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(Describer) In computer animation, different news scenes in rectangles move fast around a turning globe. In front of a blue background with a triangle and circle, title: Teen Kids News. A boy sits at a desk with monitors behind him.

LUKE: Hi. I'm Luke and this is Teen Kids News. Let's begin with this week's top story.

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(Describer) The Teen Kids News logo is on curved screens that form a turning cylinder. Passing around it, title: Top Story.

We're going to bring up an unpleasant topic, but it's an important one that we shouldn't close your eyes to, teen suicide. As Emily reports, it's a tragedy that is often preventable.

(Describer) Emily stands by a monitor.

EMILY: That's right, suicide is preventable. That's why it's so important to know the warning signs and what we can do to help prevent it.

(Describer) On a screen.

Dr. Danielle Forshee is a psychologist who works with teens. Welcome.

DANIELLE FORSHEE: Hi. Thank you for having me.

EMILY: How common is suicide among teens?

(Describer) Words appear.

DANIELLE FORSHEE: Suicide is extremely common. It is actually the second leading cause of death of teens between the age of 15 and 19. And stats are suggesting that it's on the rise for 12-year-old to 14-year-olds.

EMILY: Why would someone want to commit suicide?

DANIELLE FORSHEE: That's a very complicated question. There's a lot of theories about that. One of the most prevalent or popular theories has to do with depression. So when people get depressed what happens is that they start to feel sad. They start to not feel themselves. They start to lose pleasure and interest in a lot of activities that they once found really pleasurable. They suddenly don't feel excited anymore to do those things and what happens is that this almost creates-- like if you could picture walking around in fog, and it creates that hopelessness. And the fog makes it really hard. It's like the fog is in front of their face and around them. And it makes it so hard to see any light or any future. It makes it very difficult for people to know that there could be an OK ending or that things can be all right.

EMILY: What are the warning signs to look for?

DANIELLE FORSHEE: Sure. So a lot of the warning signs have to do with a significant change or drastic change in behavior. And you know what your friends are like, right? So we know that if our friends are usually excitable, they're happy about things, they're engaged in things, they're going to social outings or hanging out with their friends, they're doing their sports and their hobbies and their grades are great, then that's what they're like. But if we start seeing a lot of significant changes that are different. Let's say they stop caring about school, or they stop caring about going to the sport that they once loved, or they stop hanging out with their friends and they no longer really involve themselves in anything anymore, or they stop really talking about things, or they start giving some of the things away that they know are important to them. Let's say they have their favorite soccer ball that was signed by someone really famous and all of a sudden they start trying to give that stuff away. Those kinds of things are warning signs. Even things like if someone comes to you and tells you that they feel like maybe life isn't worth living. Those are important things to take seriously.

EMILY: If we think someone we know is showing these signs and maybe thinking about suicide, what can we do?

DANIELLE FORSHEE: Sure. So the first thing to do is note that if they come to you, it's because they trust you. And it's really important to be there for them and listen to them from a nonjudgmental stance. What that means is, don't try to sit there and make it better. And don't try to tell them or ask them why they're feeling this way because it's probably going to shut them down. You want them to keep talking and you want them to trust you still with this information. So they're going to talk to you. You want to listen to them. You want to ask questions to understand more about why they're feeling that way, what happened, or what they're thinking. And then you want to help encourage to get them to a trusted adult. This could look like, in school you could help bring them down to guidance. If they don't want to do that, That's OK. Who in their life do they trust? Is there a neighbor? Is there the nanny, or the family friend, or an older brother or sister?

EMILY: Good advice. Thanks, Dr. Danielle.

DANIELLE FORSHEE: Thank you for having me.

EMILY: One more thing. If you or someone you know is having dark thoughts and don't want to speak to anyone in your community there are two other ways to get help. To talk with a crisis counselor call Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK. Or, if you prefer to text, there's an option. Just text HOME to 741741. Both the text and call options are available seven days a week. For Teen Kids News, I'm Emily.

LUKE: We still have a lot more to tell you about. Teen Kids News will be right back.

(Describer) International Children's Games.

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(Describer) On Teen Kids News, a layer of snow blankets a frozen lake and the roofs of nearby buildings. In the distance, a mountain ridge slopes beneath a blue sky.

LINCOLN NORFOLK: We're looking at the beautiful village of Lake Placid, New York in the Adirondack mountains, where we welcome you all to the 2019 International Children's Games.

(Describer) A twelve-year-old waves.

Hello everyone. I'm Lincoln Norfolk representing the children of these games, and being from Lake Placid, I can say that the community is excited to host you all. Our little town has had some experience with hosting winter events such as the 1932 Winter Olympics, the 1972 World University Games, and then the 1980 Winter Olympics. That included the famous Miracle on Ice where the USA beat the Russians in hockey. If you believe in miracles you are in the right place. We have 33 cities from 14 countries and 448 athletes competing in eight different sports from cross-country and alpine skiing to speed skating and figure skating. Now, let's meet some of these athletes who will welcome us in their own language.

GREECE TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) Greece.

(Describer) Slovenia:

SLOVENIA ATHLETE: [non-english speech]

CANADIAN TEAM: Welcome from Canada.

KOREA TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) Korea.

SWITZERLAND TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) Switzerland.

ICELAND TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) Iceland.

(Describer) Lithuania.

LITHUANIA TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) Estonia.

ESTONIA TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) Thumbs-up. Germany.

GERMANY TEAM; [non-english speech]

CHINA TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) China.

(Describer) Hungary.

HUNGARY TEAM: [non-english speech]

NETHERLANDS TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) Netherlands.

AUSTRIA TEAM: [non-english speech]

(Describer) Austria.

USA TEAM: Welcome to Lake Placid from the host team.

(Describer) U.S.A.

LINCOLN NORFOLK: Then it was on to the opening ceremonies where backstage the kids were all pretty excited about the upcoming Parade of Nations.

[cheering]

Then it was showtime.

[cheering]

(Describer) Teams carry flags.

Do you think they're having any fun? But the most important part of the evening was raising the flag from the Innsbruck Austria delegation where the games were last staged. And then, onto the lighting of the torch, which was done by local resident, Max Flanigan. All in all, it was a great evening in Lake Placid. In our upcoming programs we will be looking at the eight sports that were being staged. In Lake Placid, at the 2019 International Children's Winter Games, I'm Lincoln Norfolk for Teen Kids News.

(Describer) Luke.

LUKE: We've got to take a short break and then we'll be back with more Teen Kids News.

(Describer) No No Nicotine.

If you're a regular viewer of Teen Kids News, you know that we have been reporting on the dangers of using tobacco products. Scott tells us that there are dangers we need to be particularly aware of.

(Describer) A cigarette.

SCOTT: We often hear the word but do you know what nicotine is?

(Describer) A chemical diagram. Nicotine.

STUDENT: I don't really know exactly what it is, but I know you're not supposed to have it. And just can really damage your body.

STUDENT: Nicotine is what gets you addicted to cigarettes.

CHRIS CARROLL: Well, nicotine is a drug.

(Describer) Dr. Carroll.

It's a stimulant. It acts on your central nervous system.

SCOTT: Like heroin or cocaine, nicotine changes the way your brain works. It causes the body to want more and more as you continue to use nicotine. This means nicotine is addictive. But as Dr. Carroll points out, it's even more addictive if you're a teen.

CHRIS CARROLL: Teenagers have a developing brain. And during that developmental period you are much more likely to get addicted to things like nicotine.

SCOTT: To understand what being addicted to nicotine means we need to understand what happens when your body stops getting nicotine.

DANA CAVALLO: So when people quit smoking

(Describer) Dana Cavallo.

they will often experience what we call nicotine withdrawal. That is that they're used to having nicotine onboard. And then when they quit smoking their body sort of has to get used to not having nicotine, so we call this withdrawal.

SCOTT: When you go through withdrawal, you can get cravings. A craving is your brain causing you to want more.

CHRIS CARROLL: So with nicotine, you get a physical craving for another cigarette.

SCOTT: That craving makes it hard to think about anything else. To give you an idea, we asked adults who smoked to describe what nicotine withdrawal feels like.

SUBJECT: It was really hard.

SUBJECT: I've quit about three times in the seven years in which I've been smoking.

SUBJECT: Enormous cravings. Not just craving for cigarettes, but cravings for food.

SUBJECT: Most of it are food, which is not good from my diet.

SUBJECT: Because I was getting headaches. I had anxiety. I was nervous. I was biting my nails.

SUBJECT: You can tell that they're really agitated until they get the cigarette.

SUBJECT: I will get anxious. My craving was for me like I need a cigarette. I need a cigarette.

SCOTT: And unfortunately these symptoms don't go away immediately.

CHRIS CARROLL: If you're addicted to smoking the physical cravings last for about a month. So it takes quite a long time to get unhooked from cigarettes once you're hooked.

SCOTT: And that means all kinds of cigarettes and tobacco products. Even many e-cigarettes or vape pens contain nicotine. For example, here's what one maker of e-cigarettes has printed on its pack.

(Describer) Scott looks at a box.

This product contains nicotine. "Nicotine is addictive and habit forming and is very toxic by inhalation in contact with the skin or if swallowed. Nicotine can increase your heart rate and blood pressure and cause dizziness, nausea and stomach pain. Inhalation of this product may aggravate existing respiratory conditions."

(Describer) He looks up.

Need I say more?

(Describer) Luke.

LUKE: It's time for another important message brought to you by the National Road Safety Foundation.

(Describer) In a car, a woman picks up a smartphone. Holding it against her steering wheel, she taps the screen as she approaches another vehicle ahead. Text messages read, "I'll pick you up." "When?" As the other vehicle looms near her windshield, she types, "Be there "--.

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[cell phone buzzing]

(Describer) A textbook hits a table. On a boy's phone, "Be there at".

EMILY: What if your mom or dad texted while driving and got hurt, or worse? Imagine how you would feel.

STUDENT: Is everything all right?

STUDENT: I don't know.

EMILY: That's why they don't want you to text and drive.

LILA: Up next on Teen Kids News, another reason to love tennis.

(Describer) Lila.

We'll be right back.

(Describer) The Tennis Advantage.

Tennis has been called the white sport. One of the reasons is probably because players were expected to wear all white at Wimbledon. Started in England in the late 1800s, Wimbledon is the world's oldest tennis competition. But tennis is also an expensive sport. Between gear, clothes and lessons, you could be looking at several hundred dollars a year. And that brings us to our HooplaHa pick of the week video. We're going to meet a young lady whose life was changed by the JTCC. That stands for the Junior Tennis Champion Center. With their help she learned the sport and she learned a lot about herself in the process.

(Describer) Robin Montgomery.

ROBIN MONTGOMERY: Tennis makes me feel free.

(Describer) She leaps up to hit a ball.

I forget everything that's happening outside of tennis and it just lets me be myself on court.

GABBY MONTGOMERY: JTCC has played

(Describer) Gabby Montgomery.

a huge role in Robin's life. It is definitely a home away from home. Her relationship with her primary coach, Ali, is amazing.

(Describer) Ali Agnamba:

ALI AGNAMBA: I think we try to give the players here something very unique.

(Describer) Ali stands behind Robin as she serves the ball.

To make them to be a good human being, not just a good tennis player.

ROBIN MONTGOMERY: When you're here

(Describer) He grins.

it's just this one big family. It's a second home and that's one reason why I love it so much.

(Describer) In a photograph, one-year-old Robin stands on a lawn with a young woman beside her.

GABBY MONTGOMERY: Robin's father and I divorced when she was about two and he has not been in the picture ever since. So it has been myself and of course, it takes a village. So again, JTCC has become part of that village here. She started three days a week training when she was real small. And then really quickly began to show some natural talent.

(Describer) Robin poses with trophies.

ALI AGNAMBA: She was full of energy. And she just can't wait to get back in line to hit a ball. And when you see a kid that's 6-years-old they're kind of wandering around. She wasn't anything like that. She was just ready to hit the ball, so yeah. I kind of introduced myself and then I told her to tell her mom that there's a coach that will be interested in coaching her. And that's how we get started.

(Describer) Robin and Ali stand smiling together.

ROBIN MONTGOMERY: I am ranked number nine nationally in the 14 and under. I play every day a week. And the minimum of hours I play will be two hours, and maximum hours is four hours.

(Describer) Robin's mouth opens fiercely.

The first year of homeschooling was hard. It was hard transitioning to being on your own schedule, not having that many friends outside of tennis. But now, I think I've gotten better at measuring my time and stuff, when I need to do homework, when I should be on court.

ALI AGNAMBA: She asked me, what do I have to do to have a really good serve? I was like you have to hit 5,000 serves in 60 days. And she did that. She counted every serve that she hit and she accomplished that. So that says a lot about [inaudible]..

(Describer) Robin hits another serve.

ROBIN MONTGOMERY: I do dream a lot of becoming a professional tennis player. Yeah. I think most people think physical is the main part of tennis but it's actually having a strong mental part of the game too. So I'm working on like mostly mental stuff.

ALI AGNAMBA: If the right things are put together I think the sky is the limit. She can go very far with tennis.

(Describer) JTCC Senior Director Vesa Ponkka.

VESA PONKKA: We are non-profit. And we started because we all know how extremely expensive it is to train tennis players. Tennis is a very expensive sport. And the fact is that there are a lot of kids who cannot afford it. So far we have helped more than 450 players to play college tennis. So we are very proud of that record.

GABBY MONTGOMERY: Not only do they focus on the tennis and the competitive aspect of it, but it's lifelong lessons in problem solving, having excellent character, the sportsmanship. It's a positive part of your life. So this has become that for Robin.

ROBIN MONTGOMERY: I will always remember this place.

(Describer) Kids practice.

It will always be somewhere in my heart. And when I either go to college or go professional, I will definitely come back here and visit.

(Describer) Robin smiles. Lila.

LILA: Located in Maryland the JTCC prides itself on helping talented and motivated kids learn a sport that may help them get accepted to top colleges across the country. You can bet that's a big advantage. With our HooplaHa pick of the week, I'm Lila for Team Kids News.

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(Describer) A viewer email says, “Teen Kids News is an awesome show! I think you all do a great job!” Signed Sharon. Coming up: How to Save on Prom. A woman hangs up a dress.

LUKE: Prom. I bet it'll be a lot of fun, but it can also be a lot of money. But never fear Emily is here with some cost saving ideas from our series Prom Prep 101.

(Describer) The word "PROM" hangs from clothespins. A boy fastens a girl's wrist corsage. Two girls take a selfie. A suit and dress scroll past. Two couples pose. Prom Prep 101. Emily stands in front of glittering gowns.

EMILY: So how much do you think the average teen will spend on prom?

STUDENT: Oh, that's a good question. So my sister went last year and this year. And I want to say probably close to like $500 for prom, maybe a little more even, with like a dress. And you have to shoes and your hair and your makeup and everything, and it's definitely a lot of money. So I'd say between $500 and $600.

STUDENT: It cost a lot for us because we live in a small town. So we had to go like two towns across and all that stuff. So it's a lot of money for gas and then dresses and stuff.

SUBJECT: Oh goodness. Shoot, maybe like $400, $500 maybe. I'm not sure.

EMILY: Actually from the corsage to the limo, and everything in between, the average cost of going to the big end of the year event is more than $900.

STUDENT: Aw geez. That's insane. I have that to look forward to this year, huh?

STUDENT: Wow! That's a lot, yeah. That's a lot of money.

STUDENT: Wow! That's high,

EMILY: Prom expert, Jen Forman, founder of Charlotte's Closet , shares tips on how to save on clothes that rave. Guess we should start with the dress.

JEN FORMAN: Yes, and thank you for having me. The dress is definitely the most expensive part of prom. So we say rent it instead of buying. At Charlotte's Closet, we provide teens with access to borrow designer dresses for all of their special events, including prom, at a discount. So with the money you save you could still rent an after-prom and graduation dress with less than buying one dress.

EMILY: How about shoes? Should we rent those, as well?

JEN FORMAN: Instead of renting shoes, we tell our clients to look at an affordable retailer like JC Penney, who provided all of these shoes today. They retail for under $60 and can certainly be worn after prom. We also have a model, Caylee, who is wearing a beautiful jewel tone dress. And with this option we always say, instead of matching your shoes, choose a muted shoe. So she has on a beautiful muted shoe.

EMILY: That's awesome!

(Describer) Tan-colored.

So do you have any advice on the bag?

JEN FORMAN: Yes. So with the bag there are a few options. First, we say go vintage. That is actually my grandmother's bag. So you could shop your mother or your grandmother's closet and be sure to find something that is back in style. And again, you can look towards the affordable retailers. Caylee is modeling a handbag from JC Penney. There is another option over here, as well. And again, those are affordable.

EMILY: That's awesome, as well. So another expense is hair and makeup. How can we go styling without breaking the piggy bank?

JEN FORMAN: Yes. So we say make a party. Grab your best girlfriends. Those with hair and makeup expertise is a plus. And make a party and help each other. Another great option is to actually visit a makeup counter at a department store, where you can, with a simple purchase of a lipstick or a blush, ask one of their experts for a quick makeup application.

EMILY: That's awesome. So let's talk about the guys. Are there ways to save on the tux rental?

JEN FORMAN: Yes. You can always look for group discounts or promo codes, and you'll be sure to find some options for guys.

EMILY: It's part of the tradition

(Describer) A website.

that the guy gives his prom date a corsage, but that can cost up to $30 or $40. What's your advice?

JEN FORMAN: I say DIY. Shop your local supermarket. Pick up some fresh flowers. Go on YouTube. Check out a video. And there you can find ways to make a simple and inexpensive corsage.

EMILY: That's so nice. So now that you're all dressed up and ready to go, if you hire a limo it can easily cost up to $100 per hour. Do you think it's worth it?

JEN FORMAN: I don't. We say lose the limo and maybe ask a family member for a ride to prom.

EMILY: Thank you so much for these amazing tips for prom. That's so helpful.

JEN FORMAN: Thank you.

EMILY: You don't have to spend a lot to look great at prom.

(Describer) Emily smiles.

After all, what's most important is having a good time and being safe, and that's priceless. With Prom Prep 101, I'm Emily for Teen Kids News.

LUKE: Well, that completes our show for this week,

(Describer) Luke.

but we'll have another episode of Teen Kids News next week. Bye for now.

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(Describer) Credits appear: Producer: Marilou Yacoub. Director/Writer: Alan J. Weiss. Production Assistance Provided by: The National Road Safety Foundation. For more information visit: TEENLANE.ORG and CHARLOTTES-CLOSET.COM. Created by Executive Producers Albert T. Primo and Alan J. Weiss. Copyright Eyewitness Kids News LLC, 2019. primonews@aol.com. 1-203-637-0044. Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education. A logo: Alan Weiss Productions.