. >> and i'm siena. we'll start with our top story. >> if you play a sport, you know that having a great coach is really important. but in some communities, coaches are hard to find. libby reports on a game plan to change that. >> sports are more than just fun. kids who play sports are more likely to... >> do better in school. >> they're less likely to... >> abuse drugs. >> or become pregnant. >> and they're less likely to be... >> overweight. >> and yet sports programs in public schools across the country are being... >> reduced! >> cut. >> downsized. >> in fact, almost $4 billion have been cut from sports programs in recent years. especially hard hit are kids in poor areas. only 3% of them get to play organized sports. as a result, there are lots of kids out there who want to play sports but don't have what they need most -- coaches to work with them. that's where an organization called up2us comes in. >> up2us was started because we know that kids all over america, particularly in our cities here, nee

. >> and i'm siena. we'll start with our top story. >> a lot of us join walkathons because we have a personal connection to the cause. but as emily reports, one boy's connection is not only personal, it's amazing. >> there's always excitement when an event like this is about to begin. the crowds, the signs, the different groups with their team shirts. >> let's go! [ cheers and applause ] >> this one-mile march is to raise money for the maria fareri children's hospital in new york's westchester county. it's also raising awareness about the need for transplant donors. that's why it's so special that 11-year-old tyler is here. this is not the first walkathon for tyler. the last time he joined this event, he was just hours from undergoing surgery for a new liver. >> i was really sick, you know? so i had to get a liver transplant. >> tyler had been battling a liver disease for years, and it was getting worse. to get a donated liver, you need to be on a national list. for tyler, time was running out. the hospi

. >> and i'm siena. we'll start with our top story. >> five years ago, we told you about the big step one city took to help the environment. brandon reports that more and more communities are now taking up the cause. >> they stuff our landfills, tangle in our trees, and they kill sea birds and mammals. plastic bags -- ever year, we use and throw away millions of them. >> plastic bags are a huge litter problem throughout the world. >> we interviewed mr. bloomenfeld back in 2007 when san francisco became the first city in the u.s. to ban plastic bags. large stores were not allowed to offer them to customers. the ban was a success. so the city then voted to expand it to every store in town. now communities all across the country are hopping on the "ban" wagon. the day after rye, new york, passed its law against plastic bags, teens were handing out green alternatives. >> there are no more plastic bags going to be offered in stores, so we're helping people out by giving them reusable bags. >> reusable bags ar

you guys -- you got the first sit down post election interview with obama campaign manager jim mess siena, a guy called a genius after the way the obama campaign won the election. he talked about how republicans were surprised democrats had methodical, kind of corporate style campaign. here's a little bit of that interview. >> the best example that i heard was, friend of mine was in wisconsin the week before the election and he called and let me tell you the story about why i think you're running a smarter campaign. i was told to knock on two doors. one was to chase an absentee ballot and i watched the person fill it out and we mailed it together, the second one an undecided voter i was giving a very specific persuasion script, had a great conversation and i'm sure that person is going to vote for us on election. one block, only two doors. that is using volunteer's times more wisely. honoring them, saying to them, every contact you're going to make is going to matter to us. and i think it allowed us to hit more doors and more effective doors than the romney campaign. >> mike, is it fair t