to ever work for nasa. and she's such an inspiration to me. - let's not forget about doctor sylvia earle, her deepness, the queen of the ocean. she's one of the leading activists and researchers in the area of ocean conservation. i think both of these are very good candidates. - i entered college, i was 15. i was gonna be a math teacher 'cause that was it. you could be a nurse or a teacher. - [voiceover] after teaching high school for seven years, a relative mentioned that the national advisory committee for aeronautics, later to become nasa, was looking for new people. johnson was offered a job in 1953 and she immediately accepted. - i felt most proud of the success of the apollo mission. the hot computers, the paths that will get you there. you determined where you were on earth when you started out and where the moon would be at a given time.

otaled how fast they would be going and the moon will be there by the time you got there. - [voiceover] beautiful. just beautiful. - we were really concerned when they were leaving the moon going back that they should be exactly correct on that. (mumbling) you miss a train, you wait for the next train and there were no more trains. it took me a day and a half to compute what the computer had given them. turned out to be the exact numbers that they had. it was my job. and i did my job correctly and well. - i'm sylvia earle. i'm explorer in residence at the national geographic, founder of mission blue. i'm also founder of the place where i'm sitting right now, deep ocean exploration and research in alameda, california. what really captured my imagination and has held my attention all these years

the life in the ocean. there's so many incredible creatures there: the starfish, the jellyfish, the little guys, plus of course the whales and the dolphins and sharks and things. over the years i could see that the ocean was in trouble, that we were taking too much out of the ocean in the way of fish and crabs and shrimp and whales and all of the things that people take from the ocean, and we were loading the ocean with many things that are new to the sea: the plastic that now clogs the ocean in vast amounts. they are a problem when we just throw them away. they're just not away. that plastic lasts for centuries. we need to protect the ocean. but who's gonna fix it if not you? you're gonna let somebody else do your job? use your power. it's one thing to know, but if you know and don't act, you're part of the problem in a sense. and it doesn't have to be a mighty

nal organization; it can be something in your community that you start because you see something, the problem that needs to be solved, and nobody else is doing it. why not you? it's the fun of being alive. get out there. - it's really exciting to me that we're thinking of doing a lifetime achievement award for these amazing trailblazers. - yeah, they're both inspirational individuals, but i think we should also look at the other side of it, which is teamwork. i think a lot of big scientific accomplishments, it's not always one person, it's always a collaborative process, which is why it's so great with the samsung solve for tomorrow contest we're seeing all of these young people getting together and working together in their communities to try to make the world a better place. - [voiceover] samsung solve for tomorrow holds a contest every year where students solve problems in their community. - we took it upon ourselves to design a gray-water system that would enable residents to reduce water consumption by 20%, and costs no more than 650 dollars. - [voiceover] they figured out that by reusing the water

m the washing machine and shower for toilet use and irrigation, they could eliminate over 20% of freshwater consumption. they constructed a prototype in their teacher's backyard and eventually will make their design available to everyone online. - we at nicholson elementary have served a problem in picayune, mississippi: flooding due to storm drainage issues. - [voiceover] the group researched different robot chassis that could fit the constraints of the city's problem. they enlisted help from the high school robotics team to create a working prototype which is capable of maneuvering through the drains, providing video imaging to the city's workers and giving them the information they will need to maintain the city's drainage system quickly and efficiently. - we grew mushrooms on cardboard. - disposing of our cardboard was $188,000 a year. we had been working with mushrooms in the past and we knew it could break materials like this down so it might be profitable to actually just grow the mushrooms on the school waste paper. - the stem field is very under-appreciated.

more about it and so they can pursue a career. - having the help from our city and our government just to fund us and get us through the project and nasa supplying us with the things that they needed to build the robot was fantastic. - i think it's a byproduct of all our hard work and we earned some new stuff for our school, so that's pretty cool. - that was some great collaboration between the kids for samsung's solve for tomorrow contest. - definitely, nick. i think teamwork totally makes the dream work. fablab would not be possible without this awesome team here. - guys, i think today we should maybe go out with a little fablab clapping cheer? - [cara] lead us away. - [kerri] alright. (clapping) - [all] fablab! - [voiceover] fablab is brought to you by our friends at: motorola mobility foundation, ally bank, brocade, lenovo, the good entertainment foundation, and samsung solve for tomorrow.

to win an award, it would be for most airplane food eaten 'cause i fly all the time. - [man] kerri, come get out of the background. - [kerri] oh i'm so sorry. - [woman] we are rolling. ready? - ok i only came up with one. ok. - if i was to win an award, it would be in brainstorming. that's it. (laughing)

>> welcome to "teen kids news." i'm veronique. here's this week's top story. >> this report is brought to you by a grant from the connecticut tobacco & health trust fund. >> while tv commercials for cigarettes have been banned for more than 40 years, tobacco companies are still finding ways to advertise their products, especially to teens. joining me to discuss this are gustavo torrez and

magi linscott. they dedicate their time to keeping kids and teens tobacco free. welcome. >> hi! thank you so much for having us. >> yes, thank you. >> magi, let's start with how tobacco companies are advertising, since they're not allowed to do so on tv. >> since they're not allowed to do so on tv, we see them advertising in other ways. every time you open up a magazine or walk into a convenience store, those messages, the tobacco advertisements are right there. and they're really, really eye-catching, especially to youth and teens. teens are definitely being still marketed to and targeted in different ways. we're just seeing it a little bit different nowadays. >> in 2009, president obama passed the tobacco control act, which put new restrictions on tobacco marketing to minors. so how are they getting around those restrictions? >> well, as magi started to allude to, they're just finding new ways to market their product there's the slick advertising advertising their products. as magi was mentioning, when you

go into convenience stores, we can't go into a convenience store today without seeing these advertisements all over the door at eye level of youth. the product placement -- tobacco being placed right by candy, right by the counter. and then these new emerging products the tobacco industry is rolling out, like e-cigarettes and sweet and flavored cigars. we have e-cigarettes in flavors like gummy bear and cotton candy. obviously we know who the tobacco industry is marketing with those products. >> and they spend a lot of money on advertising to do so. can you give us an idea on how much they spend? >> yeah. the tobacco industry spends $8.8 billion a year in marketing their products. that's about $24 million a day and $1 million every single hour. and over the last 20 years, we've done a lot of really great work, and we've been able to reduce youth smoking rates over half. but in connecticut, we still have 13.5% of youth whst

smoke, so there's definitely a lot of work we still need to do. >> yes, there is. and you guys refer to something called a "replacement smoker." what is that, exactly? >> so, this may sound outrageous and crazy, but a tobacco company essentially compared young adults, youth, to replacement smokers to replace the half a million people who die each year due to tobacco use. and so, that's just pretty outrageous, you know, calling a whole generation replacement smokers. and so that's where the "not a replacement" campaign kind of came into fruition, and it essentially kind of harnesses the power of the selfie, and it kind of gets youth to take their own selfie statements saying that they are not replacement smokers, that they're so much more than that, that they're musicians and athletes and dancers and readers. and it really highlights how diverse our generation is. >> well, that sounds like a

what else can teens do to help stop this? >> well, the biggest thing is speaking up, having a voice. that's the great part about the work magi was doing in florida. she saw an issue, and she spoke up about it. and she's the one, with her group, created this amazing "not a replacement" campaign, which any young person can get involved with by going to kickbuttsday.org. they can download a selfie statement, they can upload it through social-media channels. so, just by taking a stand is one of the first ways that we really want to encourage young people across the nation to really join in. >> and just to add to that, you know, there are youth who are currently, you know, doing state-house rallies and talking to their legislators about tobacco-free issues, something as simple as going to your school's health club or taking the time out of your day to print out a selfie statement. simply by just caring about the issue, youth are doing a lot to

>> gustavo, magi, this is a lot of great information. thank you so much for joining us. >> thank you so much. >> thank you so much. >> studies show that 90% of adult smokers began smoking while in their teens or younger. that's why it's so important for us to be aware of their advertising tactics -- so we never start smoking. but if you know someone who does, they need to stop. so, share this number -- 1-800-quit-now. they even have a special program just for teens. >> i'll tell you why tiny ticks can be such a big problem.

>> we're always told that we should enjoy the great outdoors. but as scott reports, we also need to be careful. >> whether it's your backyard or a hiking trail in a national park, you have to beware of the wildlife. [ bear roars ] well, things like bears, mountain lions, gators, and snakes are obvious. i'm talking about a critter that's so small, it's often hard to see. >> [ screams ] >> yes, i'm talkin

and dr. sheila nolan's an expert. she's a from the maria fareri children's hospital at westchester medical center. so, why are ticks trouble? >> so, not all ticks are trouble. certain ticks can carry diseases that they can transmit to people, and those are the ticks that are trouble. >> what sort of diseases can they carry? >> so, it depends on where you live. certain ticks can cause diseases such as lyme disease. another one is rocky mountain spotted fever. and there's lots of other diseases that you see throughout the country, just depends on where you live. >> so, how can we avoid being bitten by ticks? >> so, ticks like to live in wooded areas, long, high, grassy areas. when you're going into those areas, you should wear long sleeves, long pants. you should tuck your pants into your shoes and socks, and wear bug spray, spray bug spray, preferably one that has deet in it. and light-colored clothing is also something good so if the

tick is on your clothing or starting to crawl, then you can easily identify it and pick it off. >> okay, so we do all that. are we done? >> no. the most important thing is to check yourself to see if any ticks have gotten on your skin. ticks like to crawl on, and they bury themselves a little bit under, 'cause they're looking for your blood and they want to feed on your blood. so, the main thing to do is to look. if you see that a tick is just crawling, you can pick it off and remove it. >> okay, so we find one of these blood suckers on us. what do we do? >> if you see that a tick has started to -- is attached and it's not easy to take off, then what you need to do is get a tweezers and gently and slowly pick it at the body, the fattest part of it, and slowly remove it. >> so, how can you tell if you have a disease from a tick? >> so, tick illnesses can present in lots of different ways. you'll see rashes with some, fevers with others. the main thing to do is, if

once you've removed the tick and you are concerned that it's been on your skin for a long period of time, because it takes time for the tick to be able to actually transmit a disease, you can bring it to your doctor. you can call your doctor and let them know that you have a concern. if you do remove the tick and are going to bring it to your doctor, put it in a ziplock plastic bag just in case, per chance, it's still alive. [ chuckles ] you don't want it crawling away on you. but then, the main thing to do is, if you feel ill, if you are concerned about certain symptoms, is to give your doctor a call. >> so, are ticks such a problem that we should really be worried about going outdoors? >> no. you need to be able to go outdoors, and not all ticks will transmit diseases, so if you follow the good precautions and make sure you do tick checks, then you should be just fine. >> well, i'll keep all that in mind. thank you, doctor. >> you're welcome. >> so, before you go into a risky area, you might want to make a checklist of the doctor's dos and don'ts and "tick" off

each one. for "teen kids news," i'm scott. >> for most of us, the common cold is all too common, but here's something you probably didn't know. coughing can be more than just a nuisance. it can actually hurt you. in fact, if you cough too hard, you could crack a rib, and that's nothing to sneeze at. >> using brushes and paint, students have created a touching tribute to our men and women in uniform. my report is coming up.

>> the men and women of america's military put their lives at risk to keep us safe. a lot of us take their service and sacrifice for granted, but not the kids at one school in brooklyn. eric has the story of their ongoing effort to honor fallen heroes. >> we've reported before about mckinley junior high school. what started as an unusual art project has grown over the years. the last time we visited the school, the students were unveiling a tribute to the

the hallway art wasn't simply for decoration. it was also for education. one of the teachers behind the project realized that many students were growing up unaware of a very important part of our recent history -- the terrorist attacks on september 11, 2001. >> they knew nothing about 9/11, and we decided we're gonna change it. we're gonna do a mural 270 feet long that will explain the whole thing. >> that part of the project was finished back in 2012, but they didn't stop there. >> thank you for giving me the opportunity... >> recently, guests gathered at the school once again. and this time, in addition to police officers and firefighters, there were representatives from the military on hand. that's because the newest mural created by the students honors the men and women of our armed forces.

it begins with the flag of heroes above the doorway and continues all the way down the hall. >> the 6,000 names that are on these walls here are the soldiers who died in iraq and afghanistan helping to keep our country safe from terrorists. >> each name was carefully painted by hand. >> we worked on the mural for eight months. there's a lot of hard workers here. >> a lot of the work was done early in the morning, before classes started. >> the leaves -- we've made them go and float into the names, symbolizing the rebirth and the memory of the soldiers, because they're still within us in our hearts. >> and like the soldiers they're honoring, the artists wear their own special version of dog tags. >> it shows that you've been working on the mural and that

you have the courage to work on it and make a difference. >> and it's supposed to, once again, represent hope, freedom, everything the soldiers fight for. >> i've been in combat five times, and every time you deploy and you're away from your family, away from, actually, the united states, a lot of time, you wonder if people really care and if people are actually thinking about you. it makes me feel much better when i see things like this. >> i have deployed, too, and it brings memories back just to see these names on the walls. and to see some of the paintings that they have done -- it's remarkable. what really impressed me the most is that our kids are taking the time to do this. >> this is truly incredible to think that basically sixth through eighth graders did all this. you know, just to know that the younger generation really, you know, appreciates the sacrifice

of those who have gone before them is really humbling. >> at the school assembly earlier that morning, one of the guests sang a song she had written. >> ♪ my memory of you will never fade ♪ the song is about what it means to never forget. and what the words really indicate is that the people who we've lost still exist in our lives. they're not forgotten, and that's what this song is all about. ♪ you sacrificed that day ♪ you're gone but not forgotten ♪ ♪ and no matter how many years ♪ my memory of you will never fade ♪ >> i really want to honor these people, and i want to learn more. >> the mural project has been going on for more than 10 years. recently, they've chosen a new hallway to honor the first responders of superstorm sandy. for "teen kids news," i'm eric.

>> this important message is brought to you by the national road safety foundation. ♪ [ text messages whooshing ] [ bonk! ] [ whooshing continues ] [ bonk, bonk ] [ sloop! ] [ crash! ] >> don't go anywhere. there's lots more to tell you about on "teen kids news."

>> here's another report in our series on first-aid basics.

>> okay, so, i come in from playing outside, and i find there's a tick on me. what do i do? >> don't panic. ticks are mostly just an ugly nuisance. but we do want to get rid of them. so take a pair of tweezers, grasp it near the head, as close to your skin as you can, slowly and firmly pull until it lets go. then put it in a sealable container -- i'll tell you why in a second. meanwhile, wash the area with soap and water. apply antiseptic or antibiotic ointment. and look for symptoms like rash, flu-like symptoms, or joint pain. if you experience any of those, go see a doctor and bring that tick you saved with you. they're gonna want to analyze it. >> so, what are they checking for? >> well, ticks carry illnesses like lyme disease, rocky mountain spotted fever. >> how do we avoid ticks? >> well, they like to be in the woodsy areas and high-grass areas.

in that kind of environment, wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants, and preferably make them light-colored so you can see the dark tick and if it's attached to you. also, pull your hair back in a ponytail and wear a cap. don't forget your insect repellent. >> and every time you come home, you should check yourself and your pets carefully. and don't wait -- time may be tick-ing. for "tkn," i'm emily. >> this contest reminder is brought to you by the national underground railroad freedom center in partnership with the american public education foundation. if you can draw, paint, or take a photo, then listen up. the picture freedom art contest is for you. sponsored by toyota, the contest is open to students in grades 9 to 12. all you have to do is submit original artwork that you feel honors the importance of freedom. you can find the contest rules and how to enter at freedomcenter.org. there's also a link on our website. the prize for first place is $3,500.

the second-place winner gets $2,000. and third place gets $1,000. there are also lots of $100 prizes. the winning artwork will be on display at the national underground railroad freedom center in cincinnati, ohio, during the month of july. the contest deadline is may 20th, so get those entries in. good luck! >> a dutch firm and a software company are creating a robot that can build bridges. using technology similar to what printers use, the robot shoots out cords of molten steel in intricate patterns. once the steel hardens, the robot moves forward and shoots out more molten metal. it's like a train building its own tracks. the first test will be over an >> coming up, we go to the circus, and i get to meet an elephant.