sense of knowing when someone needs comfort. >> a little girl named jordan needed more than comfort when she was five years old. >> my leg was really hurting one night, and then i had to go in the ambulance to the hospital. >> a rare bone disease was causing unbearable pain. >> my daughter wouldn't let me touch her. she wouldn't let her father touch her, paramedics touch her. >> even after surgery, jordan was miserable. with a device drilled into her bone, she refused to get out of bed or even eat. >> my daughter was dying. she was dying. >> and then came a miracle -- the pet partner team of janelle and jenna. >> and when we saw jenna, me and mommy, we were like, "why is there a dog in the hospital?" and when jenna came in my room, she did tricks for me, and then she came up on the bed and then cuddled on this horse. >> the bond was immediate and so was the effect on jordan. after that cuddle, she agreed to a bargain. if she would eat, she could take jenna for a walk. >> and so i ate some of my lunch, and i got out of bed, and i walked the dog. >> jordan was still hooked up to her medicine. but the little girl and the loving dog took a walk all around the hospital hallway -- a journey back to life. >> my daughter was on the brink of death, and that dog helped to bring her back. >> jenna! >> that was two years ago. here's a happy reunion. >> hi, jenna! >> stories like this one are happening all the time, all around the country. pet partners teams inspire smiles at all kinds of healthcare facilities... at group homes for people with learning challenges... at veterans hospitals... even at schools and libraries. >> to sleep, perchance to dream. >> sherman the pig helps kids learn to read. >> pet partners has helped me build more confidence in my reading out loud. >> and kids can be on the other side of the leash, as well. teens with pets who pass the training are welcome to become volunteers. healthcare professionals recognize how effective pet partners can be. in fact, the experts see a measurable difference in their patients. >> having animals around and visiting lowers their blood pressure. >> we know that it also decreases perceptions of pain because it helps people to relax, and that's really, really important. >> it all goes to show you -- love is good medicine. for "teen kids news," i'm scott. >> coming up, we'll find out what gardening has to do with math. >> [ speaking indistinctly ] >> keeping track of every plane in the sky over north america is an intense and daunting task. this is the surveillance pod? >> this is the surveillance section. absolutely right. each airman here has a different area of responsibility. >> the air defense mission operation noble eagle launched just days after the attacks on 9/11 and is coordinated by the north american aerospace defense command -- or norad -- from its home base in colorado, across six centers in north america. >> we are here to have the american people's back. we spend 365 days out of the year defending the airspace of the united states and canada. >> all planes private, commercial, and military, are monitored, displayed as green dots calls tracks on a massive map called an air picture, looking for anything out of place, erratic, or problematic. all eyes are up on here. >> that's right. eventually, everything ends up up there for everybody to see. >> information is shared in real time between numerous agencies, so if a plane vanishes off the radar, like we saw with malaysia flight 370, a universal action plan would go into effect immediately. there are numerous violations of restricted airspace the public never hears about. while we were on the operations floor in rome, new york, our camera crew was escorted out for a possible emergency. it turned out to be a plane that hadn't made proper contact, and all was well, but hundreds of these situations happen every day. >> and if we need to go and visually identify that aircraft, we will launch aircraft to do that. our alert fighters will be launched, and they'll go and identify that airplane. >> the challenge really is to think and have the mentality that every day something could go wrong, and we need to be ready to be able to react to that appropriately. >> for "teen kids news," i'm laura ingle, fox news channel in the classroom. >> most of us think of school supplies as pens, pencils, and notebooks. but how about dirt? that's right -- dirt, as in what you find in a garden. >> you guys know what plants need to survive, right? >> yes. >> water. >> yes. >> air? >> air. what else? >> sun. >> sunlight? what else? >> you need string, too, and a ruler. these students at the drew charter school in atlanta, georgia, are cultivating both their gardeniand their math skills. how does math figure into gardening? >> every gardener needs to be a good mathematician. in order to plan your garden, you need to understand how many plants or how many seeds you'll require to plant, for how much you want to harvest. >> kyla is with the captain planet foundation. one of their programs is to help schools use hands-on gardening to teach all kinds of subjects. >> we have lesson plans that are linked to national standards in science, math, and english and language arts. >> however you measure it, these kids are learning a lot about protecting our natural resources. >> it is important to help kids help the planet because it'll help the environment. >> that's why captain planet supports projects like these all around the country. the organization is named for a cartoon character created by tv tycoon ted turner. i talked with his daughter about her father's vision. ted turner said, "children can inherit a legacy of wastefulness or an action plan that can save our planet." do you think captain planet is the start of that action plan? >> i think captain planet is one of the plans to help get control over the degradation and some of the things happening in our environment. >> "degradation" is a good s.a.t. word. it means things that are turning bad. captain planet invites kids to help change that by becoming "planeteers." their schools can apply for grants of money to set up programs aimed at saving the environment. >> and are really excited about all the wonderful progress that we're making and educating and inspiring, empowering children and youth. >> and that leads us to captain planet's motto... >> i think the power belongs to the kids, and i think it belongs to us as teachers to empower children to do everything they can for themselves and their community. >> there's another interesting part of this project -- the students will get to eat their homework. for "teen kids news," i'm carly. >> every state has one, but most of us don't know why they look the way they do. here's brandon with "flag facts." >> when you hear the name "new jersey," images of highways, "the jersey shore," and rock and rollers may come to mind. but despite its small size and large population, new jersey is actually "rooted" in agriculture. thousands of acres of farmland and forest cover the state. in fact, early european settlers came to new jersey because of its fertile soil. horse farms, dairy farms, and agriculture fueled the engines of new jersey's growth. >> the new jersey flag is unique because it emphasizes nature. new jersey often gets a bad rap, but there's a reason it's known as "the garden state." the english used it as their garden in the new world. they would plant whatever it was they were interested in growing in new jersey. >> new jersey's flag pays tribute to its agricultural history. first, there's the horse, the official state animal. beneath that is the state seal with three plows. the goddess of agriculture stands to the right, holding a cornucopia of fruits and vegetables. on the left, the goddess liberty holds a staff topped with a cap. the cap is a symbol of freedom, from the french revolution. blue images on a field of gold represent the state's first european settlers -- the dutch. while stationed at jockey hollow during the american revolution, george washington is said to have chosen blue and gold for his troops' uniforms. today, that new jersey site is recognized as our country's first national historic park. >> the flag really represents all that is good about new jersey. it's not necessarily unique, so much as it is an appropriate image for the state. >> and it proudly displays an appropriate motto -- "liberty and prosperity." with "flag facts," i'm brandon. >> is it time to say goodbye to the dollar bill? maybe. congress is thinking about changing the one-dollar bill to a one-dollar coin. the switch could save the government more than $4 billion over the next 30 years. the coins will last longer than bills and can be made from inexpensive metals. canada made the switch in 1987, and some think we should do the same. >> sometimes, insects can do more than just bug you. so when it comes to first aid, you need to "bee" prepared. >> "speak of the week" is when we get to hear what you have to say. here's this week's question... >> between schoolwork, tv, video games, and movies, it's often hard to find time to read a book just for the fun of it. so, our question this week is actually two questions. "what book did you read recently outside of school? and what did you like about it?" >> i read "the witch of blackbird pond," and i enjoyed it because it keeps it interesting, but it's an 18th-century story so it's less boring than most of them are. >> i read a book called "twilight," and i enjoyed it 'cause i like reading big books, and reading is part of one of my hobbies. >> "number the stars," and why'd i enjoy it? because i like learning about history, about, like, my religion and stuff. >> i read "the fault in our stars," and i enjoyed it because i thought that it was relatable to teens, even though i personally don't have cancer, because i think everyone knows someone who does. and i thought it was just very -- like, it was an emotional book, and i enjoyed it a lot. >> the book was called "legend," and i enjoyed it because it had a lot of action, had a big variety of genres mixed into one. so, i enjoyed it. >> i read "ender's game" outside of school, and i enjoyed it because it was a really interesting book and had a lot of morals. >> the american poet emily dickinson once wrote, "there is no frigate like a book to take us lands away." it was true back in the 1800s, when emily dickinson wrote that. and despite all the new technology we now have, it's still true today. with "speak of the week," i'm sidra. >> here's another report in our series on first-aid basics. >> if you live in a permanently frozen area of the planet, you can probably skip this report. but for the rest of us, listen up. chances are good that at some point we'll get stung by an insect. tia zorne is with the american red cross. she teaches first aid. what do we need to know about insect stings? >> luckily, most insect stings are harmless and can be easily treated. what we want to watch out for are allergic reactions. >> so, if we're stung, what should we do? >> try to remove the stinger as quickly as possible. you can do that by simply scraping it, with either your fingernail, a credit card, maybe even your student i.d. then, wash that area with soap and water and cover it to keep it clean. lastly, you can always apply an ice pack or even a cold, wet cloth to prevent swelling. >> what about allergic reactions? what should we be looking for? >> you want to watch out for troubled breathing. that could be wheezing, tightness in the chest, tightness in the throat. also, look to see if the person's lips are swelling. they might feel faint or dizzy, nauseous or even vomiting. and if you see any of these symptoms, call 9-1-1 immediately. >> anything else? >> yeah. keep an eye on the site. if you have a rash or swelling, really, any pain or swelling for more than three days, call your doctor. >> so, if stung by a bee, wasp, hornet or yellow jacket... ...and cover it to keep it clean. and keep an eye out for signs of allergic reactions. you can find a complete list of reactions, along with other information, on the new first-aid app from the american red cross. it's for smartphones, and it's free. and that should help take the sting out of dealing with things like insect bites. for "tkn," i'm emily. >> you can find more first-aid tips on our website. just follow the link. >> i'll tell you why some kids may be dancing their way into trouble. >> dance is a beautiful form of art. but make no mistake. it takes as much training and physical effort as any sport. and as carina reports, injuries among young dancers are on the rise. >> i have a crack in my big toe from breaking that and never letting it heal. >> lindsey competes in irish dance. she's been to eight world championships. but she's also been to the doctor -- a lot. >> i have hip problems. my most recent injury was my upper quad. i had a sprain there. >> any aches or pains, anything new that showed up? >> her athletic trainer says lindsey's injuries are typical for kids who are serious dancers. >> there can be a lot of impact, particularly feet. that's a very big one. but it works up the chain. everything connects through, so as the feet are affected, it can work its way into the shins, the knees, the hips. >> and those injuries are mounting up. researchers at nationwide children's hospital studied dance injuries. >> in 2007 alone, over 8,000 children and teens were treated for a dance-related injury. that's about 23 children every day or almost an injury an hour. >> even more worrisome is the fact that these kinds of injuries have been increasing over the years. why the increase? it could be that young dancers are pushing themselves harder than ever. >> i practice basically every day for an hour at least. usually an hour and a half is our practice times on mondays and thursdays, and then i practice two hours usually on the weekends. >> the most common injuries are sprains and strains. that's why experts recommend you stretch properly both before and after practices and performances. also, get plenty of rest. and if you do have an injury, give it time to heal. whether you do irish, tap, jazz, ballet, or any other form of dance, remember -- it's up to you to take the right "steps" to avoid injury. >> let's check in with our expert for this week's "health bites." >> don't look now, but your bones are growing. and a lot of teens don't give them enough of what they need. nutritionist jax hubbard has advice on protecting yourself from injuries, long into the future. >> well, calcium is a mineral that's stored in our bones, and during your teenage years you want to make sure that you're getting enough calcium to protect you later in life. now, some obvious food sources that you may know about are milk and cheese and yogurt. dairy foods have a lot of calcium in them. but there are also not-so-obvious foods that are good sources of calcium, such as green, leafy vegetables, beans, tofu, and some nuts. a good after-school snack could be a stick of mozzarella cheese or a handful of almonds. either of those snacks can keep you going till dinner and make sure your bones are going for a lifetime. and don't forget to get enough exercise. your bones will thank you later. >> i'll thank you now. we'll see you next time. >> thank you. >> with "health bites," i'm christina. >> it's time to play "word." pick out what's true from among the false definitions. start with this word... it means either... [ ringing ] bipartisan means... ...as in "the candidate received bipartisan support because she was the only one running." >> yay! >> how about this adjective? [ ringing ] preemptive means... "i thought my classmate might cheat, so i covered my paper as a preemptive measure." >> you filthy, rotten stinker! >> and how about... ...as in "poor us." [ ringing ] porous means... "get plenty of calcium, or your bones will be thin and porous." to review... and that's "word" for this week. >> coming up, i'll tell you how paper airplanes are being used to get kids interested in becoming scientists and engineers. >> getting more kids interested in math and science has become a national goal. that's why a museum in arizona is sponsoring a rather unusual competition. as nicole reports, it's an idea that's really taken off. >> how's everyone doing? you ready to start this? >> these kids are about to see how far their paper airplanes will go. >> ready...set...fly! >> the great paper airplane fly-off is an annual event, here at the pima air & space museum in arizona. kids from 6 to 14 are welcome to compete. we started it so that we could inspire children to be interested in science and engineering. folding the paper airplane, testing it, and adjusting it is the scientific design process that they would do if they were engineers in the real world. >> and it went past like the fourth line, so i'm really excited! >> talk about exciting -- the 2012 champ won a place in paper-plane history. arturo valdenegro got to help with the launch of a giant paper plane, with his name on it! so, i was inspired to try my own hand at airplane construction. so, how do we get started? >> well, you need to pick a pattern so we know which plane we're gonna make. >> is this one easy? >> yes. >> good. >> so, the first step is to fold the whole thing in half, lengthwise, so you know where the center line is. >> following the expert's advice -- and the numbered lines -- i aim for good, sharp creases and perfect symmetry. it's as easy as 1-2-3. plus, 4-5-6... >> and then number 7 are these little winglets. just fold up on the edge. >> perfect. one and... two! >> and then to make it more stable when we fly it, you want to unfold it a little bit so that it has this look. you ready to fly? >> beautiful. absolutely. let's go! >> so, we're going to come over here to our start line, so you can fly your plane. >> all right. since there are no motors, i guess you could say that paper airplanes fly on a wing and a prayer. i'm praying that mine works. here goes! >> good job! >> yay! if you want to try your hand at turning a sheet of paper into a plane that can outdistance the competition, find out more about the great paper airplane fly-off. there's a link on our website. for "teen kids news," i'm nicole. >> well, that wraps it up for this week's "teen kids news." but we'll be back next week, so see you then. >> on behalf of everyone here at "teen kids news," we want to give a special thanks to all our military overseas. steves: beautifully preserved lucca is contained entirely within its iconic ramparts. most cities tear down their walls to make way for modern traffic. but lucca kept its walls, effectively keeping out both traffic and, it seems, the stress of the modern world. the city is a bit of a paradox. while it has europe's mightiest renaissance wall, it hasn't seen a battle since 1430. locals, like my friend and fellow tour guide gabriele calabrese, treat their ramparts like a circular park. and with plenty of rental bikes available, visitors can enjoy a lazy pedal around its 2-1/2-mile circuit, as well. so, gabriele, this is a renaissance wall. what's the difference between a renaissance wall and a medieval wall? calabrese: the medieval wall is thin, because they had no problem with harrows or stones. but in the renaissance time, the cannons, they became very strong, and they became a problem, so that's why it was so thick. steves: lucca's wall didn't come cheap. but all that hard work and investment combined with clever diplomacy earned the city a long period of independence. and to this day, the proud lucchesi have a strong sense of identity. rather than showcasing famous monuments, lucca's appeal is in its relaxed old-world ambience. stroll around. take time to let the city unfold. romanesque churches seem to be around every corner, as do inviting piazzas busy with children at play. the main pedestrian drag is via fillungo. strolling here, past elegant old storefronts, you'll get a glimpse of lucca's rich past, as well as its charming present. piazza amphitheater was built around an ancient roman arena. while the arena's long gone, its oval shape is a reminder of the city's classical heritage. locals have been gathering here for 2,000 years. today's attraction -- a flower market. piazza san michele also has ancient roots. it's hosted a market since roman times, when it was the forum. today it's dominated by the church of san michele. towering above its fancy romanesque facade, the archangel michael stands ready to flap his wings, which, thanks to a crude mechanical contraption, he actually did on special occasions. in its heyday, lucca packed over 100 towers within its walls. each tower was the home and private fortress of a wealthy merchant family. towers were single rooms stacked atop each other -- shop, living room, and then the kitchen. this one, lucca's tallest surviving tower, is famous for being capped with a bushy little forest. those making the climb are rewarded with commanding city views, all in the shade of its amazing trees. nearby, the church of san giovanni hosts nightly concerts celebrating the music of hometown composer giacomo puccini. woman: [ singing operatically ] steves: he was one of italy's greatest opera composers. puccini's delightful arias seem to capture the spirit of this wonderful corner of italy. [ singing continues ] - exploring the back alleys off of the tourist track in venice really brings out kind of an adventurous spirit for the kids. it's lots of fun, and you get a more authentic feeling of what it's like to live here. [traditional italian accordion music] and the back alleys give you a chance to get away from the crowds and get a feel for the rich culture of this town in music, architecture... - the capitolini palace. - these are all tilting. - and history. - so it goes something like this. - wow. - all right? - now you don't know who i am. - he's mustache man. - explore all that venice has to offer for families in... both: travel with kids: venice!

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