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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 boy sits at a desk with monitors behind him.

Hi, you're watching "Teen Kids News." I'm Luke. We're all very excited to be part of a very special anniversary. This is our 20th season on the air. More on that later in the program, but now let's go to our top story.

(Describer) The Teen Kids News logo is on curved screens that form a turning cylinder. Title: Top Story.

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This report is brought to you by the National Road Safety Foundation. As the driver of a vehicle, you have a lot of responsibilities, following traffic laws, sharing the road, and of course, not doing anything that will be distracting. As a passenger, you also have a responsibility. If you feel the driver is not driving responsibly, you should speak up.

(Describer) Katie:

The latest statistics for traffic crashes reveal something we all need to be aware of. According to the experts, more passengers are killed than drivers. In fact, of all traffic fatalities in 2019, passengers accounted for 62%. Of course, one reason is that while a car has only one driver, it could have two or more passengers. Many of those lives might have been saved had a passenger insisted that the driver slow down, stop texting, or if impaired, not get behind the wheel in the first place.

(Describer) ...Michelle Anderson.

(Katie) And that's why the theme of this year's Drive2Life PSA Contest is Speak up for Safe Driving. The contest is sponsored by the NRSF in partnership with YMI, Young Minds Inspired. YMI is a leading provider of educational outreach programs.

(speaker) We've created materials that encourage passengers to speak up if they feel that they're in a dangerous situation.

(Describer) Colleen Caulfield.

YMI's resources are available to teachers and parents for free, and they have lots of great information that can help you come up with a concept for a 30-second public service announcement. We're looking for your most creative ideas, ideas that will catch and hold the attention of young viewers.

(Katie) And this should catch your attention. You can win $2,000 plus the incredible opportunity to work with an Emmy-award-winning production company that will turn your idea into a PSA that will air on national television. In fact, the winning PSA will appear right here on "Teen Kids News" during Global Youth Traffic Safety Month in May. To enter the Drive2Life contest, you need to be 13 to 19 years old, in middle or high school. Your entry should be a script or written description of your idea. Please don't send in a video. Videos will not be accepted. In addition to the grand prize winner, there will be two runners up in two categories, grades six to eight, and grades 9 to 12. Each runner up will receive $500. The teachers of the winner and runners up will each get a $100 gift card. The deadline for entries is March 21st. For more information and to download an entry form, visit our website, nrsf.org, and click on contests. To help get your creative juices flowing, here's a previous winning PSA. Good luck. For "Teen Kids News," I'm Katie.

(Describer) In a black and white silent movie, two teenage boys leave a house. Title: Tom and Bob are leaving a party. One finishes a beer and tosses it in a bin. Title: Uh-oh!...Looks like Tom had too much to drink! As he staggers down the front walk, Tom holds a car key. Bob stops him. Title: Tom, you're wasted! I didn't drink. I'll drive! Tom keeps pulling the key away from Bob. Title: Nah. I'm...I'm...fiiiiinnne! At the car, Bob stops Tom. Title: No, you're not. You can't drive! They start to wrestle for the key. Title: Give me the car keys! Bob chases Tom around the car. Title: No. I can drive! Bob wrestles Tom down again. Title: No you can't! Bob finally gets the key. He opens the passenger door and gets Tom in the seat, then buckles his seat belt. He goes around to the other side and gets in behind the wheel, then puts on *his* seat belt. The video changes to color. Bob:

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Tom, it's not worth losing your life for.

(Describer) Title: Don't stay silent if someone is going to drive impaired. A message from the NRSF.

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Still ahead, we look back. As part of our 20th anniversary of "Teen Kids News," we'll stroll down memory lane with another of our former reporters. We'll be right back.

(Describer) Luke:

News for teens delivered by teens. That's the mission of "Teen Kids News," and we've been doing that for 20 years now. Here's another one of our reporters who's contributed a lot to the program over the years.

(Describer) Titles: Teen Kids News, Looking Back.

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(Describer) Jenna Ruggiero. Reporter, Seasons 1 to 7.

(Describer) On the show:

We may be helping identity thieves more than we know. When we give out personal information, we may be setting ourselves up to be victims. Hey everyone, I'm Jenna. I was 15 when I started at "Teen Kids News" as a reporter.

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(Describer) Title: Why did you want to be on Teen Kids News?

Growing up in my mom's shadow-- my mom is Rosanna Scotto from FOX 5 News. She set the bar so high for me, but I always wanted to follow in her footsteps when I was younger. And being on "Teen Kids News" was kind of like the first step towards doing that.

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(Describer) Title: What was the experience like?

The studio environment was just as professional as my mom's environment at FOX 5. Everybody was friendly to each other, and we were all learning how to be on camera, how to be ourselves on camera, how to be journalists. It was a great supportive environment.

(Describer) What was a typical day like?

Well, I remember going into, sitting in the makeup seat first, hair and makeup, and you're kind of prepping yourself like, okay, you're gonna be on camera, be poised, be ready, be prepared, going over what your stories were for that day. And then you're in the dark studio with the light shining hard on you and you have your producers going, "Three, two, one."

(Describer) Images flash by of Jenna at the news desk.

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And you just have to be cool, calm, and collected. And it took practice, but eventually you get the hang of it. Today, video games invite you to visit an alternate world. Thanks to this technology, scientists say soon, we'll feel like we're actually there.

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(Describer) Title: What are you doing now?

Right now, I am working in hospitality and music management, and I occasionally co-host FOX 5's "Good Day New York" with my mom, Rosanna Scotto. So being on "Teen Kids News" provided me with the foundation towards learning the skills to being on TV.

(Describer) Title: Why is Teen Kids News important?

"Teen Kids News" is important because it showcases the topics, stories, issues that are relevant towards the teen generation.

(Describer) Title: Was it fun?

Being on "Teen Kids News" was extremely fun. I cherish the memories that I made while I was doing the program, and it gave me tools that I still use to this day.

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(Describer) Title: Happy 20th Anniversary, Teen Kids News!

(Describer) Luke:

We still have lots more ahead. Teen Kids News will be right back after this.

(Describer) Title: Do the List.

It's time for "Make the Grade." Here's Christin with this week's advice.

(Describer) At a table, Christin turns a page of a book.

Do you have a do list for your schoolwork? I do, and sometimes I think it's going to do me in. Most days, I can only get to the things on the top of the list, which means I never seem to get ahead. Even worse, I often fall behind. So my do list just keeps growing...

(Describer) A stack of books keeps getting taller.

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along with my frustration. So I'm going to try a time management technique called the catch up, keep up, and get ahead system. This is my catch-up stack, things I've fallen behind on. I made a list, but that's not enough. It's too easy to keep pushing off focusing on these items. So I need to make a commitment to set aside time every day to accomplish at least one of these tasks. I'll check them off as I get them done. Ah, that felt good. Next, I do my keep up work, things that I can't let slide. This is where I'll spend most of my time tonight, but I'll save a half an hour or so for my get ahead list. These are items that are not due for a while, but if I can get work done on them now, my keep up pile will stay under control. Not only that, but if I keep working with this system, eventually my catch up stack should disappear altogether, and good riddance. I'm Christin, here to help you "Make the Grade."

(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:

Here's an expression that just about everyone uses and gets wrong. When someone comes across a situation not to their liking, they might say, "Now that's a fine kettle of fish." It conjures up the image of a big kettle filled with fish, except that's not the actual saying. In Old England, a kittle was a sort of net that was used to catch fish. So the real phrase was, a fine kittle of fish. I kittle you not. With "Word Wise," I'm Veronique.

(Describer) A viewer email says, "You all do such a great job... and I think better than the Networks do! Signed, Bonny."

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It's time for another short break, but we'll be right back with more "Teen Kids News." So stay with us.

(Describer) Titles: Coming up, Scholarship Advice.

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

(Describer) Money rains down on a school building. Title: Scholarship Guru.

Guess what? Your parents can win a college scholarship for you. In fact, there are lots of scholarships that you qualify simply because of your parents' status. For example, some are based on their job. Many companies give scholarships to children of their employees, and so do labor unions and professional organizations. Also, if either of your parents attended college, it's worth checking to see if their old school offers financial help. Additionally, fraternities and sororities who your parents may be a member of may have scholarship programs as well. Also, even if your parents didn't attend college or complete college, that can work in your favor. There are many scholarships for first-generation college students, as well as money for kids of single parents. Now, your parents can't take the SATs or ACTs for you, but they can help you with your college education and lessening the IOUs. I'm Carlin, the scholarship guru for "Teen Kids News."

(Describer) Luke:

It's time for another short break, but we'll be right back with more "Teen Kids News." So stay with us.

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(Describer) Titles: Coming up, Go Go Gothic!

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

(Describer) In an art gallery, animated paint splats on the screen, and different famous figures from paintings appear, like the Girl With the Pearl Earring, The Scream, a couple from Sunday in the Park, and a portrait of a man with a big red turban on his head. Title: Art Smart.

(reporter) Most people have seen the painting called "American Gothic", but few have a clue as to why the picture is called that. The name comes not from the two people standing in the foreground, but from the house half hidden in the background. Okay, I'll explain. Back in 1930, Grant Wood wanted to paint a picture of rural America. Looking for inspiration, he traveled around the small town of Eldon, Iowa. That's where he spotted this little white house with its unusual top window. The pointed arch reflected the gothic style of architecture, a style you typically see in grand cathedrals from the Middle Ages. Either Grant was amused or he was touched by a muse. That's a goddess of inspiration from Greek mythology. Anyway, the house captured his fancy. Now he just needed people to stand in front of it. He wanted his mom to be one of the models, but she was too old to stand while he painted. He asked his sister to stand in but wearing their mother's clothes. For the farmer, Wood recruited his dentist to pose. If you look carefully, you'll see there are other gothic elements in the painting. For example, the stitches in the farmer's shirt echo the vertical prongs of the pitchfork. One of the most recognized pictures in American art, the painting is often called a cultural icon.

(Describer) People visit it in a gallery.

And the house itself has also become famous. Now called the American Gothic House, it's listed in the National Register of Historic Places and it attracts lots of visitors, some who pose for their own personalized souvenir photos.

(Describer) ...dressed like the models.

American Gothic is on permanent display at the Art Institute of Chicago. For "Art Smart," I'm Katie.

(Describer) Luke:

Well, that wraps up our show for this week, but we'll be back with more "Teen Kids News" next week. See you then. Accessibility provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

(Describer) Titles: Producer: Marilou Yacoub Director/Writer: Alan J. Weiss Camera and Editing: Rick Lavon, David Lauterbach Production Intern: Linsey Loraditch Original Theme Music: Michael Karp Executive Producers: Albert T. Primo, Alan J. Weiss Copyright Alan Weiss Productions Inc. 2023 Accessibility provided by the US Department of Education. Alan Weiss Productions

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