(upbeat music) - Coming up next on "NewsDepth," we meet some young elected officials working for their local governments.

We check out a National Dog Show all about police dogs.

One person's trash is another person's electricity in Minnesota.

And Ohio has a very long history of Native American peoples in our state.

"NewsDepth" is now.

(upbeat music) Two teenagers in Utah and Kentucky are gaining real world experience by running for local government.

Hello, I'm Ygal Kaufman, in for Gabriel Kramer.

Thanks for joining us.

Jackson Lewis is a 19-year-old from Utah and was a high school student just one year ago.

And now he's an elected official.

He was chosen to serve on the Canyons School District Board.

A school board is a group of elected or appointed officials responsible for overseeing the governing operations of a school district.

Jackson's new job involves making important decisions related to education policies, budgets, curriculum, staffing, and other matters that affect the public schools in their district.

Ben Winslow has the story.

- And I thought, do you know what?

This is a perfect way to get involved, not just in the political world, but also education is so dramatically important.

- [Ben] Jackson Lewis is still getting used to his election to the Canyons School Board representing the Midvale area.

It was a year ago, he was a student at Hillcrest High School.

- I've been a political nerd since I've been conscious, right?

Those who have known me since I've been little, know that I like talking about policy.

- [Ben] Lewis says he ran for office after feeling like student and teacher perspectives are being left out of education policy discussions.

And his age, 19, got attention when he campaigned.

- People who originally at first saw me and was like, "Oh, you're running for office?

You're really, really young."

And then we kind of got to talking.

- [Ben] As a candidate, he ran on issues like student absenteeism, later school start times, and free school lunches.

- We need to make sure students want to be at school and feel respected by the people who are there.

- [Ben] Now as a board member-elect, he's looking at making many of those ideas policy.

But he knows it will take time.

- That is something over my term, I will be fighting extensively for, 'cause I know it's not just gonna happen with a single board meeting, right?

Obviously, that's not how this works.

And the reason I keep bringing that up is people look at me and they see I'm young.

I've been called naive quite a few times throughout this campaign.

I'm just trying to reassure the people who elected me.

I know how difficult this job is.

- [Ben] Lewis's election has the potential to shake things up in the Canyons School District.

- I think it really reflects the student voice in Canyons School District, and where he was just a graduate a year ago.

I'm just super excited to get his perspective on the district and how we can do better and improve.

- Throughout this campaign, and now that I've won, I've been spoken to by young people throughout my district, and not just throughout my district, but throughout the state who've reached out to me and saying, "Do you know what?

It's good to see that young people are taking a stand into politics."

- [Ben] And Lewis says he has advice for other young people looking to run for office.

Get involved in your community.

- Those conversations, those perspectives, getting into actual communities and learning the lived experiences of those folks, it's going to make me a better politician.

It's gonna make me a better board member, because do you know what?

You can't make good decisions unless every single voice in this community, unless they're not being heard, the decision that's going to be made is gonna suck.

And it's gonna suck for all of these peoples living in these homes if they're not being listened to.

- Thank you, Ben.

Jake Denniston, a recent high school graduate, decided to take a gap year before pursuing a degree in political science by running for local office in his hometown of Campton, Kentucky.

Motivated by a passion for politics, and a desire to gain real world experience, Jake campaigned door to door, surprising many locals with his dedication and determination.

His campaign was a success.

And he was elected Vice Mayor, and he's just 18 years old.

Amelia Lee talks to the teen about his plans in office.

- [Amelia] Before he pursues a degree in political science, Denniston decided to take a year off between high school and college, gaining real world experience by running for local government.

- I thought what better experience to gain in politics than running for office, and trying to get out there and see how people really are, instead of learning it from a textbook.

- [Amelia] He made yard signs and started going door to door, campaigning to become one of the next City Councilmen for the city of Campton.

- When I first showed up, they were like, "Okay, aren't you supposed to be at school right now?"

And I was like, "No, I'm here to work for you.

I wanna do this and this and this."

But they were pretty surprised, and pretty happy that I was running really.

- [Amelia] Little did he know his campaign would be a huge success.

Becoming the Vice Mayor of his hometown, since he had the most votes of those running.

- They thought it was time for a new, what they call fresh blood and a new perspective in the City Hall, and in politics in general.

- [Amelia] Denniston says he is honored to get to serve his community in a new way.

- It's a job interview.

People show up for you.

If you deserve the job, you'll get it.

- [Amelia] His lifelong love of politics, mixed with a go-getter attitude and servant heart made it easy for Denniston to run.

And this love for public service started long before the November election.

- Jake was one of those students who was always working very hard to do better for himself.

He was always very outspoken, always in Frankfort, talking to legislators, always talking to leaders in the community, always talking to leaders in the state.

- [Amelia] In a small town, Denniston is doing what he can to make big changes for the hometown he loves, with no plans to stop anytime soon.

- I would like to go as far as I can, and do as much good for people as I can, but that's up to them, that's not up to me.

But I have no limit.

I love politics.

I'd love to make it to whatever office possible.

- Thank you, Amelia.

Now it's time for you to cast your ballot for this week's poll.

Would you like to run for office?

Jump over to our poll page to vote.

You can choose between "Yes, I have some ideas to better my community," or "No, my civic role is to pick the best candidate for office."

Last week we visited a new library in California, focused entirely on Native American stories.

And we wanted to know how often do you visit the library?

47% of you said you visit the library sporadically.

That means every once in a while.

About 15% told us that you go to the library every week.

That's awesome.

In third place, with 14% of the votes, some of you told us you haven't been to the public library yet.

I haven't either, since I moved back to Ohio, but you're all motivating me to stop in, and pick up a new book.

13% of you said you visit the library about once a month.

And another 11% of you said you go every two weeks.

Thank you all for voting.

Now let's get back to the news.

Do you ride your bike to school or to the corner store?

For 12-year-old Arsen Guerrero, his bike is his primary mode of transportation to and from school in Glendale, Arizona.

But early in the school year, his bike was stolen, and his mom helped him file a police report.

That's how he met Officer Joe Procopio, who did not give up on his case, and made sure he got a new bike that he needed.

Cameron Polom met up with Arsen as he got an early Christmas gift.

- [Cameron] For Arsen Guerrero, his bike was more than just for joy riding.

It's how the soon-to-be 13-year-old gets home from school each day in Glendale.

- The gates are over there, and I put my bike away.

- [Cameron] Back in September, he left it at the bike racks inside his elementary school campus, but when he returned at the end of the day, it was gone, admitting to a crucial mistake.

- There wasn't any other kids locking up their bikes.

I thought it would be fine to not lock up mine.

- [Cameron] Unfortunately, campus security cameras didn't capture the theft.

His mom Maricela says that's when she filed the police report with Glendale PD, and an officer by the name of Joe Procopio.

- She told me that her son was saving up for a bike for a few months, and he ended up getting it stolen.

- I was telling Officer Procopio like, me and him saved up for this.

- [Cameron] She says times are tight, and turning around and purchasing a new one wasn't going to be easy.

- As a single parent, it's really hard to be able to afford $200 on a bike.

- [Cameron] Two weeks went by, and there was still no sign of Arsen's bike, but rather than letting the case go cold, Officer Procopio decided to make Christmas come early.

- At that point, I contacted my Community Action Team and we partnered up to find him a bike.

- [Cameron] A few days later, Procopio and the team showed up at Arsen's home.

While there was no sign of his old bike, a brand new one now sat outside his door.

- I was very moved, I cried.

- I was pretty grateful.

- [Cameron] It provided a moment of early holiday magic, landing a local officer square on the nice list.

- Thank you, Cameron.

In Louisiana, police officers from around the United States and their K-9s are in Baton Rouge for the 2024 National Trials.

All week, officers and their dogs will be participating in their yearly certifications.

Jordan Ponzio reports.

- I spend more time with my K-9 partner than I do with my family, so they are a big portion of my life.

- [Jordan] A man's best friend and protector.

Police officers and their K-9 partners are in the capital area to participate in their yearly certifications.

The Commander of the BRPD K-9 Division, Lyle Andre says these trials are essential to keep the dogs in sync with their year-round training.

- We have to certify our dogs twice a year.

So we do one through the regional event, and they host a national event each year.

- [Jordan] For the next three days, K-9s are being tested on their skills they've learned by their handlers.

One of those skills is obedience.

- So obedience consists of walking control, distance control and heeling.

- [Jordan] They also catch up on their scent work in the tall grass and finding a suspect in a box.

- We throw things in there and the dogs go out and find them using their olfactories, their nose.

They smell for 'em, and then the - - [Jordan] They work high-profile cases, and search for some of the most dangerous criminals.

Later in the week, the dogs will be tested on criminal apprehension.

- In the situations that we're certifying them in, they do become life and death situations.

- Thank you, Jordan.

I wish NewsHound was as good a listener as those dogs.

(NewsHound barking) I'm just kidding, NewsHound.

Well, that brings us to our first career callout of the season.

The career callout segments are when we have a professional answer some of your questions about their job.

This season, we're focusing on skilled trade jobs.

Next month, we'll be talking to a K-9 officer.

So what would you like to ask a K-9 officer about their job?

Students can send in their questions using our inbox form online, or by sending us an email to NewsDepth@ideastream.org.

Last week Mary told us about Sojourner Truth's powerful "Ain't I A Woman" speech, from a women's convention in 1851.

And we asked you to create an ad or poster for one of these early women's conventions.

Let's see what you came up with by opening our inbox.

(screen whooshing) (mouse clicking) Larkyn, from Sydney City Schools in Sydney, Ohio, sent us this email.

"Dear NewsDepth, if I were to create an ad for a women's convention, I would say, 'Come support women's rights and fight for us females.

Social and political equality is the state of equal access to opportunities and rights for all people, regardless of their gender.

Women deserve to be counted as humans too.'

And tell NewsHound that I said hi!"

Hear that, NewsHound?

(NewsHound barking) Astra, from Maryland Elementary in Bexley sent us this awesome poster and wrote, "Hello, NewsDepth.

Lots changed after the 1800s since the Seneca Falls Women's Rights Convention started.

And we are still fighting to help create equality, not just for women, but for everyone everywhere.

It is very important that everybody has the chance to feel equal."

(screen whooshing) Dirk from Gilles-Sweet Elementary in Fairview Park, sent us this drawing, along with the description.

"Dear NewsDepth, the drawing I made represents equality for everyone so no one feels more important than another.

This is important because people could feel sad because they think they aren't good enough."

(screen whooshing) Fiona from Harding Middle School in Lakewood wants to share their appreciation for the women that fought for equal rights.

"Dear World, we all have mothers, grandmas, and maybe sisters and aunts that we love dearly.

We love them so much that we want what is best for them, such as equal rights.

Imagine if it was you voting, and you asked to go with your mother, but she explained that she's not allowed to go because she's a girl.

This is unfair for women.

We are all human.

Nothing more or less.

Therefore, equal rights for women."

(screen whooshing) And Madelyn from Strongsville Middle School in Strongsville wrote an entire script.

"If I were to make an ad, then it would probably go something like this.

Three, two, one, lights, camera, action.

Do you know what an early women's convention is?

No.

What's an early women's convention?

Well, an early women's convention is a meeting to discuss women's rights.

Ooh, that sounds fun.

We should have one.

That's a good idea.

Invite all of your friends from school.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

We already have women's rights.

I know, but still, we should talk about women's rights back then, so maybe other women will have a better understanding of women's rights.

Wow, that's a pretty good point.

Cut."

Thanks to everyone for writing in.

I can definitely tell you put a lot of work and research into your ads.

Okay, are you ready to take another spin around the globe?

This time to India, where leaders have just rolled out new measures in the toxic air battle.

(screen whooshing) India is a country in South Asia.

It is the most populated country, with more than 1.4 billion residents.

India's government is a parliamentary system, and the capital is New Delhi.

Rupees are the currency in India, and India's biggest exports are petroleum and diamonds.

India has introduced stricter measures to combat toxic smog.

Smog is a fog made of heavier and darker smoke and chemical fumes.

New Delhi has banned non-essential construction work, as air quality plummets to severe levels.

And all primary schools in Delhi will shift to online classes due to the rise in pollution levels.

Kristie Lu Stout has the story.

- [Kristie] A canopy of toxic smog hangs over the skies of northern India, blotting out the country's color, choking its people.

Across Delhi, people go to hospital with serious respiratory problems.

So many others in Delhi are forced out into the pollution each day to work off menial jobs for little pay.

People like auto driver, Mohammad Ibrahim.

- It feels like chili in my eyes with the pollution.

When I go home in the evening and wash my hands and face, black stuff comes out of my nose.

If I don't go to work, how will I fill my stomach?

How will I pay my rent?

How will I pay my auto's rent?

- [Kristie] Delhi is in its dry period.

When emissions from cars and factories hang in the winter air, smoke from farmers burning their fields after harvest lingers all day.

- I use a mask.

I use a cloth to cover my face.

When I feel the problems acutely, I do deep breathing and exercises.

- [Kristie] This month, the particulate matter in Delhi's air has hit levels 40 times over the WHO's safety levels.

And many say government efforts to reduce air pollution are not working.

- There is no question of it getting better.

Last year it was not this bad.

This year it's worse.

Next year it'll be even worse than now.

- [Kristie] In Delhi, some outdoor work has been stopped and schools have moved classes online.

Flights have been diverted for poor visibility, but so many throughout northern India must struggle through the haze.

- Thank you, Kristie.

Sticking with environmental news, we're now stopping in Minnesota.

A landfill in that state is unveiling the state's first-ever geothermal cell.

A geothermal cell or geothermal power plant is one that generates electricity from heat.

And yes, you guessed correctly.

This first of its kind project will turn trash into energy.

Izabella Zadra reports from the city of Virginia.

- [Izabella] Everyone produces garbage, so why not put it to good use?

After just a few months, Virginia's landfill has finished up on a first of its kind project, implementing the state's first-ever geothermal cell.

This cell might look lackluster on top, but it's what's underneath that really matters.

Below the sand is a labyrinth of pipes and layers of clay.

Over time, garbage will be pushed on top, and as it starts to decompose, it produces heat.

Dave Fink is the Director of St. Louis County Environmental Services, and says, "If there's a way to reduce the cost and use all resources, why shouldn't Virginia's landfill be the one to try it first?"

Those here say it's so simple.

- So we're just capturing that heat.

It seems like a, like I said, it is a simple concept.

- [Izabella] In addition to creating heat, the new cell will also capture leachate, the liquid that comes from our garbage.

But once that wastewater is collected, it needs to be treated and pass certain inspections and the cell will help that process as well.

The landfill and partnership with St. Louis County and other affiliates is starting to plan the construction of a wastewater facility building on the premise, which will be heated by the energy coming from the geothermal cell.

- How can we capture some of that free energy and utilize it on-site to offset some of the costs of that facility?

- [Off-Screen Voice] Woohoo!

- [Izabella] County Commissioner Keith Nelson spoke at the cell's ribbon-cutting on Tuesday and is excited for all the opportunities this new technology will bring.

- It's the future of waste to continue economic development because without a place to manage waste, you do not have economic development.

- As we learned last episode.

November is Native American Heritage Month.

And Ohio has a very long history of Native American peoples in our state.

In today's "Know Ohio," Anna points out features in Ohio that still bear native names, including Chillicothe and the Cuyahoga River.

(upbeat music) - Every time I take a road trip through Ohio, I always like reading the names of the cities, towns, and landmarks I pass.

Cleveland, Toledo, Chillicothe, and then I wonder, "How did this place get its name?"

Well, many of the names of Ohio cities, lakes, rivers, and landmarks have Native American origins.

But when we say Native Americans, we're not talking about one uniform culture.

We're actually talking about a diverse group of tribes and civilizations scattered across the present day United States.

In fact, the word Ohio itself actually comes from the Iroquois Nation.

In the 1600s, before colonization, Iroquois was a powerful civilization made up of five different tribes.

They were conquerors who spread across present day New York, Pennsylvania, and eventually pushed their way into the rich Ohio Valley.

They called the river that separates Ohio and Kentucky, the Ohi-yo, which means roughly "Great Creek."

And our state took its name from there.

It was also the Iroquois that named the Cuyahoga River in Cleveland.

In Iroquois language, Cuyahoga means "crooked river."

And given the way it winds through Cleveland, that's a pretty accurate description if you ask me.

Southwestern Ohio is home to the prestigious Miami University and two large rivers, the Great Miami and the Little Miami, all take their name from the Miami people, a group of tribes that migrated south into Ohio in about the 1700s.

The Miami civilization spread across portions of Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.

Their language is Algonquin.

After a series of wars led by chief Little Turtle at the end of the 1700s, the Miami people eventually were forced out of Ohio by European settlers.

The Miami people are allied with the Shawnee Nation, and it's this tribe that gave the city Piqua, Ohio, its name.

To the Shawnee, Piqua or Pekowi, means a man coming out of the ashes, which is part of the tribe's creation myth that says a man was born out of the smoke and ashes from an ancient fire.

The Shawnee are also responsible for one of my personal favorite city names, Chillicothe.

It's so fun to say.

And it's derived from the Shawnee word, Chalahgawtha, which means "principal place," because Chillicothe is where the Shawnee tribe leadership lived.

There are so many more interesting native Ohio civilizations that shaped our state.

So next time you travel across our state, keep an eye out for some of Ohio's most interesting names.

They're often reminders of our state's Native past.

(screen whooshing) - That was very informative.

Thank you, Anna.

I can't think of a better way to celebrate Native American Heritage Month than by sharing the story of two sisters from Cleveland that have a personal goal of learning and mastering bead work, a traditional art form for Native American people.

Cora and Vivian are this week's A-plus Award winners for starting their very own craft company, Waabigwaniins, which means "little flower," to connect with their heritage and support their community at the same time.

(screen whooshing) Vivian is a sixth grader, and Cora is a fourth grader.

They both attend Campus International School in Cleveland.

They started learning bead work two years ago, with their mom, Cynthia.

With the help of community elders, Miss Marlys and Pumpkin, they have learned how to make earrings.

It usually takes them less than 10 minutes to make one pair of earrings.

They take the beads and use wire to make the colorful patterns.

Then they add the jump ring, which is the earring connector.

But this part can be challenging, because it requires good hand-eye coordination.

Vivian said that she finds inspiration from nature, so she likes using colors that remind her of the great outdoors.

She is looking forward to using other traditional materials like wampum, porcupine quill, dentalium shell, and turquoise.

They use different sized beads for different projects.

For example, larger beads can be used as the centerpiece for a flat stitch.

The single needle flat stitch is the next skill they're practicing, and it's a different way to make earrings because the beads are actually sewn on a fabric backing, and then cut out.

Their mom, Cynthia told us that bead work is a craft you can learn for your whole life.

There are skills she's even still learning to master, and she has been beading since she was just 10.

Cora and Vivian started their company, Waabigwaniins, this year.

They have vended at events like the Fall Fest at their school, and the Cleveland Metropark's First Peoples' Day just this month.

The name of their store blends both of their tribes and comes from their native names in the Anishinaabe language.

Vivian's name is (speaking Haudenosaunee) and means "floating flower" in the Haudenosaunee language.

And Cora's name is (speaking Haudenosaunee) and means she looks after flowers.

Vending is an important part of Native American events because it's a way for the community members to share their art and support each other.

They recently learned about inventory when they sold out of their earrings at an event.

Inventory is the complete list of goods to be sold.

Vivian wants to be an entrepreneur when she's older, because she particularly likes that being a business owner means you are in charge of what you make and sell.

Cora has learned how to be responsible and manage her own time.

But bead work is just one of her ways she celebrates her heritage and learning her culture so she can pass it down to the next generation.

She also loves to dance Fancy Shawl at Powwow.

(screen whooshing) This week's A-plus Award goes to Vivian and Cora for finding a personal connection to their Native American heritage, and always being excited and proud to share their craft with everyone.

Okay, I think we have just enough time to check in on NewsHound.

It's time for this week's petting zoo.

(upbeat music) (NewsHound barking) What's up, NewsHound?

We have a viewer question for you.

Where are you from?

(NewsHound barking) NewsHound says he's from Cleveland.

Aw, look at that puppy pic.

Okay, okay, we should get back to work.

What animal story do you have for us this week?

You found a story about a baby goat that was rescued from the side of a cliff in Hawaii?

(goat bleating) - [Narrator] This is Bala "Buddy."

He's now at the Aloha Animal Sanctuary in Kahaluu, where he's getting extra care.

He'll soon have a new home with 15-year-old Lawai Diaz.

- It's okay.

- Who's the sanctuary's Animal Wellness Manager.

Caretakers here at Aloha Animal Sanctuary think little Bala is about a month old.

He's going to the vet this afternoon, but for now, they think he's just fine.

- To learn how that furry friend is recovering, click the Petting Zoo button on our website.

(screen whooshing) Thanks again, NewsHound.

Well, that's it for today's episode of "NewsDepth."

The "NewsDepth" team will be on Thanksgiving break next week, but we will be back in December with a new pre-recorded episode.

Pre-recorded just means we taped it ahead of time.

But until then, you can always stay in touch with us because we always want to hear from you.

You can send a letter.

We're at 1375 Euclid Avenue.

That's Cleveland, Ohio.

Zip code here is 44115.

And you can email us at NewsDepth@ideastream.org.

Plus you can catch all of our special segments on YouTube.

Hit subscribe if you're old enough, so you don't miss out on any of our new videos.

Thanks for joining us.

I'm Ygal Kaufman, and we hope you all have a great fall break.

(screen whooshing) (upbeat music) - [Narrator 1] "NewsDepth" is made possible by a grant from the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation.

- [Narrator 2] Career callouts featured in "NewsDepth" are funded by the Ohio Broadcast Media Commission.

(upbeat music)