spirit the very best of our royal count down. that's next. spirit the very best of our royal count down. that's next. ♪

[ woman ] sam begged and pleaded... so i sent him to camp. we'd earned lots of points with our new citi thankyou card... and i put them to good use. he told me about his bunkmates, and how he signs up for every activity. ♪ he even hangs out with the camp director. just like that.

[ male announcer ] the new citi thankyou premier card gives you more ways to earn points. what's your story? citi can help you write it. gives you more ways to earn points. ♪ i won't stop loving you [ female announcer ] the laughing cow cheese. now three more flavors to love. mozzarella, chipotle, even blue cheese. still only 35 calories per wedge. ♪ don't stop [ female announcer ] the laughing cow. have you laughed today? [ female announcer ] you believe i[ cow moos ]lifestyle. so do we. every time you enter the laughing cow or mini babybel cheese package codes online, we'll donate one dollar to wellness programs. have you laughed today? >> eye in europe and most popular painter attraction in the united kingdom. visited by over 3 and half million people annually. this is no ordinary ferris wheel. each of the 32 passenger cars are air conditioned. one revolution takes 30 minutes to complete.

>> welcome back to special royal wedding edition. this the firecracker is kit hoover. >> yes, i am. i have to say billy annie really got into the royal wedding spirit on our daily life pop culture show "access hollywood live". >> we are our own count down clock of sorts. awesome. pl oh. and with that the "access hollywood live". royal count down was born. how we filled those 100 day was nothing short of extraordinary. oh, my gosh. >> wait. it's down it's down. >> we need a budget around here i'm not kidding. >> oh. him if somebody got a little less sochbility all right. >> while our team gets an a.plus for creativity. execution hit or miss. >> can we see the movement again. no we can't. >> only afford one arm movemen

movement. >> what better tribute. oh, lord. >> that's called the double decker bus. >> pl that's the best part. >> we rang in the count down which came by fax, balloon, ice sculpture, cake even royal cut out. sculpture, cake even royal cut out. >> watch with your

. no. this is not okay. oh, no. >> this is not okay. . no. this is not okay. oh, no. >> me and ryan and brad changed the colors not by bringing read back in fashion. that was all me. instead they have spent their time em powering the under dog. >> jane lynch presented the visionary award to glee creator murphy, brad and ooep to help the academy television arts and science foundation celebrate the 32 college television award. jason rirt, daryn christ, elijah and gina davis award. jason rirt, daryn christ, elijah and gina davis join the celebration.

>> even if you have gone off the track a little bit, pull yourself back up. if you can dream it, you can do it. >> fergie and black eye pea in new york for the pea pod foundation teaming up with your ban art partnership to launch the new pea pod adobe youth voice academy. it's aimed at em powering under 13 in art voice academy. it's aimed at em powering under 13 in art dance music video production about. >> hi everyone. i'm olivia here in vegas at sky infusion drag on launch. >> olivia hosted sky infusion drag on fruit launch party at pure night club in las vegas. l what i really wanted as two make something that is glamorous, elegant and unique twist on the margarita so now we are going to have the drink here. >> paid spokesperson for the now drink in time for cinco de mayo on may 5. l. >> going back to london and to

germany in a couple weeks and playing a couple sold out shows that we just, we are really excited about. didn't expect that. >> cute stars of the boy band nick load yen series big time rush invited only access to the set of taping the hit show debut album in stores now. >> it has been so vl cool live performance and tour l record like we met one speed issue pop sensation robin and legendary gordon as they entertain thousands of fans at jeffrey white party 2011 in entertain thousands of fans at jeffrey white party 2011 in palm springs, california >> i think it's a very kind of i don't know eclectic emotional honest album. i don't think i can ever replace it. debut album is the about concert. >> british pop star is crossing

the pond and ready to take on the stage with the new album who you are which is out now. single price tag featuring l o b is already climbing to the chart. ♪ don't need your money. >> ♪ . >> we take to the london streets for royal wedding souven

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in every bag of kingsford charcoal. kingsford. slow down and grill. yeah. well we're the two active ingredients in zegerid otc. i'm omeprazole. and i'm sodium bicarbonate. just one pill a day ... gives you 24-hour relief. & one mission. two ingredients heartburn solved. it's the tasty -- whoa! what's so special [ laughing ]abybel cheese? it's the tasty 100% natural little cheese that -- oh, thank you! ...goes wherever you're going. mini babybel cheese from the laughing cow. have you laughed today? [ female announcer ] you believe i[ cow moos ]lifestyle. so do we. every time you enter the laughing cow or mini babybel cheese package codes online, we'll donate one dollar to wellness programs. have you laughed today?

>> quite possibly the most popular landmark in the united kingdom. big ben the largest full face chiming clock in the world standing over 300 feet tall. sound of big ben striking the hour was first

heard in july of 1859. now the real name of the tower housing the clock is clock tower. big ben is norm easterly known the great bell housed with it. this was a wild week. >> it certainly was. luckily we have more than a few momento to take the home. to remind us of our amazing time in london. >> i think we need to ship them owe him home or something. >> a lot of good stuff. >> that's it for us from londo london. thank you for the queen of england for her gracious hospitality to all of us foreign intrepid journalist goodbye. us foreign intrepid journalist goodbye. >> cheerio ♪ . >> with him on her back. >> you know william and kate? or william and kit. >> we have to get charles. we'll get the mom. >> lady di. how about this gu guy. >> why not. guy. >> why not. >> this is him

if looks good. him if that guy in a little jacket. richard. do you understand the weakness of the dollar right now over here. >> billy for the children. >> okay. for the children. lcña

>> hi. i'm sarah gordon. this is "open house." this week frank gets down and dirty with some do it yourself tricks. >> what if i told you could transform your counter top for under $200 in one weekend and get the look of expensive poured concrete? >> "open house to the rescue," george he's going to a sanctuary for a deserving couple. >> we got married in june. five months later he had a stroke. >> plus our designer proves that luxury living can still be

comfortable. we'll tour a beautiful residence right in the heart of chicago. [captioning made possible by nbc universal] >> welcome to "open house." whether you're buying, selling, re-designing or just dreaming we've got you covered. today i'm coming to you from a stunning apartment this two-bedroom has an amazing flow and a wood-burning fireplace. it also has a gorgeous open kitchen which makes the living space seem larger than life. this week on "tips of the trade," interior decorator frank fontana is back with a new surprise, his new design book full of his favorite tricks. he believes if your haints ain't dirty, you didn't -- ain't dirty, you didn't do it yourself. >> i'm celebrity designer frank fontana here in chicago. today the secret is out.

i'm finally able to share with you a very special project i've been working on for the last couple of years. it's my new book, "dirty little secrets of design." i love creating beautiful interiors. and doing it on a budget is what i'm best at. i'm going to show you some tricks right now. most of us do have one or two pieces of furniture that might be on its way to the dumpster like this coffee table. before you throw it out, check this out. with some simple scrap wall paper and a little spray glue, you, too, can create a fresh new look. lay out your wall paper. make sure you have the right distance. i cut mine with a little extra on each side. now it's time spray glue it down. i want to make sure i got a lot of glue on here, especially along the edges. i'm going to spray both the table and the back of the wall paper. and slowly roll it back on because once it he's going on, it doesn't come off. all right. looks like all the air bubbles

are out. we have a smooth surface. it's time to trim the fat. by pressing the blade against the edge of the table, it makes for a perfect cut every time. run to your local hardware store and pick up an inexpensive piece of plexi glarks cut it to size, and lay it right on top. some people compare feaux finishing to alchemy. this proves that i'm going to turn this sample board into wood. i start with a neutral glaze. then i pour in a little bit of a dark brown glaze. now that i've got my blaze mixed this technique literally takes five to 10 minutes at most. step one, place your glaze over your latex paint. this little tool right here is where all the magic happens. check this out. step two, grab your wood-graining rocker and drag it along the glarkse lifting and rocking as you're pulling. as you can see, it's creating

the illusion of wood grain. step three, take your brush and blend the lines together. we've turned a simple sample board into a plank piece of wood. you know it's a little known fact that most of america still has fermica courpt tops. i have a little secret you're going to love. what if i told you could transform your counter top for under $200 in one weekend, and get the look of expensive poured concrete? to achieve that look, skimstone is the product you want to use. this isn't for the faint of heart. you've got to be committed to this project and see it through. no worries. i'm going to show you how to do it. first we create a bonding primer coat. this isn't your typical primer. this is a portland-based cement primer. it's going to be gritty. it's going to sound terrible. but trust me, it's necessary. step two, be sure your surface is smooth if there's any large bumps, sand them off. step three, mix together your

white powder and type one solution. step four, add your choice of color. step five, apply your color coat using a trowel. once it's completely dry, step six, applied your top coat sealer. there you have it. what would typically cost you anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 will cost you under $200. so d.i.y. projects don't have to be daunting. they can be kind of fun. you don't have to be professional to do any of these ideas. but if do you need help, just remember, i'm only a couple of pages away.

>> welcome back to "open house," your look athe country's most luxurious homes and designs. now we take you on an insider's tour of an amazing home.

>> hello. welcome to south lake, texas. i'm from nation homes. i'd like to show you my house. our inspiration came from northern italy. we were looking at the villas and wanted to do something very organic looking and that looked like it was built over time. let's get to it. we're in the master suite. a lot of people that re-locate to the dallas-fort worth area want to know, how come the master bedroom's on the first floor? i don't note answer. all i can tell you is if you do want to sell your house here, you have to put the master bedroom down. welcome to the master bath. some of the really neat features about this bathroom is the master shower is a steam room. so you can use it as a shower or you can get your steam on. whichever you want to do. a little further back we have a morning bar or happy hour bar, which ever works best for you. and last but not least you're

in the master closet. the second floor has three guest suites. it's got its own private family room, a great balkanny that overlooks the pool. but i have to be honest. that's notty brought you here today. -- not why i brought you here today. my favorite part of the house is right down there. the family room is definitely a wild room. we've got cathedral ceilings, a 30-foot-tall stone fireplace. when you walk into this room, you know you're home. but, guys, i think the wine room takes it all. it's climate controlled and has enough storage to house any wine collection, not to mention the fact that we have a 1,200 c.f.m. vent in here so if you want to light up a cigar, you're not going to smoke anybody out of the house. and it really is just that easy to bring the outside in.

everything's bigger in texas. and this swimming pool is no different. i want to thank you for being here today. it was a pleasure having you in my house. i hope that you guys liked a little sneak peek of what texas has to offer. come on down and see us. >> coming up, our designer blends casual with formal style. and "open house to the rescue," george steps outside the box to create a backyard oasis for one special couple.

>> welcome back to "open house." next, interior decorator elaine culotti walks us through her mediterranean style home in santa monica. she believes your budget should have no baring on luxury. >> hi. i'm elaine culotti. welcome to my mediterranean home in santa monica, california. as we go through the house, you're going to see a lot of things that are casual and formal mixed together. in the entryway i've got a double vaulted ceiling. curved, soft lines along with the plaster make you feel like you're in this little space that's very intimate. i've also combined it with an old formal console. on the left and right are urns used to -- throughout the

house. always think about how much space you have in your home and then how much of it use -- you're using. i took the dining room and convert it into a den. it's decorated in a very gothic, english, rock 'n' roll sort of way. it's got leather otman for the kids to eat and hang out. it's cozy, warm and useable. in leaving the dining room out of the house, i had to create a new one. this dining room has a very long, 16-foot table, that fits everybody i need to fit on a sunday night. because i've got eclectic seating, meaning wood chairs and fabric chairs mixed with a bench, it makes people feel comfortable about pulling up an odd chair and making it fit. add glimmer and sparkley to make it a little more formal. these chandeliers spice up the room. an absolute must in our house is a movie theater/media room. most people think they can't afford it. but i can tell you there's a lot of ways to beat the bank.

first of all, that's blackout in a screen that i use for drapery . i stretched it on an antique frame, because i wanted it to have an antique and romantic look this room is a duel use room. it's important, i think, to have casual, comfortable living but still a functional space. never underestimate how important the master bedroom is. spend money on bedding. bedding is the thing that lasts longer if it's more expensive, and it washes better. expensive sheets make you feel like a queen. it's the best way to sleep. thank you so much for letting me show you around my home. i hope you learned some great tips on how to spoil yourself.

>> welcome back to "open house." on this next installment of "squarefeet" we they had to chicago's lincoln park neighborhood for a look inside

a residence with true flair. situated on three city lots this home has hand-carved double doors, soaring ceiling for maximum sunlight, and a natural flow perfect for entertaining. who better to show us this paradise than the man who built it. here's the architect with the tour. >> i'm. i'm tim luvan. this started as a 1920's house. we refurbished it as a manner house. one of the more interesting challenges of this project was how to take such a large, industrial space and create a series of intimate rooms. so while they're very open, each area functions in a different, domestic way.

the kitchen is the heart of this home. walnut cabinets, marbel floors on the backsplash used to evoke a timeless and classic feel. opposite the kitchen general a small den area. this area functions as a smaller, more intimate family room, and opens out through the large french doors on to the deck. we're now in the dining room of the home. one of the most striking features of this room is the turn of the century tiffany chandelier. the master suite consists of the entire second floor. this you need to see to believe. we're now in the sitting room of the master suite. one of the neat features is the hand-carved marbel fireplace which the owner had made in mexico. leading into the master bedroom, one of the neat features is the nickel-dipped bed frame. this is a one of a kind. leading from the bedroom through the dressing area is the incredible master bath.

thanks for joining us today. we hope you enjoyed your tour. >> after the break, "open house to the rescue" -- >> all right. if you want to look up, you can. >> oh my god.

>> give your house a fair lift. all you have to do is ask. >> i'll come to your rescue anytime. >> the best in homemakers. >> welcome back to "open house." this week on "open house to the rescue" we meet debbie and john in seaside heights, new jersey a mere five months after their wedding john had a massive stroke, leaving him paralyzed on his right side and with limited speech. now john spends most of his time inside so george is opening up their doors to create a beautiful backyard makeover. >> in 1997, my girlfriend, who is john's cousin, invited me to their family reunion. i heard that everybody was asking john if he got my phone number.

so a couple of weeks later he called me and we went to a movie. and then that's how it started. we got married in june. and then five months later he had a stroke which left him right side paralyzed. his arm is paralyzed. and also with the inability to community. everything has changed as far as, you know, socializing because he can't speak well. you know, he really likes to stay home. i thought it would be great if i can put a front porch on for him where he could interact with our neighbors, thinking that it would help him even communicate a little better with people. and i asked george if he can come to my rescue. >> the moment of truth. hello. how are you? >> hello. how are you? >> are you debbie? >> yes.

>> hi. i'm george oliphant. i'm here to rescue you. >> hi, george. >> hi. come on out. >> how are you? >> i'm doing great. got your email. i heard all about you and your husband, john. i wanted to come and see what i could do for you. this is the right house. right? >> yes, it is. thank you. >> you're welcome. you're welcome. >> in order to make this dream of a porch a reality i'm going to need some help. i got my friend here from r.p.i. design to build. >> good to see you. >> you are on the right project. my friends debbie and john are living here. great people. unfortunately john suffered a massive stroke. sose got trouble getting around and really can't be out in the sun. what can we do? >> if he's got trouble moving around, this has got to be a problem for him. >> actually debbie said he's terrified of the front step. >> i can barely get up it. so we need to put a platform here with an easy step to get up. and then maybe we'll wrap this

whole thing around. >> there's a lot of wasted space here. >> this is a total waste of space. we can put a couple of chairs here. then they can enjoy their neighbors as they walk by. and socialize. >> can i already see john holding court right here. so we have the front porch taken care of. do you think there's anything else we can do for them? >> a lot more. why don't we look at the back. >> let's see what they got. so, matt, this is the backyard. i definitely think we can do something here. right? >> george, we can do something big here. >> it is a lot of space, but they don't actually even use it because these steps, they're still hard for john to get down and get out here. >> why don't we build a nice big deck that is level with the door so john can just walk out. >> sounds like a plan. >> let's get to work. >> get to work, right. >> all right. our decking has arrived. >> we have a lot to do. >> let's get it off the truck. >> all right. >> so this is nice and straight.

we'll start with our next one. >> we got the decking down. i guess we better go do the same in the back. >> let's get-going to it. >> the idea here is that john never has to step on these pebbles. we will have ramp and decking all the way back into the house. >> we got the four posts up, george. let's get this beam next. >> all right. >> flip it. >> flip it. we got to get these rafters in so that we can install our awning for shade effect. nice. the action and excitement is at fever pitch nor rescue. just got to check the board, make sure we dotted all our

i's, crossed all our t's. decking, just finish those rails. got our pavers. we're starting to do our landscaping. check, check, check. next up, the big reveal. >> matt, neither rain nor shine was going to stop us from finishing this rescue. >> can you believe it's done? >> i cannot believe it's done. >> why don't you get john and debbie >> thanks for all your help, buddy. >> no problem >> remember, debbie. >> i'm not peeking. >> no peeking. all right, one, two, three. >> oh my god. >> oh my god. >> it's like a different house! >> you're used to doing all of this work. >> you're the handyman around the house. >> yes, sir. >> it's the least i can do. there was one thing i noticed on the side of the house, i took liberty of fixing it. let me show you what i did.

all right. if you want to look up, you can. >> oh my god. >> it wasn't just me. i got some good friends. did you really think i just give you the front porch? come on! >> oh my god. >> is this an outdoor oasis or what? >> it's beautiful. >> what fun is all of this if you don't have your friends and family to share it with? >> i know. >> am i right? >> right. >> we're bringing them along, too many >> oh my god. [applause] >> i'm speechless. it's beautiful. it's beautiful. right? wanted just a little porch in the front for john to come out easily. now he's going to be torn which way to go. thank you, george. >> thank you. >> thank you very much, from the bottom of our heart. >> this is what makes doing

rescues worth while, all the friends and family. [applause] >> that's all for this episode of "open house." join us next week for more of america's top properties and design. and if you missed something in today's show or you just want to see more of these amazing homes, head to lxt.com/openhouse. i'm sarah gordon. i'll see you next time on "open house."

i'm your biggest fan. you know that. aww. you're the best, mr. snuggles. [ thinking ] another pet name? you're right, puggle-wuggle! [ voice on phone ] hey, wiggly. all right, i'm smart enough to notice that my favorite fresh-brewed mickey d's sweet tea is now on the dollar menu, along with that juicy mcdouble. so i'm smart enough for this. you're the best, too... sweet tea... pie? aww, chipmunk. nicely done, chipmunk. [ male announcer ] sweet tea and the mcdonald's dollar menu. the simple joy of being smart. ♪ >> this week on "hispanics today," travel to california

wine country and see how this latina vintner rose from picking grapes to build one of napa valley's best boutique wineries. lessons from costa rica! learn how this small latin american country is contributing to the education of thousands of american students from coast to coast. and see how hispanic voters could hold the trump card that decides who will become the next president of the united states. >> hello, everybody, from the "hispanics today" studios in washington, d.c. i'm erica ortiz. bienvenidos and welcome. napa valley. the mere mention of that beautiful area of northern california conjures up images of rolling hills and vineyards that yield some of america's best wines. for amelia ceja, it has been a lifelong dream to join that elite circle of napa winemakers. even as she labored in the fields picking grapes 40 years ago, her sights were set much higher.

today, she has realized those childhood dreams, and while she's certainly not the biggest napa winemaker, there's no question she's one of the best. >> we started with 15 acres. well, now we have over over 113. >> it was 25 years ago that amelia ceja and her family decided to follow a lifelong dream to own a vineyard. >> it's been an arduous journey, but we have so many fans and we have a whole community conspiring to help us. >> that community is napa valley, where amelia and her family arrived in 1967, and where amelia, just 12 years old, worked the fields. >> tasting those very first succulent merlot grapes that i was picking alongside my parents revolutionized what i wanted to do. >> growing grapes and eventually making her own wine was always in the back of amelia's mind.

little did she know that a boy named pedro ceja, who she met that very same year she arrived in napa and whose family also picked grapes, would become her future husband and partner of a dream that would become a reality. >> we purchased in 1983 our first 15 acres here in carneros, and we planted it in 1986 and we had our first harvest in 1988. >> initially, the cejas sold grapes to other producers, but they wanted their name on a label. with a lot of patience, dedication, and a business plan in hand, amelia helped launch ceja wines in september of 2001, 18 years after buying their first acres of land. her husband pedro, his brother armando-- who is a viticulturist in charge of the vineyards-- and wife marta are all partners in the venture. and all unanimously agreed that amelia should be in charge of the business. >> i was selected president not

because i'm a woman. because my partners felt that i was the best person for the job. i have confidence in myself, i can speak articulately well about this industry, i know the business and i love sales. >> amelia is also a keen businesswoman. she's been named entrepreneur of the year, and has been recognized as an industry player in the book "women of the vine." her vision has helped earn ceja vineyards multiple awards. >> in early 2002, we were selected best new winery. so that was tremendous growth right away. >> they've also been named best boutique winery and one of the hottest small brands of 2007. under her leadership, the company has increased wine production from 750 cases when

they started in 2001 to 10,000 cases in 2007. yet for all her accomplishments, she faces many challenges, and not just from competitors. >> it's a northern european male dominated industry. there are not a lot of women, even less hispanic women. i became the first mexican-american woman to be president of a wine production company in the history of the wine industry. >> sometimes, she's perplexed at people's perceptions when she is promoting her wines. >> "oh, i've heard of ceja, what do you do there?" no one ever thinks that i own the company. why? because i'm latina and i'm a woman. >> to say amelia is a workaholic is an understatement. she works monday to monday running the business and entertaining customers in the ceja vineyards tasting room, an important element of the sale process which husband pedro helps her with.

>> behind amelia there's a group of individuals, but i definitely have to say that amelia is the voice. she's the flag, the color, the individual that would basically take ceja to the next stage. >> the next stage includes the recent opening of a second tasting room in downtown napa, and plans to build their own production facilities onsite. >> ceja vineyards single-handedly has grown the number of consumers that never had wine to have wine now. so it's good for the whole wine industry. that's why we represent the present and the future. >> part of the ceja future is ariel, her youngest son. just 24, he is the general manager of ceja wines, and a true advocate of the product he helps his mother sell. amelia says the key to their success, besides the family's

hard work, is personalized service and hospitality to reel in new customers. >> we're bringing fun. fun, fun, fun. that is good. it's therapy, and people respond to that. it's so simple to be nice. >> that quality has brought them repeat customers and increased the members of the ceja wine club, who often spend a lazy weekend afternoon sipping wine in the company of the owners. >> bringing guests to -- now our two tasting salons -- it's how we have built our brand. one person at a time. >> throughout the years, amelia has juggled running the company with raising a family. but she proudly states her husband has been a devoted partner in the business and at home. >> we compliment each other. he's incredibly artistic, and just a wonderful inspiration. and funny.

i think that's why i married him, because he's very funny. besides being gorgeous, tall, dark and handsome. >> that admiration is mutual. >> see, amelia's wonderful, but she's not perfect. she married me. [laughter] but i think amelia, she has such a charisma, a spark in life. and she's good at heart, and i guess i fell in love with her. >> love is part of the ceja motto, emblazoned in latin on the walls of their establishment and on their bottles of wine. >> vinum, cantus, amor. salud! >> amelia is not just an award-winning vintner. she is also a chef. she has plans to launch an internet cooking show to show how ceja wines pair perfectly with mexican food. coming up, costa rica. it's famous for ecotourism, but thanks to one leading carmaker, america's schoolchildren can learn lessons from the rainforest without even leaving their classrooms.

"hispanics today" will return in a moment.

>> welcome back to "hispanics today." costa rica has become famous for its biological diversity. a whole new world of flora and fauna awaits the millions of travelers who are drawn to costa rica for its so-called ecotourism. but now, thanks to the world's largest automaker, thousands of american schoolchildren can learn lessons only found in costa rica without ever having to leave their classrooms. >> here in the lush tropical setting of central america's costa rican countryside, 20 teachers from all over the united states are becoming environmental ambassadors for the toyota international teacher program.

moving forward together, they'll spend the next 10 days exploring this rich cultural and biological crossroads that lies between north and south america. ranked among the 20 most biologically diverse countries in the world, costa rica is home to more than half a million species of plants and animals, and is a living, breathing classroom for the touring teachers who are thirsting for knowledge. overseeing the international teacher program for toyota is rhonda glasscock, a former fifth-grade teacher who really understands the value of immersing teachers into environments they might not ever see or experience. >> these teachers that go on these programs are the ones who have really forced themselves to get outside their comfort zone. to study in a country that speaks another language, and to really challenge themselves with

what can they do to be the best at what they do for their students. it's based on the philosophy "think globally, but act locally." toyota has long considered educators as one of our key resources to raising environmental stewards. >> we saw some incredible birds. even our guides were excited at what we saw today. >> today, we're going on a biodiversity hike, and i'm just looking forward to seeing all the different kinds of wildlife here at the rainforest. >> while traveling in costa rica, the teachers see firsthand how innovative strategies are being implemented in the areas of agriculture, as well as conservation and recycling efforts. after a visit to costa rica's national museum, important discoveries are made as the teachers continue building on their knowledge of costa rica's rich heritage and pre-columbian past. >> prior to the coming of the europeans, there actually were

large-scale civilizations here with building projects, miles of paved roads, ceremonial centers. so there was an organized civilization here. and i typically teach civilizations of mesoamerica to the north, and then andean civilizations to the south. this is sort of like a missing link in between the two that i was totally unaware of. >> back home in the united states, agrocology teacher jessica naugle of philadelphia's saul high school for agricultural studies draws on what she observes in costa rica and presents it to her students. for jess, the trip was a career- and life-altering opportunity. >> the trip to costa rica gave me a new level of energy, and it allowed me to bring international and global issues back to the classroom. the students love it, because the students love experience. they love to hear your story. and when you're able to provide a firsthand experience for

kids, they're listening and they're paying attention, and they become interested because you're passionate about it. they're able to tune in a little bit more because there is a personal connection there that you cannot have without experience. and that's why toyota's so important. without toyota sponsoring such a trip, i myself and the other teachers necessarily would not have had that experience. >> all good things that go around, come around. when teachers and students benefit, our environment stands to benefit, too. >> the ultimate goal for this program really is to invigorate teachers to go beyond their four walls, to stimulate their thinking, to expand their horizons. and by doing that, they do the same for their students. they invigorate their students, they expand their students' horizons. and that makes us all better stewards of oupl