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(Describer) In computer animation, different news scenes in rectangles move fast around a turning globe.

(Describer) In front of a blue background with a triangle and circle, title: Teen Kids News. A girl sits at a desk with monitors behind her.

- Hi, you're watching "Teen Kids News." I'm Christin. Let's start with our top story for this week.

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

(upbeat music) What do you think are the top issues on the minds of students applying to college? Katie finds out. - Since 2003, The Princeton Review has been asking students and their parents about their college expectations. The answers are compiled each year in the college Hopes & Worries survey. To share some of the 2020 surveys findings is Rob Franek, editor in chief at The Princeton Review. Rob, how many participated in the survey? - Well, it's approximately 177,000 students since the creation of the survey. But this past year was a little over 13,000 students that participated and their parents. So, it's 80% students and 20% parents. I understand the survey has 15 to 20 questions that are multiple choice, except for one. - That's true, the majority of the questions are multiple choice and then we have one question that's a fill-in-your-blank for, what is your dream college? - We'll come back to that in a minute. But first, what did you find about college application stress? - Probably, not surprising to anybody listening to this broadcast, is that stress levels are high and very high; 72% of all of the students and their parents reported high or very high. And that's interesting because in 2003, when we first started the survey, that same percentage was just 56%. - From 56% to 72%. That's a pretty big increase. What was the leading cause of stress about applying? - The number-one cause that's causing that stress is going to be standardized tests, and those standardized tests, we're just gonna say them out loud, the SAT, the ACT and AP exams. A whopping 40% of the survey takers, students and parents, were concerned about those standardized tests. - When it comes to what is the biggest hope, didn't financial aid top the list? - Absolutely, 87% of the students and parents that completed the survey said that financial aid was gonna be very or extremely necessary. And then even 12% of survey respondents said it was going to be somewhat necessary. If you report all that together, that's 99% of all the students and parents that completed the survey said that financial aid was going to be an issue and they hoped to receive it. - Guess we don't need a college degree to figure out what the biggest worry is. - Biggest worry--and this is several years running consistently-- is the level of debt that students and their parents would assume to pay for college. That's 44% in this survey data this year; 29% of the students and said their biggest fear was getting into their first-choice schools, but not being able to pay for it. - Going back to that one question that wasn't multiple choice, the survey asked, What are your dream colleges? - What were the top five most students wished they could attend? - Number one on that list of dream colleges is again, this year, it's Stanford University. And, of course, that's in California; a little over 45,000 students applied to Stanford this past academic year, 4.2% of whom were accepted. Harvard college, of course in Massachusetts. University of California, Los Angeles, which received more college applications last year than any other school on the planet-- 114,000 college applications. Then, of course, number four, MIT-- Massachusetts Institute of Technology. And number five, my home city, New York University. - Thanks for sharing the survey results with us, Rob. - You're welcome, pleasure to be here. - Here's one more interesting finding from the survey. Students and parents were asked, What is a school's ideal distance from home? The most common answer from parents was fewer than 250 miles. Asked the same question, most students answered more than 250 miles. Now really, are you surprised? For "Teen Kids News," I'm Katie. - Coming up, the inspiring story of a girl who remembers the people who are too often forgotten. We'll be right back.

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(Describer) Spinning with the triangle and circle, title: Teen Kids News. Sol:

There are many ways you can find a good deed to do, through your school, place of worship, or a service organization. But for 12-year-old Ruby from Harrison, Arkansas, her inspiration for doing good came while she was walking down the street. - I saw a woman who was looking out the window, and I learned that she only received $40 a month to spend on herself and her dog, and I felt like I had to do something. - So what Ruby did was to become an activist for people who live in nursing homes. So, I asked them, if you could have any three things, what would you like? And then I grant those wishes, and they're always small. They're not like cars or big houses. We give them new shoes. We give them blankets and just decorations to put in their room, and food 'cause they really like food. - Ruby says, the little thing she's able to do for the residents make a real difference in their lives. - [Ruby] It makes them a whole bunch happier. It highlights their week. And they're so happy just to get those simple things that they wanted. - Ruby is proof that you don't need a big or complicated project to bring a smile to someone's face. Just doing some little things for people in your own neighborhood can make a big difference. To find out about other kids who are making a difference, check out the book, "Inspiring Stories." For "Teen Kids News," I'm Sol.

(Describer) A photo shows someone's eye close-up. It's turned and an anatomical illustration of an eye is pointed at it. Title: Now Eye Know. Spelled e-y-e.

- About 20% of all kids in America wear glasses or contact lenses. In fact, the number of kids needing eyewear has increased a lot in recent years. So, with so many of us depending on vision correction, how can we know when we need a new prescription?

(Describer) Benjamin:

Joining us again is Dr. Rani Banik. So Doc, what's your advice? - Well, the best way to know if you need glasses or a new prescription is if you look at something regularly every day, and if it starts to look blurry, then perhaps it's time to go see your eye doctor and get your glasses checked. Or if you're reading and things just are not clear. If you're having trouble focusing, you're starting to get headaches. Those are all potential reasons why you may need to go see your eye doctor and get your glasses checked. - If we don't upgrade our prescription, as often as we're supposed to, will that do lasting damage? - Fortunately not; it won't cause any permanent damage, but it will make you feel uncomfortable. So, if you're not seeing clearly, definitely go get it checked out. - Thanks, Doc. - Thank you, thanks for having me. - By the way, the word "glasses" is technically not correct. While eye glasses used to be made out of glass, today most are made with lenses that are plastic. Just thought you'd want to know that. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Benjamin.

(Describer) Christin:

- If you're a new driver, there's a lot to keep in mind. That's why we're bringing you this driving tip from the National Road Safety Foundation.

(Describer) A young man drives with a small dog resting tied to seat belts in the back seat.

(Describer) In a holder on the dash, a message appears on a phone. He reaches for it.

(Describer) He stops.

- Hey buddy, what's wrong?

(Describer) The dog keeps watching.

(phone pings)

(Describer) Another message comes up and he reaches again.

(barking)

(Describer) He stops again.

Okay, you're right, I'll wait. It's too dangerous to text and drive.

(Describer) Later, in a yard, they play.

Come here, come here. Good boy, good boy.

(Describer) Title: Best friends don't let best friends text and drive.

- If you want to see the latest NRSF videos and get more info on driving safely, be sure to like, follow and subscribe to the National Road Safety Foundation. - Coming up, I'll tell you why the Washington Monument is two different colors. "Teen Kids News" will be right back.

(Describer) Title: Coming up, Monumental Pause. Christin:

- The tallest structure in Washington, DC, isn't a skyscraper. It's a monument to a man called the father of our country. Ava has this report. - As we all know, George Washington served as commander-in-chief of our nation's military during the Revolutionary War. In 1789, he became the first president of the United States.

(Describer) He's shown in paintings.

At his funeral, Washington was remembered as being "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." That's why it's fitting that the monument to Washington sits right at the heart of our National Mall, Pretty much midway between the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. The original design called for a building to circle the base of a tall obelisk, but to save costs, the building was eliminated. Enough donations were raised for the construction to begin in 1848, but 36 years would pass before it was finished. That's because work halted when the donations ran out and the Civil War began. When construction finally resumed, the workers had to use granite from a different quarry. In fact, if you look closely, you'll see the stone actually changes color about a third of the way up. When completed in 1884, the Washington Monument soared a record-breaking 555 feet high. It was the tallest structure in the world, and it held that title for five years until the Eiffel Tower was built. The monument is hollow, with a stairway and an elevator crammed inside. Windows at the top offer breathtaking views of Washington, DC.

(Describer) A river flows behind the Lincoln Memorial.

Encircling the monument are 50 blocks, one for each U.S. state. And unlike most American flags, these fly 24 hours a day. In 2011, an earthquake caused major damage.

(Describer) Security footage shakes.

It cost $15 million to repair. Half was paid by the government, and, incredibly, the remaining 7.5 million was donated by one person-- billionaire David Rubenstein. Thanks to a special law, the monument is the tallest structure in the city, overlooking everything else.

(Describer) From a distance, the bottom third appears lighter.

Since George Washington was our first president, it's fitting that his was the first memorial to be built on the Mall, and judging by the millions of people who visit each year, the Washington monument is certainly one of the most popular. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Ava.

(Describer) Shane:

- Here's a term we often hear, but do we know what it really means? What's a Baby Boomer? - Baby Boomers, they were born around the late '40s to mid '50s, I wanna say, back when all the soldiers were coming home from World War II. And, well, you know how that works. I don't need to explain that. But the population was at an all-time high, which is why they're called Baby Boomers, because a lots of babies were being born. - Researchers say that a Baby Boomer is anyone born starting around the end of World War II, specifically between the years 1944 and 1964. So our grandparents are probably Baby Boomers. The next generation is called Gen X. They were born between 1965 and 1979. This is where a lot of our parents fit in. Those born between 1980 and 1994 are Millennials. And then comes our generation, those born between 1995 and 2015. - As for our generation, I think we are Generation Z? I hope I'm right. - Our generation is called... - Generation Z, Gen Z. - Yes, we're proud members of Gen Z. Guess we're called Gen Z because we have zest, zip, and zing. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Shane.

(Describer) Parts of a title are drawn in yellow against a brown background. Viewed from further away, Word Wise.

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(Describer) Veronique:

- In Greek mythology, there was a strange creature that was half man and half goat. His name was Pan. Legend has it that Pan liked to scare the living daylights out of travelers who wandered into his woods. He would suddenly jump out from behind a tree, yelling bloody murder. Frightened by Pan, the unlucky travelers would flee for their lives, and that is how the word "panic" came about. With "Word Wise," I'm Veronique.

(Describer) Jackie:

- Girls, here's an easy way to build muscle tone in your arms. Whenever you're about to blow dry or style your hair, first put on wrist weights. The 10 or 15 minutes you spent styling will be time well-spent toning. So, not only will you end up looking better, you'll also be feeling better. And guys, while you probably don't spend 10 minutes a day grooming your hair, there are ways you can do a version of this. For example, wear the weights when doing your household chores. Think of it like the wax-on, wax-off technique but with a bit more muscle. For "Teen kids News," I'm Jackie.

(Describer) A Viewer Email says, "I watched the show today since I was home from work and I have to be honest with you - such a good show! I LOVED the stories! Signed, Giovanna."

- Coming up on "Teen Kids News," I've got a recipe that will help take the bite out of doing homework so don't go away.

(Describer) Title: Energy Bites. Christin:

- We're back in the kitchen with another fun and easy recipe.

(Describer) Cody:

- Sometimes you need a little boost of energy while doing homework. Well, my chocolate orange energy bites should do the trick. Here's what you'll need. First, we're gonna start off with vanilla extract, orange zest, which is just the peel of the orange, and you can use a cheese grater to just grate the peel right off of the orange, followed by orange juice, honey, shredded coconut, peanut butter, instant oats, and chocolate.

(Describer) Melted chips.

Now the first thing you're going to do is you're going to line a sheet tray with parchment paper and keep it to the side. And then you combine all of your ingredients into the same bowl, except for the chocolate.

(Describer) A teaspoon vanilla extract.

(Describer) 2 and a half teaspoons orange zest.

So, all the ingredients,

(Describer) He gathers small bowls.

make sure you clean as you go.

(Describer) He adds a tablespoon of orange juice.

The honey, get a spatula in there,

(Describer) Two tablespoons.

make sure you get it all out.

(Describer) He scoops it out with a rubber spatula.

Shredded coconut.

(Describer) Two tablespoons.

The peanut butter.

(Describer) A half-cup, with the help of the spatula.

And last but not least, the instant oats.

(Describer) A cup. He gathers more small bowls the ingredients were in and puts them away.

And you're just going to combine all of these ingredients in the bowl with your rubber spatula

(Describer) He mixes them.

until it is well combined-- makes a nice dough. So, once you have it all combined in the bowl here, here's where the fun part comes in. So, we're gonna slide this over, bring our cookie sheet onto our counter here. And this is where you get your hands in it. So, here at the CIA, or the Culinary Institute of America, it's a rule that we wear gloves when we're preparing food for other people, but since I'm just showing you how to make these, I'm not going to wear gloves. So, we're going to take about a golf-ball size of the energy bite and roll them into nice uniform balls. Trying to make sure that each is exactly the same size. This is where the fun part comes in.

(Describer) He rolls the dough between his hands to make balls.

It's a little messy, but if you're not having fun in the kitchen, then what's the point?

(Describer) He places each one on the sheet.

(Describer) Later, he keeps making balls.

(Describer) Then he makes the last ones, using up the dough.

And there's our 10 bites. So, the next step is the drizzle the chocolate over the energy bites. And I'm going to show you my technique on how to drizzle. So, we're going to start with a right-angled triangle, a piece of parchment paper, and you're simply just going to roll it up on itself, making a cone shape, and then taking the tail and rolling and rolling it up and then tightening

(Describer) He holds the two closest corners together while wrapping the third.

and then bending it inside of one another.

(Describer) He tucks the third corner in at the top.

Now, this is how you make a cornet, but I already have one here, full of chocolate. And you're going to take this cornet and use a pair of scissors to snip off the end so the chocolate can flow freely. And then once you do that, you're slowly just going to put a little pressure on the cornet and start drizzling,

(Describer) He squeezes.

back and forth on every energy bite

(Describer) Chocolate streams out.

until they are all complete.

(Describer) He goes to the next ball, drizzling the chocolate on top. Keeping the coronet together, he goes to the third ball and squeezes slightly to drizzle some more. He moves onto the next.

(Describer) Later, he finishes the last one.

Now that you have put the chocolate on the energy bites, these energy bites will go in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes just to set up.

(Describer) He takes the sheet of them to the refrigerator and puts it in.

(Describer) Later...

So, these are the finished energy bites, after they've been chilled in the refrigerator. And these energy bites get me through a long day of school or just give me that extra boost to finish throughout the day.

(Describer) He eats one and nods. Christin:

- We have to take a quick break but don't go away because "Teen Kids News " will be right back.

(Describer) Titles: Coming Up, Rising Stars Reveal Scariest Moments.

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(Describer) Spinning with the triangle and circle, title: Teen Kids News.

(Describer) In a pattern of different color squares and rectangles, young people sing in various settings. title: Teen Kids News Rising Stars.

(Describer) Hannah:

- This week, Rising Stars share some of their scariest moments while performing.

(Describer) Title: Scariest Moment as a Performer? Will Muse:

- My first-ever live performance was actually in front of my entire school back when I was around fifth grade. I told my parents that I wanted to perform in the talent show for my school, and I actually played guitar, piano, and I sang a song in that talent show. (singing "Somewhere Over the Rainbow")

(Describer) It's shown in a home video.

So, that was pretty nerve- wracking at the time.

(Describer) In a music video, Penelope Robin performs with three dancers.

(Describer) Robin:

- Probably one time I was performing, and this has never happened to me before, everything went out-- the lights went out, the audio went out, and I just kinda like, I was like...

(Describer) She smiles stiffly.

And I was really nervous, but then I was just like, okay, I'm gonna keep singing, and I kept singing. I actually finished the song 'cause everything went back on, and at the end I was in sync and I felt super cool, and I was like, oh, it's in sync so, yeah.

(Describer) In a scene from Stargirl...

- Oh are you making Courtney got to job too? She can actually have mine. Ms. Hawkins, she likes her paper on the front porch swing and look out for the cat. It's adorable but it's a hell beast.

(Describer) Trae Romano:

We we're sitting at the table and we were all supposed to be eating dinner and everything, blah blah blah. And I reached for the, like, ranch dressing sauce, right? And I opened it, and there's a seal on it and I, so I just, I start doing this like this, right?

(Describer) Shaking it.

And then they're like, "Okay, can we cut? "Is that open? Do you need help with that?" And I was like, I just ruined the take, because you know, I'm an idiot 'cause I, you know, was trying to fake pouring out ranch dressing on my salad.

(Describer) Hannah:

- That must have been embarrassing. Bet you that the person in charge of the props on "Stargirl" got a severe dressing down from the director. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Hannah.

(Describer) Christin:

- Well, that wraps up our show, but we'll be back next week with more "Teen Kids News." See you then.

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(Describer) Titles: Producer: Marilou Yacoub Director/Writer: Alan J. Weiss Camera and Editing: Rick Lavon, David Lauterbach, Alex Mirza Original Theme Music: Michael Karp Created by Executive Producers: Albert T. Primo, Alan J. Weiss Copyright Eyewitness Kids News LLC, 2021. Alan Weiss Productions

- [reporter] Here's a shout-out to PR Newswire for including "Teen Kids News" on their big screen in Times Square, New York City.

(Describer) Accessibility provided by the US Department of Education.