Good morning and welcome to Kid News.
I'm Tori.
Today is Friday, February 27, 2026.
And we begin with a tropical bird behind bars in the entertainment capital of the world.
Sam, a runaway toucan, is safely in the hands of caregivers after he flew his Las Vegas coupe way back in November.
Since then, the Brightbilled bird's been flying around the city, worrying wildlife experts as to how this rainforest native was handling the desert's chilly nights and dry air.
Volunteers have been leaving out food next to a cage in hopes of luring Sam to safety.
Finally, this week, Sam parked himself in the garage of homeowners who've been following his story on the news.
Veterinarians say he looks surprisingly strong, with just a little dry skin and a small chip in his beak.
Sam will spend a couple of weeks in a special bird timeout to get him back to full health.
To perhaps no one's big surprise, AI is becoming a bigger part of everyday work in the United States.
A new Gallup poll shows that 12 of Americans use AI daily for their job, a number that has tripled in just over a year.
People who work in tech lead the way in usage, at 31, while 9 of teachers and educators report daily usage.
Another important factor those who work remotely are twice as likely to utilize this rapidly changing new technology.
Still.
A recent Fox News poll showed that for the majority of Americans 53, AI has not yet had a notable effect on their day-to-day lives.
One of Northern California's biggest wildlife attractions is on pause.
Officials have canceled the popular elephant seal tours at Año Nuevo State Park after several seal pups tested positive for bird flu and others are showing signs of illness.
According to researchers from UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz, this is the first time the virus has appeared in marine mammals in the Northern Hemisphere.
Tours and viewing areas will be closed for the rest of the breeding season to protect the public as well as the thousands of seals that take up residence on the beach every winter.
Scientists are continuing to monitor the colony and take appropriate measures.
What if your sneakers could give you a boost like a tiny motor in your step?
Nike is working on a new high-tech shoe that uses sensors, batteries and a small motor controlled by a phone app to help power your stride.
Mike Yonker, director of the company's Project Amplify system, says wearing the shoes is like having a mini e-bike attached to your feet.
According to the company, the so-called Bionic Footwear, still in the development stage, is designed for everyday athletes, not just the pros.
Nike is aiming to launch these so-called Robo Shoes in 2028.
If and when they do walking and running could feel much more supercharged while requiring much less effort.
Speaking of sneakers, that high-pitched squeak ever-present at NBA games just got its own science experiment.
Not long ago, Adele Jalouli was watching a Boston Celtics game at TD Garden and wondering what causes that very kick-specific sound.
In addition to being a basketball fan, Adele is a material scientist at Harvard, so he decided to find out.
In their lab.
He and his team dragged a sneaker across glass, recorded the sound and then used a high-speed camera to solve the mystery.
It turns out, the squeak is caused by thousands of tiny ripples per second snapping back inside the rubber sole as the shoe loses and regains its grip on the floor.
Shoes without traction don't make the same sound.
The findings were published on Wednesday in the journal Nature.
Still to come, a hometown hype squad gets the ultimate surprise.
But first we want to wish a happy 10th birthday to Sammy of San Francisco, who loves basketball, volleyball and reading.
Mom and Dad also want to say happy half birthday to Sammy's brother Alex, who's into all things sports, especially hoops.
Happy Double Digits Day, Sammy!
Now, today's Kid News Quiz.
What is the name of Nike's new motor-powered shoe project?
Project Amplify.
Why were elephant seal tours canceled at Año Nuevo State Park?
Because of a bird flu outbreak.
Where was the runaway toucan finally captured after months on the loose?
In someone's garage in Las Vegas.
What percentage of Americans say they now use AI every day at work?
12%.
In today's Kid News Kicker, if you're going to cheer, you might as well go all in.
For the past few years, a group of fourth graders in Salt Lake City has been attending games to cheer on the local Alta High School's basketball team.
This season, after getting Alta jerseys, they not only showed up, they packed the opposing stands to create their own mini student section.
After a playoff win, a fourth grader named Owen invited Dash, one of the senior players, to come watch their game.
Dash didn't just show up, he brought the entire high school team with him.
In a now viral video, the teens can be seen jumping to their feet and cheering for every steal, shot and basket, spurring their younger fans on to their own victory.
Thanks again to the Moye family of San Francisco for sponsoring today's quiz.
Happy birthday to Sammy.
Happy half birthday to Alex.
And shout outs to Sammy's fourth grade crunchy pickles class at the Hamlin School with Ms.
Pierce and Ms.
Palm and Alex's 1A class at town school with Ms.
Ganim and Ms.
Jones.
And hello to our other Kid News classrooms.
Mr. Effling's Eagles at Hancock in San Diego, California.
Mrs. Webster's Wildcats at Wagner in Nippawin, Saskatchewan.
Mrs. Borick's Cubs at East Grand Middle School in Granby, Colorado.
And Mrs. Bewley's Leopards at Lander in Cleveland, Ohio.
Thanks for listening.
Teachers, if you've signed up, our weekly word search should be in your emails.
Have a great weekend.
We'll see you back here for more kid news tomorrow morning.
