Table of contents for Issue 284 in The Week Junior US

On September 16, the recipients of the 2025 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes were named. The program recognizes children and teens in the US and Canada who are doing positive things for their communities and the world. What happened? A committee of judges selected a group of 25 young leaders between ages 8 and 18 as finalists, then named 15 as winners. Each received a cash prize of $10,000 that they can use to support their service project or help pay for college. The remaining 10 people were named as runners-up, and they received recognition for their efforts. What is the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes? The prize was established by T.A. Barron, an award-winning author of books for children and young adults. He named the prize for…

At age 12, Kelia Mehani Gallina recently became the youngest-ever competitor in the World Surf League (WSL). Her historic moment came while surfing the waves she grew up on in the 2025 Lexus Tahiti Pro, one of the WSL’s most challenging competitions. It was held in her hometown of Teahupo’o, Tahiti, a French Polynesian island in the Pacific Ocean. Gallina, now age 13, is of Tahitian and Hawaiian descent. She first got onto a surfboard at age 3 and, thanks to lessons from her dad, was riding Teahupo’o’s famously powerful waves less than two years later. She then gained experience in Rising Tides, a WSL program in which professional female surfers mentor young athletes. On social media, Gallina is known as“Miss Teahupo’o”—a nickname given to her by a local fisherman.…

Jaguars may be large and fierce, but they are still cats. Using knowledge of feline behavior, scientists have figured out a way to safely collect jaguar fur so they can more effectively study the animals. Analyzing hair is a crucial way for researchers to learn about a species, gauge potential threats, and improve conservation. Jaguars, the largest cats in the Americas, can be up to 6 feet long and weigh between 125 and 250 pounds. About 173,000 jaguars live in the wild, mostly in Brazil, Peru, and Colombia. Jaguars are considered near-threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, which tracks species’ risk of extinction. In Brazil, the big cats often live near cities and farms, putting them at risk from pollution and conflict…

Eels in the UK South Downs National Park in the UK is adding “eel lanes” to rivers to help European eels migrate. The eels spawn from eggs in the Sargasso Sea and float thousands of miles before returning. Experts created paths around barriers, such as dams. Gorillas in the DRC The government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is selling off 52 areas where companies can dig for oil. These include wild forests and other habitats for endangered lowland gorillas, bonobos, and elephants.…

The Metropolitan Opera is a prestigious cultural institution in New York City that is well known throughout North America and the world. What is the Met? In an opera, a dramatic or comedic story is told through orchestral music. The Metropolitan Opera Association (known as the Met) will present 19 operas during its season, from September to June. Based in Lincoln Center in New York City, the Met is the largest classical music organization in North America and is known for world-famous performers, lavish scenery, and its grand opera house (see“Inside the opera house” below). Early beginnings In the 1800s, the Academy of Music was New York City’s premier opera house. Box seats were owned by the city’s oldest, most prominent families while newly rich families, including the Vanderbilts, were…

Artificial intelligence (AI) can predict the direction of soccer penalty kicks more accurately than human goalkeepers, according to new research. AI is a computer system that can learn from experience and perform tasks that usually require human intelligence. Scientists in Spain analyzed more than 1,000 penalty kicks from televised matches and chose 640 high-quality video clips. The researchers then fed these clips to 22 different AI learning models. They asked the systems to predict whether the ball would go left, right, or down the middle, based on the kicker’s movements in the video footage and whether they were right - or left-footed. The best AI model predicted the direction correctly 52% of the time, while human goalkeepers got it right 46% of the time. When researchers simplified the task by…

2025 OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR FINALISTS…

On September 14, the 2025 WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association) playoffs began. Eight teams are battling for the title. The defending champions, the New York Liberty, are seeded (ranked) fifth in the postseason. The number one seed is the Minnesota Lynx, who finished the regular season with the best record (34–10). The number two seed is the Las Vegas Aces, who won the title in 2022 and 2023 and ended the regular season with 16 straight wins. The other teams competing are the thirdseeded Atlanta Dream, fourth-seeded Phoenix Mercury, sixth-seeded Indiana Fever, seventh-seeded Seattle Storm, and eighth-seeded Golden State Valkyries. The Valkyries are the first WNBA expansion team to qualify for the playoffs in their inaugural season. On the opening day of the first round, the Lynx, who lost to…

In California, an exhibition at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco’s Legion of Honor is highlighting one of the oldest art techniques: printmaking. Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint features pieces that showcase art from the 15th century to the present. Printmaking was invented in China in the 9th century and became prominent in Europe in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is an art form that involves transferring images from one surface—such as a carved block or screen—onto another, like paper. Natalia Lauricella, the exhibition’s curator (person who selects art), told The Week Junior she chose a variety of prints and styles as a way to give visitors“a sense of the technologies and the kind of evolving and changing methods.” The oldest work in the Printing Color exhibition is…

The Middle (Prime Video, Peacock, and other platforms) “This comedy series follows the daily life of the Hecks, a middle-class family living in the small town of Orson, Indiana. The story centers on Frankie Heck, a mom juggling work, family, and the chaos of life with her husband and their three quirky children. Each family member brings their own challenges and laughs, and the show highlights the struggles and humor of everyday life. Through ups and downs, the Hecks stick together, showcasing the love and resilience of a perfectly imperfect family.” Aarush, 11, Illinois Do you have a film or TV show to recommend to other kids? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

By Katherine Applegate, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Feiwel & Friends) When a cat named Zephyrina pulls a spaghetti-stained teddy bear out of a restaurant dumpster, she doesn’t realize how valuable it is. Zephyrina frequently brings stuffed animals and other discarded toys to her owners, a mother and daughter, who clean them and find them new homes. After the humans go to bed, the playthings come to life in a way that might remind you of the movie Toy Story. The toys’ leader is Pocket Bear, one of the miniature plush bears that were made for soldiers to keep in their pockets during World War I (1914–1918). Pocket Bear has a hunch that the bear Zephyrina rescued may have been part of the first shipment of teddy bears Germany sent to…

Penny Draws a Class Trip By Sara Shepard (G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers) In this illustrated book, the fourth in a series, Penny’s class is heading to New York City on a field trip. She wants to have fun exploring, but she’s anxious about traveling. Will Penny be able to overcome her fears? Ages 8–12 School Dance By Sarah Sax (Knopf Books for Young Readers) Milo is nervous about going to the middle school dance. Whenever he dances, something goes wrong. He once knocked over a wedding cake! With the help of friends and his grandmother, a legendary dancer, he tries to break his bad luck streak. This graphic novel is the third book in the Brinkley Yearbooks series. Ages 8–12 Schooled By Jamie Sumner (Atheneum Books for…

Ingredients ● 1 tablespoon olive oil● ½ head broccoli, finely chopped into very small florets (about 2 cups)● Salt and pepper, to taste● ¼ cup grated Parmesan● ¼ cup grated Manchego cheese● ¼ cup mayonnaise● 4 slices sourdough bread● 6 slices provolone cheese Instructions 1. Warm the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat and add the broccoli. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until the broccoli is bright green and starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Remove broccoli from heat and stir in the Parmesan and Manchego cheeses. 2. Spread mayonnaise on one side of each of the 4 slices of bread. Arrange 2 slices in a large skillet, with the mayonnaise side down. Layer the bread with half of the provolone, tearing the cheese…

Pairing sweet music with dessert A composer claims to have found a way to make chocolate even tastier—with music. Natalie Hyacinth researched how music can affect people’s senses while they eat. She found that sharper sounds strengthen sour and bitter flavors while smooth melodies make foods taste sweeter. In fact, she wrote a song called “Sweetest Melody,” featuring piano, harp, and other string instruments to produce flowing music that highlights creaminess. She said enjoying chocolate can be a “multisensory experience.” Becoming the king of Crocs A Connecticut man has earned a world record title after collecting thousands of Crocs shoes. As a teenager, Doogie Sandtiger’s goal was to obtain 366 pairs—one for each day of the year, including leap years. “You don’t want to get to February 29 and not…

Rohan, a 9-year-old from Florida, enjoys helping others. His good deeds include assisting his mother when she was sick and helping a friend with homework. To celebrate The Week Junior’s fifth anniversary in 2025, we’re asking readers to share five good deeds they’ve done. Have you helped a neighbor or performed a kind act? Go to kids.theweekjunior.com/activities to download a form like the one shown at right. Fill it out, then have an adult email it to us at hello@theweekjunior.com. We’ll feature some of the submissions on this page in future issues. IT’S YOUR TURN Email your news, views, and photos to hello@theweekjunior.com. We want to hear from you! To have your letters, photos, nominations, recommendations, or ideas considered for inclusion in the magazine, please include your first name, age,…

“I made the mango icy from The Week Junior, but instead of mango, I used peaches. It was really good!” Hiren, 7, Virginia “After reading about how bees pollinate in The Week Junior, I started watching my sunflower every day. I saw a bee on it!”Natalie, 8, North Carolina “I’m Chinese, and I can’t believe the movie Ne Zha was in The Week Junior! I liked how you described it. Thank you for introducing it to people!” Shawn, 10, California…

Teacher’s Name: Mrs. Crappell School: Hawk Elementary “Mrs. Crappell is funny and smart, and she makes learning so much fun! When second grade began, I didn’t really like math. It was a difficult class for me, but Mrs. Crappell created math games that helped us learn in a fun way. When the school year finished, math and science were my favorite subjects thanks to Mrs. Crappell.”Madison, 8, Texas Nominate your teacher for Teacher of the Week! Send your reason for the nomination, a photo of your teacher, and your school’s name and address to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

In several African countries, the number of children receiving school meals from the government has increased by 30% since 2022, according to a report from the World Food Programme (WFP). About 87 million children in countries including Ethiopia, Madagascar, and Chad are now receiving meals. Across the continent, about 307 million Africans are chronically malnourished due to climate change, conflicts, and high food prices. In the past, many African countries relied heavily on foreign aid from partners like the US, France, and the UK to feed their people. That aid has recently been reduced, however, and African governments have expanded funding instead. The WFP said it will continue working to help millions of children in lower-income African nations, like Somalia and South Sudan, who still don’t have nutritious meals at…

The state of New Mexico is set to become the first in the nation to offer free child care to families of all income levels. Child care refers to care provided while parents are working, before children are old enough to attend school. What happened? Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, announced that all families in New Mexico will be eligible for free child care starting on November 1. The announcement fulfills a promise made by the governor and the state legislature in 2019. Low-income families have already had access to free child care, and now the program will expand to cover families of all income levels. To meet the increased demand, the state said it plans to license more than 50 new child care centers and about 1,000 homes…

Ecola State Park stretches for nine miles along Oregon’s coast and is known for its clifftop views of the Pacific Ocean. The park has an eight-mile segment of the famous Oregon Coast Trail (the OCT), a long-distance hiking route along the state’s shoreline. Visitors can hike through spruce forests that lead to views of the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. They might see deer, elk, or a soaring eagle along the way. Sandy beaches have rocky areas for tide pool exploring—perfect for spotting colorful starfish.…

Scientists in Australia have identified a new species of prehistoric whale that looked adorable but was actually a ferocious predator with a row of razor-like teeth. Named Janjucetus dullardi, it lived 26 million years ago. The species was identified by a team of paleontologists (scientists who study the past through fossils) from the Museums Victoria Research Institute. It belonged to a family of small whales called mammalodontids, which lived in the warm, shallow waters off Australia and New Zealand during the Oligocene Epoch (33.9 million to 23 million years ago). J. dullardi is one of the earliest known cousins of present-day baleen whales, a family that includes gigantic blue and humpback whales. Though J. dullardi was related to baleen whales, it differed from its modern relatives in important ways. It…

The 2025 college football season started last month and has been filled with thrilling games. This year, 136 teams—which is more than ever—are competing in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivison), the highestlevel division in the sport. Ohio State University is the defending national champion, but the University of Texas began the season as the top-ranked FBS team. However, Ohio State beat Texas in Week 1 and became the number one team in the country. As of September 15, the other teams ranked in the top five were Penn State University, Louisiana State University (LSU), the University of Miami, and the University of Georgia. Heading into Week 4, Texas is ranked number eight. Several exciting games were played on September 13. In one, Georgia beat its conference rival, the University of…

Coach’s Name: AJ Mason Team: Junior Rams (flag football) “Coach AJ is the best. I joined football to be with my friends and make new ones. I knew nothing about the game, and he taught me everything. He told me what routes are, and he explained what quarterbacks and running backs are and what they do. He taught me tips and tricks on how to throw farther and helped me to be a better rusher. He’s nice and he’s chill. He’s not my coach anymore, but he was a part of my heart and I miss him a lot.” Renzo, 9, California To nominate a Coach of the Week, send your coach’s name, photo, sport, and team to hello@theweekjunior.com. Include your name, age, state, and a few reasons why your…

Iyanu: The Age of Wonders (HBO Max) Iyanu is a series about a brave girl that is based on popular Nigerian graphic novels. This new animated film is set before the period in the show. It explores the ancient origins of Yorubaland and follows Iyanu’s warrior parents as they fight an epic battle. Wolf King (Netflix) Inspired by Curtis Jobling’s Wereworld books, this fantasy series focuses on a young werewolf, Drew, who is the king of a world where nobles shape-shift into animal hybrids. In the new second season, he is under pressure to choose a queen and unite his kingdom as war looms. Vampirina: Teenage Vampire (Disney Channel) The young vampire from the popular picture books and animated series is a teen in this new live-action series. While attending…

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard: The Sword of Summer By Rick Riordan “This is the first book in a series about a boy named Magnus. He learns that he is the son of a Norse god and sacrifices himself to save others. After he becomes part of an eternal army, he embarks on a quest to find the Sword of Summer. I love this series so much. I almost cried when I finished the final book.” GiannaLei, 9, California Do you have a book to recommend? Send your review to hello@theweekjunior.com.…

Research shows that spending time in nature can decrease stress, boost health and happiness, and help you pay better attention in school. One way to experience nature is to go for a hike. With your family’s help, plan an outing together and gather the essentials, such as a map, the right footwear, and water. While you’re walking, try to actively engage your senses to absorb what’s happening around you. Here’s how. Admire your surroundings On a hike, you’ll naturally use your sense of sight to navigate the terrain and follow blazes (trail markers) to stay on your path. You can also take a moment to look up to observe cloud movements and the way sunlight filters through the treetops. Pause to appreciate fall foliage—the vibrant reds, golds, and oranges of…

An important part of participating in competitive activities is being a good sport. One way to achieve that is by playing fair. Competitions have rules so they can be done in an organized way, and everyone needs to follow them. It’s also important to cheer on others. Events are most successful when everyone feels supported. If you get taken out of a game, try not to get upset. Instead, channel your feelings into motivation to practice harder. Finally, accept the outcome no matter what happens. If you win, you deserve to celebrate! But don’t go overboard in front of opponents. If you lose, avoid getting angry or making excuses. Congratulate the winners on a job well done.…

One of our editorial team’s favorite weeks of the year is set to begin! From September 23–30, the 12th annual Fat Bear Week will take place in Katmai National Park in Alaska (p5). To celebrate the park’s brown bears as they put on weight before hibernation, rangers choose 12 impressive animals, organize them into tournamentstyle brackets, and invite the public to vote for the biggest and bulkiest among them. At the end of the week, one bear is crowned the champion. As the event unfolds, people can watch a livestream that shows the bears wading through the Brooks River and feeding on salmon in an effort to gain as much as 500 pounds. The animal lovers on our staff (which is to say all of us!) will be watching the…

1 The world’s largest pumpkin festival is held every fall in what country? a) Austria b) Belgium c) Germany a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 2 In the series Top Guns: The Next Generation, what is the symbol of excellence that pilots are trying to earn? 3 Scientists are dropping what type of insect on two Hawaiian islands to save honeycreeper birds? a) Beetles b) Mosquitoes c) Wasps a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 4 True or false? Artificial intelligence is better than humans at predicting which direction soccer penalty kicks will go. True ☐ False ☐ 5 The oldest work in the Printing Color: Chiaroscuro to Screenprint art exhibition is from what year? a) 943 b) 1493 c) 1893 a ☐ b ☐ c ☐ 6 Which US state…

A HAPPY ARRIVAL For the first time since 2021, an okapi calf was born at the San Diego Zoo in California. Okapis, which are endangered, look similar to zebras but are related to giraffes. Zookeepers said the “spunky” and “precious” baby girl is doing well and plays an important role in the conservation of her species. GIVING GENEROUSLY Melinda French Gates, a philanthropist focused on giving away money to help others, committed $50 million toward a $100 million initiative for research into women’s health issues like heart disease and Alzheimer’s. “We really can do a lot more…to change women’s lives,” she said. A BIG BOOK BIRTHDAY It’s been 75 years since the publication of Henry Huggins, the first children’s book by celebrated author Beverly Cleary. The popular novel introduced Henry,…

Charlie Kirk, age 31 and co-founder of the conservative organization Turning Point USA, was assassinated (killed for political reasons) at Utah Valley University on September 10. The shooting suspect was arrested two days later. Kirk’s death shocked the nation, and many leaders called for an end to political violence. President Donald Trump said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.…

What you need to know ● A prank is a mischievous act or practical joke that people play on others to be funny. ● A good-natured prank is harmless. It’s not mean-spirited and doesn’t damage property or belongings, hurt people, or inconvenience them. ● One famous prank happened in London in 1698. People were tricked into visiting the Tower of London to witness the “washing of the lions.” The next day, a local newspaper announced that it was a hoax. There are so many ways for pranksters to catch friends or family members by surprise and crack them up. For a good-natured joke, they can stick googly eyes on fruit or hide a plastic spider or snake in a shoe, drawer, or backpack. Or they can fill an empty milk…

This summer, scientists began dropping mosquitoes over the Hawaiian islands of Maui and Kaua’i. The goal is to save the islands’ honeycreeper birds from a disease that threatens their survival. Mosquitoes are not native to Hawaii but came on ships in the 19th century. Some of the insects carry avian malaria, a disease that can kill birds. Native birds, such as honeycreepers, have been especially vulnerable. Hawaii once had more than 50 species of honeycreepers, but today only 17 are left and most are at risk of extinction. Using drones, experts are dropping “pods” of non-biting mosquitoes into thickly forested mountains that are hard for humans to reach. The mosquitoes are all male and have been specially bred in a laboratory so they can’t produce offspring. Scientists introduced a type…

Clive D. L. Wynne Canine Science Collaboratory director, Arizona State University Dogs love peanut butter for much the same reason people do—it is packed with fat and a little bit of sugar. It has protein and some dietary fiber, but it is not a good food to let a dog have too much of. Unless your dog is a canine super-athlete, it’s best to have it in moderation. Do you have a question for an animal expert? Send it to hello@theweekjunior.com. Find out more about Clive D. L. Wynne at clivewynne.com.…

Many household products, like shampoo, hand soap, and condiments, come in plastic packaging, but plastic waste isn’t always properly recycled. A new packaging system could help with that problem because it replaces plastic containers with aluminum cans. About 81%of aluminum is recycled, compared to 52% of plastic. Created by a UK company called Meadow, the aluminum containers fit into canisters with a pump, screw top, or spray nozzle. Empty containers are recycled and replaced, reducing waste and helping the planet.…

National Geographic is giving viewers an up-close look at what it takes to be an elite fighter pilot. The new series Top Guns: The Next Generation follows a group of Navy and Marine Corps pilots as they perfect and test their skills in hopes of earning the Wings of Gold, a symbol of excellence. The six-episode series airs on NatGeo and streams on Disney+ and Hulu. The pilots in the show are members of the advanced fighter training program at Naval Air Station Meridian in Mississippi. Each year, 150 pilots are accepted into it. “They are already extraordinary when it starts,” executive producer Tanya Shaw told The Week Junior. “So we’re watching the most extraordinary student pilots become the most most extraordinary, if that’s even possible.” The producers spent six…

Hirogami is a new action platform game that was partly inspired by origami, the Japanese art of folding paper into different shapes, objects, and animals. It was recently released for the PlayStation 5 and PC. The main character in the game is Hiro, who is from Shishiki Village, a hideaway in a world made of origami-style trees, mountains, and buildings. The world is beautiful yet very delicate, and Hiro soon discovers that digital entities called The Blight are taking over and ruining everything. He then sets off on an adventure to save his village and the world. Although the game is action-packed, its frame rate (the speed of images that make up a video or animation) has been slowed to give it the feel of a stop-motion video. Hiro has…

What inspired this story? I was visiting Selfridges, a UK store, and came across a section where you can buy pre-loved stuffed animals. I found that so charming. It made me want to write about stuffed bears. Describe Zephyrina and Pocket Bear’s relationship. They have an enduring and sweet friendship. Pocket understands her, and she is protective of him. Did pocket bears exist? Yes! They were made for British soldiers to carry in their pockets during World War I (1914–1918). The bears were just 3.5 inches tall. Did you have a stuffy when you were young? I had a little pink blanket called blankie. If you weren’t a writer, what would you be? A veterinarian, because I love animals. I had dogs, cats, and many gerbils growing up.…

Word ladder To change the word PASS into the word WORD, use each clue to fill in a word that is only one letter different from the word before it. If you get stuck, try solving from the bottom up. Time gone by Protection for a broken arm or leg Supermarket alternative to a basket Parking lot sights Star ___ (famous movie series) Like a sunny day in spring Good thing to find in garden soi STEPPING STONES Each figure hides a seven-letter thing on a globe. To find each one, start anywhere and move in an unbroken path through letters that share a border (no jumping!), using each letter once. DETOURS Draw one continuous path from START to END that goes through every single square without crossing itself. For…

“This summer, I held a lemonade stand with my siblings and cousin on our street corner. We also sold iced coffee to the adults. I decided that I wanted to donate the money we raised to help with Texas flood relief efforts. My siblings and cousin donated as well, and we ended up giving $95 to a local nonprofit organization. I love helping other people!” Have you done something interesting or raised money for a cause you care about? Whatever you’re up to, we want to hear about it at hello@theweekjunior.com. JOKE OF THE WEEK How does an octopus make his friend laugh? With ten-tickles!…