices to be with technology as opposed to your friends and your family or doing other activities. sometimes you even lie to your

parents about how much time you're spending on, with technology, and sometimes you lie or fool yourself about it. that's another sign that you're overdoing it. academically, your grades may decline, you may not be doing your homework as often, and also, your concentration and your ability to pay attention might suffer. >> reporter: what do you want kids to know about what they read on the internet? why are kids more inclined to believe everything they read? >> you guys are just growing up in a world with the internet. you don't know a world without the internet. so it's very familiar to you, you're very comfortable with it, so you tend to trust everything you read and everything you see on the internet. but just like in real life, people can lie to you, manipulate or trick you, and you need to be aware that not everything you see and read is really true. >> reporter: thank you doctor, >> it's been my pleasure! >> reporter: if you ever have a question about anything that's happened on the internet, talk to an adult you trust. for "teen kids news," i'm nicole! this report is brought to you by hidden valley.

>> "eat your vegetables!" we've all heard that at the dinner table. it's tough to get teens to eat healthy. that's why hidden valley salad dressings has teamed up with celebrity chef art smith. >> "love your veggies" is a wonderful campaign to get american children to eat their vegetables. you ever do your garlic like this? >> yeah, like this. >> bravo! >> reporter: at a special "mom retreat" in chicago, chef smith and some student helpers taught these moms clever ways to involve kids in the kitchen. the event also featured kid-friendly gardening demonstrations. >> together, we can create great recipes and wonderful tips to help all those people you love live a better life by eating your vegetables. >> reporter: hidden valley is giving grants to inspire vegetable gardening and healthy eating around the country. as the saying goes, we are what we eat. so learning healthy ways to cook is important. for tips and recipes, check out teenkidsnews.com.

i'm lara. >> my name's brandon. in 9 years, i'll be an alcoholic. all: hi, brandon. i'll start drinking with the older kids, and whatever they do... i'll do. announcer: kids who drink before age 15 are 5 times more likely to have alcohol problems when they're adults. so start talking before they start drinking. i know it'll start with alcohol. i'm just not sure how it's gonna end. narrator: every day is a brand-new journey of discovery for your baby. and when that journey is by car, the latch system will help keep them safe. it's easier and makes your car seat secure. so your baby's journeys will be safe and sure.

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this report is brought to you by the girl scouts of the usa and microsoft windows. >> reporter: it's something you probably do every day, and it could be putting you at risk. being online can be a major part of your life, but it can also be a major safety concern. that's why the girls scouts and microsoft created lmk.girlscouts.org. lmk is text-speak for "let me know." it's an online resource for teens, created by teens. >> the lmk website is more than a website, it's a program, it's a mission. it allows everyone who uses the site to take charge of their own cyber safety. >> reporter: l-m-k has information on topics like cyberbullying, predators, and social networking. plus there are teen "tech-perts" available to answer any

questions you may have about online safety. >> it's a place for teens to go to share tips and information about protecting yourself from online predators and cyberbullies. >> reporter: each year more than 3 million teens are the victims of cyber bullying. the problem is so big that many states have passed laws that make it a crime. >> the internet is a great place. we just have to use it properly. >> reporter: if you want to learn more about protecting yourself online visit www.teenkidsnews.com. now livia shines the spotlight on a camp that celebrates broadway! >> reporter: when you hear the word broadway you think of musical theater. well, this is camp broadway. it's a place where kids and teens can come to get a taste of life on the stage. >> our camp in new york is composed of people from all over the world, actually. so these are all kids from various parts of the country, other countries. they come together because they love broadway and they love musical theater. >> well since i've been 2 years old i've wanted to be an actor.

>> i've been dancing since i was 3 years old and i started acting when i was 7. >> one day i want to be on broadway, so i thought camp broadway would be the perfect place to start. >> reporter: i've always loved singing and acting, so my sister and i came all the way from switzerland to attend the weeklong program. we worked on dance routines and polished our vocal technique. the teachers are real theater pros. >> all of our senior staff, they all have broadway or national touring credits, so when you come to camp broadway, you're coming to get the real deal. >> we have all done it, we have all been there, and we are sharing our knowledge with the kids. >> reporter: they know what

they're talking about. everyone's nice. everyone's really, really cool. and we also got a few pointers from some broadway stars. >> i think it's incredible. i wish i had something like this when i was growing up. the things that these kids are doing and the opportunities that they're getting to work with major broadway stars and to have workshops and see broadway shows, i would have loved to do that when i was their age. >> reporter: some campers have come to polish particular skills. >> i have a lot of experience with acting and dancing but i'm kind of new to singing, and its really helping me boost up my confidence that i'm not really nervous to sing by myself anymore. >> reporter: and many kids like it so much they come back year after year. >> i love it here. it's my third year. it's a lot of fun, a lot of fun. >> reporter: i can vouch for that. in my next report, i'll take you backstage as we prepare for our big camp broadway finale. for now -- from the great white way, i'm livia for "teen kids news." that's all for us this week. thanks for tuning in. >> we'll see you next time on "tdseen kids news."

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i'm a single mother with two kids, i work a lot. i come home tired. you do miss a lot. he dropped out for a whole month. sometimes i would talk to him and he wouldn't even turn around and look at me. i would just get frustrated because any way i would talk to him, it just doesn't go through his head. i didn't give up because there is always hope that they will snap out of it. announcer: give your teen the boost they need to graduate. call 1-877-for-a-kid or join us at boostup.org for tips and advice. >> announcer: the following is a paid presentation for 10 minute trainer, the ultimate excuse-busting workout. [♪...] if you're one of the busiest people you know, pay close attention, because you're about