(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.

(energetic rock music) - Hi, and welcome to "Teen Kids News." I'm Luke. We've got a lot to cover on this week's show. So let's get started. Here's our top story.

(bouncy upbeat music)

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

This report is brought to you by The NSRF, The National Road Safety Foundation. The Washington D.C. area is famous for being the home of our federal government. It's also the home to someone who may not be famous, but deserves to be-- the winner of this year's Drive Safe D.C. Contest.

(Describer) Ava.

- That's right, Luke. 15-year-old Gabriela, Gabi to her friends, came up with this year's best idea for a public service announcement, warning teens not to drive distracted. As a part of her prize, Gabi got to work with an Emmy-winning production team to create her PSA. Hi, Gabi, and congratulations. - Thank you.

(Describer) On a screen.

- Before we talk about how well the video shoot went, tell us about how you first learned about the contest. - A friend actually sent me the link, knowing that I liked to produce and direct. - What was the concept for the PSA? - My concept for the PSA was a, sort of, domino effect. So we see the mother and the son driving, and the mother starts to text and drive and she says, "No, it's okay, I got it, it's easy." And then the son repeats the same exact line to his sister, and then the sister repeats the same exact line to her friend, and it results in a crash. - That's a clever idea. How did you learn that yours was the winning idea? - I got a call actually. I was in my room doing my makeup and I got the call and I freaked out. - You freaked out? What was exactly your reaction? - Well, I saw that the call was from New York, so I answered it and then I started, like, jumping in my room and I, like, ran downstairs and I told my mom. - What were the prizes you won? - I won a scholarship for $2,000, and then I got to work with producers to actually produce my PSA. - Let's talk about that. Tell us about the video shoot. What happened first? - [Gabi] So we met this morning at the school and we had a meeting with the producers, and then the cast came and we rehearsed the lines with them. - You want me to get it? - Hey, I got it, sis, it's easy. - And then we went down into the parking lot at the school and we started to practice and film and test equipment. Action! - [Ava] What was your role during the video shoot? - [Gabi] I was, kind of, the assistant director. I got to make sure the actors knew their lines and practiced, and make sure that we kept the correct time. - You were also the casting director. Who did you choose to be the actors, and why'd you choose them? - I chose a lot of my friends, actually, but I am interested in theater, so a lot of my friends act and want to go into this field, so I chose them. Three, two, one. Beep. - [Actress] Oh, do you want me to get it? - I can do it, it's easy. - What were the most interesting things you learned about video production? - I think it was that there's so much equipment-- that I had no idea all this equipment existed, so that was really cool. - [Crew Member] What do you think?

(Describer) On a smartphone.

- It's good, it looks really cool. - All right. - You got to work with an Emmy-Award-winning TV crew. What was that like? - Kind of scary at first, but they were all really, really, really nice, so it was really exciting. - Speaking of exciting, in addition to your roles as an assistant director and as a casting director, you also got a taste of what it's like to be a TV reporter. - Yes, I interviewed the sheriff outside of the school and I got to ask him questions, and that was really cool. As a police officer, what do you think of the contests like these that encourage teens to create safe-driving PSAs?

(Describer) Mike Chapman.

- Well, congratulations, by the way, Gabi, on this contest, on being a contest winner. I think it's terrific. It's terrific to get the teenagers involved because it's their safety that we're talking about and the safety of others. So anything that we can do to make sure that they're engaged and they understand the rules of the road and safe driving, extremely important, and it's great for everybody to be involved, especially teenagers. - Nice job. So do you have any desire to go into video production as a career? - I'm not sure yet, but something involving producing. - What are you going to do with the $2,000 you won?

- Probably put it to college. (giggling) - All right, well we wish you the best of luck. Thanks for talking with us. - Thank you. - The National Road Safety Foundation sponsors contests like these all across the country. Check out NRSF.org to find one you can enter. Now, let's take a look at Gabi's finished PSA. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Ava.

(Describer) In a woman's car, a smartphone lights up.

(bouncy playful music)

(cell phone beeping)

(Describer) Her son points.

- Mom, you want me to get it? - I can do it, it's easy.

(Describer) She picks up the phone. Later, her son drives his sister, who takes selfies.

(camera clicking)

(cell phone beeping)

(Describer) His sister points.

- Do you want me to get that? - I got it, sis, it's easy.

(Describer) He picks up the phone. Later, his sister drives a friend, who applies lip gloss.

(cell phone beeping) - Do you want me to get it? - No, I can do it, it's easy.

(car honking) (tires squealing)

(Describer) Images appear of the sister, son, mother. Be a good "road" model. Don't text and drive.

(car crashing loudly)

(Describer) Luke

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

(Describer) Coming Up: Soccer Legend Brandi Chastain .

On the heels of the historic fourth World Cup win by the U.S. women's soccer team, the sport has never been more popular. Emily got the chance to interview one of the all-time greatest players in women's soccer, Brandi Chastain.

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(Describer) Students play soccer and tennis.

- On just about any given school day, you'll see teens doing sports. Soccer, football, basketball, tennis, track, swimming, to name just a few. That's not remarkable; what is remarkable is that if it weren't for a little-known federal law, today most of those sports would probably be closed to girls. Known as Title IX, the law was passed in 1972. Among other things, it forced public schools across the country to afford girls the same opportunities as boys to participate in sports. To give you an idea of how much has changed because of the law, before Title IX, only about 300,000 girls played sports in high school. Right after the law went into effect, that 300,000 rocketed to more than three million female high school athletes. Few have benefited more from Title IX than Brandi Chastain. Though she was born a few years before Title IX went into effect, it was in full force by the time Brandi was ready to start school. Not only did Brandi grow up playing soccer, she's credited with helping to increase its popularity. In the 1999 World Cup, Brandi's shootout goal won the championship for team USA. Suddenly, soccer was one of America's fastest-growing sports for girls. I had the opportunity to talk with Brandi during a recent press event. Why is soccer such a great sport for young girls? - Oh, man, Emily, soccer's such a great sport for so many reasons. Let's see, one, it helps you be healthy. Two, it helps you with time-management skills. So you have soccer and you have school, and you have to be organized. You have to be a good communicator to play team sports and soccer, specifically. You need to know what it's like to make decisions under pressure. Soccer gives that to you-- you're gonna have that in your real life. Statistics say that girls who participate in team sports are happier, they're more self-confident, they're willing to have their voice heard, and the list goes on and on and on. So all these wonderful things that soccer provides, that go off the field, that are really so necessary for these young people as they mature and get older. - How does it make you feel to see so many girls interested in and playing soccer? - I'm gonna tell you a little secret, that I get very emotional when I see so many girls wearing their favorite team's jerseys, or have their own name on the back. I mean, just the thought of hundreds of thousands, millions of girls playing soccer. It just, I have goose bumps, like, I mean, just the-- it just didn't seem like it was something in my lifetime, but I didn't think about it in that way when I started playing; I just, I loved playing! And I know that there's lots of girls that are just like me. Who just love to go outside, they'll chase that ball, they'll play with their friends, they have a smile on their face, they fall down, they get up, they're tough, they're resilient. They're amazing, right? So every young girl I have a chance to meet, it's like we have a personal connection because I'm just like them.

(Describer) Emily nods.

- And what was it like to win a gold medal? - Oh, I don't know, but what is it like to wear one?

(Describer) Brandi hangs her medal around Emily's neck.

Look at that!

(Describer) Emily beams.

Oh, I don't know, how does it feel to wear a gold medal?

(laughing) Does it feel good? - Yeah! - It's heavy, right? - It is. - What was it like to win a gold medal? It was amazing. You know, obviously the gold medal is representative of a long process, a long journey of teamwork and excellence and, you know, just all the stuff that you love about the game, and then you get pushed to your maximum, and you have to, you know, be tough at times, and you have to be compassionate, and you have to be resilient. And then at the end when the whistle blows and your team has won, you get to celebrate and that, and hear the national anthem, that is spectacular. Spectacular. And then they put that medal around your neck. Nothing like it. - What advice do you have for young girls who play soccer? - Well, I think my advice to young girls-- it just doesn't apply to soccer, it applies to everything in life, which is when you find something that you love, be unapologetic about spending time doing it. Because if someone says, "Oh, you shouldn't be doing that." You know, what? They don't see your vision, they don't know your passion. So love what you do and when you do something over time, results will come your way. It's inevitable, you know, all that practice and all the fun you have on the field, it will show the results if you're diligent and you do quality work. Good things will come your way. - Getting to wear a gold medal was certainly a good thing to come my way, but Brandi had one more surprise in store. - You look quite nice in your uniform wearing - that gold medal. - Thank you. - Here, let me hold this. - Okay.

(Describer) Brandi takes Emily's microphone.

- Emily? - Yes. - Turn towards the camera, please. What do you think it takes to win a gold medal? - Determination, definitely, and really wanting to get it. - And what do you think that you can do every day to improve your soccer game? - I can definitely practice on my own even every day. - Give me a specific thing that you can do that will help you, but also will help your team. - Well, against the garage, passing the ball, like, to make sure it's perfect. - Listen to that. There you go, ladies, that's for you straight from Emily, the gold medalist.

(Describer) Emily smiles brightly.

- Thank you. Brandi's not just a sports legend, she's also a great person and a great role model. Every girl who plays a sport, especially soccer, owes a very deep debt of gratitude to Brandi, her USA teammates, and Title IX. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Emily.

(Describer) A dark-haired girl.

- Coming up, I have some extra advice on some extracurriculars. "Teen Kids News" will be right back.

(Describer) Picking the Right Activity.

(Describer) Luke.

- Lots of little things can add up to success in school. Christin has advice on how to Make the Grade. - No question, most of us deal with a lot of pressure. There's the pressure to get good grades. Pressure to excel in sports or the arts. Pressure to have, not just lots of extracurriculars, but to have the right extracurriculars. It's this last point I want to talk about. Experts say it's a mistake to choose extracurriculars based on what's going to look good on your college application. Nor should you avoid joining clubs just because you think your friends may not think they're cool. Between schoolwork, homework, and, for some of us, work-work, we don't have a lot of free time, and that's why when it comes to extracurriculars, you should choose activities that you really want to do. Not only will you get more out of them in the long run, you might also make some new friends along the way. I'm Christin, here to help you Make the Grade.

(Describer) Daniella.

- When our parents were growing up, they probably never heard of gluten. - No, I had no idea what gluten was when I was a kid. - No idea about gluten, none. - When I was a kid, if I knew what gluten was? Yeah, no I didn't know that, no. - No. - No. - No. - No. No, we had no idea what gluten was. - Gluten? No, not really. I mean, I ate it, but didn't know what it was.

(Describer) A shopping cart.

- But these days, you can hardly walk down a grocery aisle or read a menu that doesn't mention gluten, though usually in a negative way. As in, doesn't contain gluten or gluten-free. But do you know what gluten is? - Gluten? I think it's some kinda, I don't know. - All I know is some people can't have it in their food. - I don't know exactly what it is, but it's... something found in wheat that some people have sensitivities or allergies to. - Gluten is sort of a family name for proteins in many of the grains we eat. The three most common grains are wheat, barley, and rye. But there are lots of others. Think of gluten as sort of an edible adhesive. In fact, the word comes from, you guessed it, glue. Gluten keeps food from falling apart, and for most of us, there's no problem eating foods with gluten.

(Describer) A person holds their stomach.

But some people are sensitive to gluten, and it may cause them all sorts of medical problems. So they avoid it, but that's tough because gluten is in a surprising variety of foods. For example... - Gluten is in pastries and cereal. - Cakes, croissants, muffins. - Bread and pizza because there's bread with it. - I think bagels. - Pasta. - Crackers. - Just any bread product. - Pizza has it. Cookies has it. - Cookies, candy. - Yes, all correct. Gluten may also be found in pretzels, doughnuts, waffles, granola bars, soups, even candy, just to name a few. So should everyone stop eating things that have gluten? Not necessarily. First of all, you need to speak with your doctor to find out if gluten is a problem for you. If it's not, cutting out all gluten from your diet may cause you to miss out on getting the fiber and nutrients you need. And that might just make you a "gluten" for punishment. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Daniella.

(Describer) A long-haired girl.

- Even if you don't love opera, you'll be fascinated by Paris's amazing Opera House. It also may be the home of the real Phantom of the Opera. That story is coming up next on "Teen Kids News."

(Describer) Phantom's Home?

(Describer) Luke.

While popular music today features stars like Taylor Swift and Shawn Mendes, back in the 1800s the stars of popular music were opera singers. Opera was so popular, in fact, that the places where it was performed were built to be more like palaces than music halls.

(Describer) A montage of images, including the Eiffel Tower, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the painted ceiling of the Opera Garnier . Over blue, white, and red panels: "Vive la France." The opera building features columns, arches, and sculptures.

(triumphant orchestral music) - The stunning Paris Opera House owes its creation to an assassination attempt.

(Describer) An oil painting.

In 1858, bomb-throwing radicals tried to kill Napoleon III as his carriage arrived for a night at the opera. Although hundreds were hurt, the emperor escaped unharmed.

(Describer) Emily.

To avoid future attacks, he wanted a new opera house, one that would have a private and enclosed entrance.

(Describer) A photograph.

So a competition was held and more than 170 architects submitted plans. Surprisingly, a young and unknown architect, Charles Garnier, won, and his design would be the wonder of the opera world. Affectionately called the Palais Garnier in honor of its architect, it took 14 years to build.

(Describer) The stone building gleams in the sunlight. An angelic statue holds a harp.

(upbeat enchanting music) The outside is intricately decorated with columns and sculptures of famous figures in music and mythology, but if you think this is over the top, wait till you see what's inside.

(Describer) Painted ceilings, chandeliers, and marble stairs.

The grand stairway will take your breath away, especially if you try to run up and down its marble steps a few times. Climbing these stairs, you'll notice how low each step is. That was to protect a lady's modesty. Even though women wore long gowns, regular-height steps might have exposed an ankle, a definite no-no back in those very strait-laced days. Surrounding the grand stairway are small balconies for people watching. It seems that seeing who else was attending was as important as seeing the actual opera. To the left of the stairway is one of the jewels of Palais Garnier, the Baroque-style Grand Foyer, all a glitter and aglow in gold.

(upbeat orchestral music)

(Describer) Shining golden columns, statues, and frames surround paintings on walls and ceiling, depicting people and mythological creatures.

As Cogsworth would say, "If it's not Baroque, don't fix it!" The lush, 2,000-seat auditorium boasts one of the largest stages in the world. In 1964, the ceiling was repainted by French artist Marc Chagall. At the time, some critics complained that Chagall's modern style clashed with the richly opulent auditorium. Guess this could be a case of some people saying, "If it's not Baroque, do fix it." Apparently the supporters of Chagall won; his painted ceiling remained.

(Describer) Bright colors contrast with gold fixtures.

(lively orchestral music) Garnier not only designed the building, the architect also designed its massive seven-ton chandelier. If you saw the play or movie "Phantom of the Opera," you'll remember the chandelier played a key role.

(Describer) In the 1925 film, a chandelier falls on the audience.

In fact, in real life, part of the massive chandelier did indeed fall and killed a worker. Long before it was a play, "The Phantom of the Opera" was a book, published in 1911 by Gaston Leroux. Interestingly, Leroux would make one of Paris's most beautiful locations the home of one of Paris's ugliest literary characters.

(Describer) Lon Chaney as the Phantom.

The story of the phantom is kept very much alive at the Opera House. Box number five is permanently reserved for him. So was there ever a real phantom? Leroux claims there was. Rejected by the woman he loved, the phantom supposedly starved himself to death in his underground hideaway. Eerily, a skeleton was reportedly found in the cellar years ago. Gives you the chills, doesn't it? For "Teen Kids News," I'm Emily.

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(Describer) A statue of a bearded man. Coming Up: Making a Difference.

(Describer) Sebastian.

- You may know the famous director George Lucas for his stellar work on the "Star Wars" saga, but did you know he's giving most of his fortune to education? Lucas says, "We have to plan for our future, "and the first step is the tools we provide to our children." And Lucas was as good as his word; he started a foundation that encourages innovation in schools. After years of success from the "Star Wars" franchise, in 2012, Lucas sold his studio to Disney for an estimated $4.5 billion. That's more than four times what all eight "Star Wars" movies cost to make combined! He then donated that money to his foundation and created a website called Edutopia. Its mission is to focus on changing education so all students can acquire skills to thrive in their studies and lives. That just goes to show that you don't have to be from a galaxy far, far away to make a huge difference right here on Earth. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Sebastian.

(Describer) Luke.

- And that's it for this week's show, thanks for watching. We'll be back with more "Teen Kids News" next week, so make sure you tune in.

(Describer) Producer: Marilou Yacoub . Director/Writer: Alan J. Weiss. Created by Executive Producers Albert T. Primo and Alan J. Weiss. Copyright Eyewitness Kids News LLC, 2020. Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education. A logo: Alan Weiss Productions.

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