>> this week, we have special team coverage on something that's literally a matter of life and death. >> no one knows the dangers of driving better than i do. that's why i share my story with young drivers like you. >> you won't believe some of the outrageous things people do while they drive. >> i'm making this pledge because i saw an accident last week due to texting and driving. >> find out why some students choose colleges where guys can't apply. >> it's a play where the make-believe characters are so lifelike, you forget they're not real. i'll take you backstage for the magic of "war horse." >> that and lots more right now on "teen kids news."

>> welcome to this special edition of "teen kids news." i'm mwanzaa. >> and i'm siena. here's our top story for this week. it's the number-one killer of teens -- car accidents. in fact, drivers who are under 19 years old are four times more likely to be killed in a car crash than older drivers. >> don't get nervous. we're not going to show you a bunch of drivers-ed videos. instead, we want you to meet tyler presnell. he's from vancouver, washington. we worked with tyler to present his story in a way we think you'll take notice. >> [ rapping ] ♪ hey ♪ when i was a teenager, i was just like y'all ♪ ♪ was a star in soccer, used to run and play ball ♪ ♪ one day, went for a ride with four other friends in the car ♪ ♪ no seat belt where i sat, but wasn't worried 'cause we weren't

going far ♪ [ engine revs ] ♪ he started driving crazy ♪ wanted to catch some air ♪ he didn't consider the danger, but with friends along, you would think that he' ♪ he was doing 70 in a 25-mile-an-hour zone ♪ ♪ man, ever since that day, i wish i had just stayed home ♪ ♪ recklessness mixed with rain caused him to hydroplane ♪ [ tires screech, crash ] ♪ we all got hurt, but i was the worst ♪ ♪ where i was sitting, the pole slammed into me first ♪ ♪ shattered my hip and pelvis, both femurs broke into two ♪ ♪ left ankle was shattered, and i'm not through ♪ ♪ right leg paralyzed below the knee ♪ ♪ ripped to shreds were my liver, my bladder, my stomach, intestines, and kidney ♪ ♪ every rib was cracked, punctured both lungs ♪ ♪ at only 14, they thought i was done ♪ ♪ they said i'd never live, and if by some miracle i did ♪ ♪ would never walk or talk ♪ my head was hit ♪ with the damage done to my brain, was forced to relearn everything, including my name ♪ ♪ just like the moviedarst tes,

♪ with 22 still more to come ♪ ♪ i smile when i speak, but believe me, my life ain't fun ♪ ♪ i'm still alive and preaching ♪ ♪ it must have been fate ♪ now i'm trying to reach teens before it's too late ♪ ♪ you must avoid all types of driving distraction ♪ ♪ it's not worth the doctors, operations, and months in traction ♪ ♪ no one knows the dangers of driving better than i do ♪ ♪ that's why i share my story with young drivers like you ♪ most teens don't want to listen to adults, but they'll listen to me, and they get the message. ♪ so, i'm 'bout to put a big ol' smile on my face ♪ ♪ so, on the count of three, everybody get up and scream, "tyler, i promise i'll drive safe" ♪ one, two, three... >> all: tyler, i promise i'll drive safe! >> yeah! [ cheers and applause ] >> tyler was lucky, because most teens killed in car crashes weren't wearing seatbelts. and we want to thank the kids at big john's driving school for helping our producer make tyler's music video. >> still ahead, we'll continue

our special edition of "teen kids news." >> we'll tell you about something that just about every teen knows is wrong, and yet most admit they do it anyway. we'll be right back. you don't disappear at midnight. and now, you've met your match. new revlon® colorstay™ 16 hour eyeshadow. 64 colors that will take you from night to day without smudging, creasing or fading away.

>> say you're driving at 55 miles an hour. if you take your eyes off the road for five seconds, you'll travel the length of a football field. thatwhy distracted driving is so dangerous. but what exactly distracted driving? >> distracted driving is... >> when you're doing something else while you're driving. >> anytime that our mind is, like, diverted from the road. >> talking on the phone. >> or texting while driving. >> texting. >> texting.

>> not even texting anymore -- like, looking on apps. >> people eating while driving. >> and i've seen someone driving with their knees and eating a hamburger. >> or, like, changing the song on an ipod. >> seeing a beautiful woman on the street, you turn your head. that distracts you. >> i know a friend that would text and drive and, like, use her keyboard while she's driving -- like, put it on top of the steering wheel and text. >> too many kids in the car. >> a lot of people drive when they're upset, so that's definitely a distraction. >> people that mess with their girlfriends while they're driving. >> the most outrageous thing i've seen so far while on the road is a woman breast-feeding her child while smoking and on the phone. >> just recently, i heard about someone who tried putting on their pantyhose while driving. >> oh, that's gross, first of all, because who wears pantyhose anymore, number one. and number two, that's something that you should do at home. but that could be very distracting, i would imagine. >> you think? while some of these stories sound funny, distracted driving isn't. for "teen kids news," i'm erika.

>> 95% of teens surveyed know it's wrong to text while driving, yet 51% admit to doing it. but statistics don't tell the real story. that's why we want to introduce you to a young lady in north carolina. >> i'm olivia richardson. i'm 18 years old. i go to t.c. roberson high school. i'm a senior, and i want to be a teacher. i first met ashley when i was in middle school. i was in 7th grade, and she was in 6th grade. she's one of those people that you can always depend on. >> 'cause she always tried to see the positive in all situations. >> outgoing, energetic, happy all the time. >> when she laugheverybody laughs. >> if you were having a bad day, she could change it to make it a lot better. >> she doesn't care where you come from, who you are, what you look like. if you need a friend, she's gonna be there for you.

it was may. ashley was driving down this road. [ cellphone rings ] she was on her way to tutoring. she did that every day. [ cellphone rings ] she looked down to read a text message... [ cellphone rings, horn blares ] ...and she crossed over into the other lane, and there was a truck coming. [ crash ] you know, you always hear about not texting and driving and not to drive distracted, but you never think that anything bad will happen to you... or to anyone close to you. >> but it happens. they pay attention to their cellphone, and they're not paying attention to the roadway. and it causes the collisions on the roadway when they don't pay attention to what's going on around them.

>> i miss her every morning. i would come into school, and she would say, "good morning, beautiful." [ voice breaking ] and i miss that at school. i miss seeing her. if i could speak to ashley now, i would ask her why she was texting, and i would tell her that was so stupid. [ sniffles ] but she's changed so many people's lives. i worked with ashley's dad. we just did an awareness thing, and it's in some drivers-ed classes, and it just says what happened to ashley and how you shouldn't text and drive. >> i lost my daughter because she wanted to read a text while driving. >> from her accident, we've turned it into something positive, and we're changing people's lives. it's amazing how many people are aware of this now -- how they know not to use their phones,

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[ patriotic music plays ] >> the medal of honor is the highest award the united states can bestow on a person for bravery above and beyond the call of duty.

>> while fighting in afghanistan, an enemy grenade landed near wounded soldiers. to protect his men, sergeant petry grabbed the grenade. as he attempted to throw it clear, it exploded. sergeant petry lost his right hand but saved the lives of his comrades. with "military salute," i'm tyler. >> every once in a while, a play that is truly unique bursts upon the stage. "war horse" is one of those plays. nicole tells us what makes it so special. >> "war horse" tells the story of a boy and the horse he loves. it's set against the background of the first world war.

>> well, i think it's a story about hope, and my character, albert, makes this wonderful friend, joey the horse, and then joey is, tragically, taken away from him and sent to fight in the war -- in the first world war -- and so albert runs away from home and goes on this journey to try to find him. >> at first, it looks like most other broadway plays. it has talented actors and impressive staging. but look closely at the horses. they're not real. they're giant puppets. >> say goodbye to him now. >> now, sir? right now? >> say goodbye, albert. >> when i first started, i thought that it would take a lot of pretending and a lot of imagination to believe that the puppet was a real horse. but immediately, when we started rehearsals, it was clear that the puppeteers are so good that they make him a real horse. and so every night, it really just feels like i'm working with this big, beautiful animal. >> this may be the only play where the performers with bit

parts are actually the co-stars. >> so, i'm on joey's head here,. and i always have one hand that's on the head itself that manipulates it. and then my other hand is on this controller. and there are three levers here on the controller. one, here, controls the left ear. there's one for the right ear, if you can see that. and then there's one that brings the head up and down, but i never really use this one. >> do you make his head shake in any way to give him more life? >> there's a pretty great range of motion so that he can go, like, all the way down, up, shakes. >> hey, joey. you want a treat? >> [ imitates horse snorting ] >> i play the heart of joey, and that means that i'm operating his front legs, which i mostly control with the lever here. and it allows me to both, of course, walk around as joey and to trot and gallop and to do

most things that a horse could do with its own legs. and also, i create the breath. so, what's wonderful about these puppets and what really brings them to life is that you can see the horse breathe. >> so, can you show me what you do with joey? >> yes, i get in the hind of joey, so i operate the back legs and the tail. so, let me get inside so i can show you how the tail works. there are two, kind of, bicycle-brake levers here, and one moves the tail up and down, and one moves it side to side. and so you can kind of use them both in conjunction with each other. >> then the other thing that all three of us do together is that all three of us create the sounds of a horse. [ all imitating horse snorting ] >> [ imitates horse neighing ] the performance, it's surprisingly easy to believe that joey is a

real horse. >> you know, i sometimes forget that the puppeteers are even there until i accidentally step on their foot or run into them or something, and then you kind of have to adjust. but, yeah, i think in the same way that joey becomes real and alive for the audience, it happens for me, as well. if joey's going, then i'm going, too! i-i'm volunteering. >> i'm gonna get a quick lesson on what it takes to be a puppeteer. so, show me what to do. >> [ chuckles ] all right, why don't we start with joey's ears. so, as we were saying earlier, when he's a little agitated, the ears go straight back. >> mm-hmm. >> and then when he's trying to check something out, they turn a little bit. >> oh. >> check it out, like that. so, this lever controls the left one, and this one controls the right. >> do you ever get them confused? >> oh, at the beginning? absolutely. absolutely. >> aww. hello. with five tony awards, "war horse" is clearly a runaway hit. while it continues here at lincoln center, the play will

also be on the road, touring the country. if it comes to your area, don't miss it. right, joey? >> [ imitates horse snorting ] >> for "teen kids news," i'm nicole. >> the audience for "war horse" would applaud our word of the week. it's "equine" -- e-q-u-i-n-e. it's an adjective meaning "of, or relating to, or affecting horses," as in, "the puppeteers that operate joey the horse are able to mimic all kinds of equine actions and sounds."

>> "teen kids news" is helping you get healthy one bite at a time. here's another serving of good advice. >> the bell rings, and you're off to the cafeteria for lunch. it's time to socialize and grab a bite. jax hubbard is a nutritionist with some tips on how to make sure you're eating the right

stuff. >> first of all, when you're eating in the cafeteria, you want to remember that not everything is good for you. make sure you're looking for whole grains, lean meats that are baked instead of fried, and colorful fruits and vegetables, including leafy greens. as far as beverages, you want to stick to water or skim milk, instead of sweetened drinks like iced teas and sodas. and if you're going to drink fruit juice, make sure it's 100% fruit juice. >> thanks, jax. seems like a little bit of hunting around the lunch line can go a long way. >> in "college & u," lauren takes a look at a kind of college that won't accept half the population. >> at first glance, new york's barnard college looks pretty typical for a small school in a big city. located in upper manhattan, the campus is compact, covering just a few city blocks. about 2,400 students come here from all over the world, so

therelots of diversity. but all barnard students have one particular thing in common -- they're all women. barnard is what's called a single-sex college. >> there are probably about 60 or 70 all-women's colleges out there in the united states now. and i do think it is very much about really building both women's self-esteem, their confidence levels. >> before you say "no way! not me," keep in mind that single-sex colleges often have close relationships with other schools. in barnard's case, the other school is right across the street -- columbia university. >> there are columbia students taking courses at barnard and barnard students taking courses at columbia. >> back in 1889, when barnard was founded, women were not allowed to attend columbia. they weren't allowed to vote, either. nowadays, most schools are co-ed, meaning they accept both male and female students. but even though many doors have been opened to women, barnard is

here to open more. >> well, i think that barnard has just a very long history of providing leadership opportunities for women and really pushing women out there in the working worlds. and that's true, i think, from a number of the women's colleges. >> and here's the proof -- only 2% of all college grads come from women's colleges, but listen to this. 20% of the women in congress came from single-sex colleges. graduates from women's colleges are twice as likely to earn phds, and they are more likely to go to medical school. of the 50 top-ranking women in business, an amazing 30% came from -- you guessed it -- women's schools. dean fondiller told me that at a college like barnard, women get used to being leaders, and that carries them forward into science, government, education -- wherever they want to go. >> the more and more that we've really helped our women pursue leadership opportunities, we're really seeing payoffs there, and

i think it's really critical in our society. >> for more information, you can check out womenscolleges.org. at barnard college, i'm lauren for "teen kids news." >> which of these is a real college course? we'll have the answer when "teen kids news" returns.

>> which of these is a real college course? actually, all of them have been offered to students at m.i.t., the massachusetts institute of technology. for "teen kids news," i'm carina. >> when it comes to paying for college, every dollar helps. the good news is, there are a ton of scholarships out there. you just have to know where to look. fastweb.com has records of more than 1.3 million scholarships.

that's more than $3 billion to help pay for education. you can register for free. the site will give you a list of all the scholarships you might be eligible for. you can sort them by deadline and mark your favorites. the site will even e-mail you when new scholarships are announced. all you have to do is start applying. >> whether you already have your driver's license or are just dreaming of the day you get one, remember this. there are two types of distracted drivers -- those who have had accidents and those who are about to. >> we're trying to encourage students to take the pledge not to text and drive. and after you take the pledge, you get a thumb ring that says "txtng klls" on it as a reminder when you're driving of how severe texting while driving is. >> i'm making this pledge because i saw an accident last week due to texting and driving, and someone actually got killed.

>> it's outstanding. we have so many people taking the pledge. the students are really excited about this, and there's a great enthusiasm. they'll remember this when they're about to text and drive. they took the pledge, they promised not to text and drive, and they'll remember that. >> teens should listen to other teens. >> because we know exactly what you're going through. >> but you don't have to listen to parents saying, "i've been driving for longer than you have." >> distracted driving kills. >> it's no joke. >> it's not funny. >> it's serious. [ sirens wailing ] >> we want to thank the national road safety foundation for helping to make this

special edition possible. >> that wraps up our show, but we'll be back soon with more "teen kids news." >> thanks for joining us, and have a great week.