in this, our first report, emily takes a look at teens and tobacco products. >> smoking isn't cool. it's not something you want to do. it can scar you for life. >> smoking is not cool. >> it's gross. it smells bad. >> if you play sports or do any of that, it affects all that stuff. >> i think that i'm never gonna do that. >> a lot of kids don't admire when you smoke because it's disgusting. >> smoking can ruin your life. >> and while most teens seem to agree that smoking is bad for you, a surprising number still light up. in fact, according to the federal government, every single day, about 3,200 kids will try smoking for the first time. to give you an idea of just how many that is, 3,200 is more than the entire population of the town of goshen, connecticut. there's a lot of kids that smoke over on the skate park. >> i don't personally know anybody who smokes, but i've seen people do it. >> i see people around the school smoking a lot after school and even before school. >> either they follow their dads and their moms or they think it's cool. >> some might do it to be cool, but some just do it -- stress. >> mitch zeller works for the u.s. food and drug administration. that's the government agency that regulates tobacco products. >> what we've learned is if you talk to kids about the long-term health effects of cigarette smoking -- cancer, lung disease, heart disease, addiction -- they tune it out. >> and that's why it's so important to tell teens about the immediate dangers of smoking -- things like your clothes smell, you're spending all of your money, your teeth and fingers can get yellow, and you're gonna have a hard time keeping up with the other kids in sports. so, these are problems that can happen no matter how young you are. >> and that strategy seems to be working. over the past 20 years, there's been a decline in the number of teens who smoke. our mission is to get that number all the way down to zero because nothing good can come from smoking. >> it's really unhealthy for them, and they're damaging their internal system and even their external system, as well. >> they'll probably end up with lung cancer. >> i would tell them not to smoke because it's just gonna harm your body and it's gonna harm the people around you. >> you could do better things with that money. >> like, other people can get secondhand smoke, and it's just not good for anybody. >> those are all good suggestions, and throughout this season of "teen kids news," we'll be giving you even more reasons why to avoid cigarettes, as well as all tobacco products. for "teen kids news," i'm emily. >> a quarter million gallons of seawater, teeming with amazing creatures. we'll visit the newest attraction at the national aquarium in baltimore. >> here at the national aquarium in baltimore, an exciting transformation has taken place. sea creatures that have beence. here for years were carefully transported to safety. then the aquarium was drained and a coral reef was created. add 250,000 gallons of salt water, exotic sea life from halfway around the world, some really cool lighting, and what do you get? the amazing blacktip reef -- a unique museum experience. with 65 different underwater species, it's as close as you can get to seeing a south pacific coral reef without going to the south pacific. >> coral reefs are like the cities of the ocean. it's an ecosystem that's all balanced. >> to re-create that balanced ecosystem, all the sea life was carefully selected. the only thing that's not really from the pacific is the coral. it had to be man-made. >> coral is actually a living animal. it looks like rock. and it's related to jellyfish, and it actually forms a limestone cavity around itself, so it's basically like the outer edge of the coral is living and building on the limestone skeletons of its ancestors. and the coral in this exhibit, however, is re-created. real coral has to have intense sunlight, so it's also very fragile. >> you can actually step into the reef at the underwater viewing level. and there's a lot to view. there's more than 700 fascinating marine animals. one of the crowd favorites is calypso, the giant sea turtle. when she was found, she had a badly hurt fin. after some delicate surgery, it was decided that calypso wouldn't be able to survive in the ocean, so blacktip reef became her new home. the exhibit also has plenty of sharks, particularly the kind it's named for -- the blacktip reef shark, what's called an apex predator. so, what is an apex predator? >> an apex predator is a top predator in an ecosystem -- for example, lions in africa, sharks in the ocean. these are the top of the food chain. these are the animals that all the small fishes eventually work up and are food for these larger fishes. >> sharks are part of the circle of life. without these predators, fish would eat up all the coral. that would kill the reef, as well as the marine animals that depend on the reef for survival. so, don't be taken in by the movie hype. >> hollywood has done an incredible disservice to sharks, making everyone afraid -- movies like "jaws" and all the take-offs of that movie. they really create an irrational fear of sharks. sharks are an important part of the ecosystem, and, actually, sharks have more to fear from us. >> this guy has something to fear? he sure does, because humans are the biggest apex predators of all. >> some cultures actually have something called shark fin soup, and what happens is that people actually catch these sharks, cut the fins off, and throw the sharks right back in, only using those fins, which is not only wasteful but also quite cruel. >> especially cruel because sharks can't replace their population fast enough to keep up. >> sharks have a very long time until they're actually mature enough to reproduce. a lot of times it's not until they're 15 years old until they can have pups. so, taking sharks out of the ocean generally is not considered sustainable. >> "sustainable seafood" is a term the national aquarium would like you to know. it means becoming aware of fishing methods that hurt other creatures. it also means not eating seafood that may be in danger of extinction. >> and there's actually a free app you can get called seafood watch. you can go on your smartphone and download it for free, and what you actually do -- you simply type in the type of seafood or sushi that you enjoy, and it'll tell you what the best kind to buy is. >> of course, pollution and climate change threaten all creatures great and small, including the coral. this exhibit is meant to be educational and inspirational so we all do what we can to help. >> one thing we want to do is to, first of all, show people a very special aquatic treasure of the planet, and that is the indo-pacific reef. >> it was really cool seeing all the different kinds of fish and the different colors. >> it was really cool seeing, like, all the animals interacting with each other. >> and what did you learn from it? >> that the animals can be with each other and not hurt them. >> visiting an aquarium is a special kind of sightseeing. you can call it "seasighting." at the national aquarium in baltimore, for "teen kids news," i'm scott. >> it's one of the most recognized and respected symbols in the world. i'll tell you the story behind the american red cross. >> when disaster hits, there's always one sure sign of hope -- the american red cross. but as monika reports, the red cross helps people in many ways. >> the story of the american red cross starts here, in washington d.c. during the civil war, the sanitary commission was started to help sick and injured union soldiers. a woman named clara barton joined that effort. she became known as "the angel of the battlefield." >> during the americanlefield." civil war, it wasn't too common for women to be near the battlefield. clara barton changed all that by providing aid to soldiers, and so that's why they called her the angel of the battlefield. >> after the war, she visited europe and learned about an organization there called the international red cross. >> the international red cross movement started in europe to help relieve the suffering of people affected by war. it was founded by henry dunant, a swiss businessman, and still today, we honor him by using the reverse of the swiss flag for our symbol -- the red cross against a white background. >> returning to the united states, she founded the american red cross in 1881. and ever since then, the american red cross has been helping people in need. what are some of the big disasters the red cross responded to? >> the red cross has been responding to disasters since its beginnings in 1881, when there was a large wildfire across michigan. and early on, the red cross also responded to floods in johnstown, pennsylvania, when a dam broke, and a major hurricane that hit off of the coast of south carolina and georgia. the red cross still responds to major disasters today, in modern times, such as 9/11 and hurricane katrina, and even small disasters like everyday house fires. >> what about wars? >> the american red cross trained tens of thousands of nurses for world war i and world war ii, and it also helped with all the major conflicts throughout the 20th century. >> every year, the american red cross responds to more than 70,000 emergencies. they provide first aid, food and shelter to victims of all kinds of disasters, from local flooding and wildfires to massive hurricanes and earthquakes. but the red cross is more than just a disaster-relief agency. >> the red cross started first-aid programs in 1910 to help railroad workers and miners respond to emergencies. then we added learn-to-swim classes, and today we also have pet first aid and babysitting courses. and we also run blood drives across the country. >> in fact, nearly half of all the nation's donated blood comes from the red cross, and, while it has paid employees, most of the people who work for the red cross are volunteers, and there are more than half a million of them. where does the red cross get its money? >> the work of the red cross is only possible through the support of donors and volunteers who give their blood, their time, and their money to help us do our work. young people have always found creative ways to support the american red cross throughout its history. today, they do it in school clubs, they do it on facebook, and they text donations to the american red cross. >> one of the unique ways the organization has raised money is through what is called the red cross quilt. >> the red cross quilt was used as a fundraiser in 1918 when a bunch of 7th- and 8th-graders wanted to raise money for red cross work during world war i. they sold each square for $1, and they handstitched on signatures for 10 cents. and they collected signatures of some of the most famous people during that time. >> the quilts also serve as colorful reminders that the red cross has become very much a part of the fabric of american life. in washington, d.c., for "teen kids news," i'm monika. >> whatever state you call home has a flag all its own. here are the facts about one of them. maybe it's yours! >> georgia is one of our original 13 states. during the civil war, however, georgia changed allegiance from the stars and stripes to the stars and bars, the first national flag of the confederacy. at the battle of bull run, georgian soldiers discovered it was difficult to tell the two flags apart, so they created the confederate battle flag, also known as the southern cross. when the war ended, georgia returned to the stars and bars -- without the stars! >> georgia is the most controversial state flag. it set national records for having eight different state flags, and it was a controversy steeped in the history involved with their ties to the confederacy. >> many people believed those ties were too reminiscent of slavery. others believed georgia's confederate past needed to be recognized. >> in 2003, georgia's legislature introduced a flag that addressed the concerns of both sides. >> it features the stars and bars, which is the first flag of the confederacy, but in the canton, you see three pillars, which are supposed to represent the three branches of government, and words like "wisdom," "justice," and "moderation." >> a soldier bearing a sword symbolizes georgia's commitment to defending the constitution. >> so it seems as if georgia has finally settled on a flag. >> one thing that isn't controversial is georgia's important role in agriculture. its nickname is "the peach state." pretty sweet! with "flag facts," i'm veronique. >> coming up -- when hugging is not a good thing. >> one of the best things about having a dog is being able to give it a great big hug, but as emily reports, that might just be a great big mistake. >> robin bennett and susan briggs know all about dogs. in fact, they call themselves the dog gurus. hey, guys! >> hey! it's great to be here. >> hi! thanks for having us. >> susan, i always thought that dogs liked to be hugged. i know that i do. >> i liked to be hugged, too, and i like to hug my dogs, but, in truth, some dogs do like to be hugged, but some do not. >> robin, how can i tell if my dog likes to be hugged or not? >> well, the secret is in the dog's body language. when you go to give your dog a hug and you're approaching him, your dog is probably loose and wiggly and relaxed. when you put your arms around him, if your dog stiffens up, that's a sign that he's going, "[gasps] i don't really this." it's almost like he's holding his breath. he might also try to back out away from you or try to squirm to get away, so if he's doing that, he's really not enjoying that hug. >> so, susan, if my dog doesn't show any of those signs, is it okay for me to hug her? >> yes, it is. if your dog stays relaxed while you hug them, then, yes, enjoy that moment together. just keep in mind that you probably won't want to hug your friend's dog or a dog you just met because they would probably not be comfortable with it and not enjoy it. all right. very interesting. thank you both, robin and susan, for joining us today. >> oh, you're welcome. it's been great. i hope you have a great time with your dogs. >> and enjoy those hugs together. >> the man who created the famous cartoon strip "peanuts" put it best-- "happiness is a warm puppy." but puppy or full grown, first make sure that your dog is happy to be hugged. [ bat cracks ] [ crowd cheers ] >> yogi berra was a hall of fame catcher for the yankees in the '50s and '60s. when he said stuff, sometimes it got a little jumbled up in his head and it came out sounding very weirdly. those quotes are called "yogi-isms." some of those yogi-isms are... true. that's not exactly physically possible. doesn't exactly add up. and lastly, my personal favorite... just think about that for a second. i'm matt for "teen kids news." >> want to provide a source of energy? just breathe. a new kind of carbon-recycling system turns human breath into biofuel. it collects the carbon dioxide we exhale to feed algae that's then converted to fuel. this is not science fiction. this carbon-recycling system is already being used at the john lennon airport in england. as lennon himself would say, "imagine!" >> it's time to play "word." pick out what's true from among the false definitions. start with this word. does it mean... [ bell rings ] don't be morose. maybe you'll get the next one right. [ baby crying ] how about this adjective? it means either... [ bell dings ] she lost the debate because of her irrelevant comments about her opponent's outfit. >> i am very disappointed in you, my dear. >> here's a verb. does it mean... [ bell rings ] ...as in "the sun emanates warmth" or "people who watch 'teen kids news' emanate intelligence." [ boing! ] [ cheers and applause ] let's review. and that's "word" for this week on "teen kids news." ok. so everyone is saying 'hey, you've gotta get fios.' but why? why fios? well, fios is a 100 percent fiber optics network to the home, so you can get 100% out of all your devices. and access to the fastest internet and in home wifi available from any provider. with big capacity too, so everyone in the house can be online all at once. only fios has 500 meg download speeds, with so you can upload your favorite videos up to 5x faster than cable. you can view your entertainment but the main reason to get fios? we're rated number 1 in customer satisfaction. why fios? ultimately, that's why. right now, get 50 meg fios internet, tv & phone for just $79.99 a month, guaranteed for two years. or double your speeds to 100 meg for just $10 more a month. call 888 get fios or go online. get out of the past. get fios. >> car crashes are the number-one killers of teens. that's why the national road safety foundation wants you to keep your hands on the wheel, your eyes on the road, and your mind on driving. [ horn honks ] >> the barbeque -- it's as american as apple pie, yet it didn't originate in america. most historians say the barbeque was born in the caribbean. as the story goes, christopher columbus discovered that the natives had a special way of cooking. rather than roasting meat over a fire, the meat was cooked by indirect heat using green wood. that's wood that was recently cut down. since it's still filled with moisture, green wood doesn't easily catch fire. so, the natives put the meat on a layer of green wood and then put hot coals underneath the wood. the heat and smoke cooked the meat, adding a unique flavor in the process. the natives called this "barbacoa," which means "sacred fire pit." and we call it "barbeque," which means "delicious!" this cooking style eventually made its way to the american colonies. over the years, barbeque has evolved based on different regions of the country. in fact, there's actually a "barbeque belt" where you can find four different styles of barbeque -- carolina, texas, memphis, and kansas city. by the way, what most people call "barbecuing" really isn't. throwing a hamburger or hot dog on a backyard grill is actually grilling. to be a true barbeque, the meat needs to be cooked with indirect heat and for several hours, or, as the experts say, "low and slow." that's what makes it soooo good. >> that wraps up our show, but we'll be back soon with more "teen kids news." thanks for joining us, and have a great week! >> here's a shout-out to pr newswire for including "teen kids news" on their big