My name is Alex. I had an interesting and scary experience last Saturday. At about three o'clock in the afternoon, I was walking down the Main Street. I stopped in front of a jewelry store to look at some rings in the window. I really liked one of the rings. While I was standing there, two men came out of the store. They ran across the street, got into a car, and drove away quickly. Then I saw something on the ground. It was a black bag. I thought maybe they dropped the bag while they were driving away in the car.

    I went to pick up the bag and opened it. There was a diamond watch in the bag. I took the bag with the watch into the jewelry store and showed it to the store manager. The manager looked scared by what had happened but he was very happy to see the watch. He said the two men were thieves, and that the police were looking for them. He also said the watch was very expensive. To thank me, he gave me fifty dollars. I was happy that I helped him. However, the thieves stole many pieces of jewelry. They took ten rings, three watches, four necklaces, and ten pairs of earrings. I hoped the police would catch them soon.

    Sydney Fredette is very busy. Not only is she a high school student, but she has also set up her own organization（组织）, Beary Merry Christmas. She volunteers(志愿) to offer services to poor children and families in Orange Country in California, US.

    To remember her best friend who died of cancer nearly 10 years ago, Fredette decided to offer services to those in Orange Country who are less lucky than she is.

    She began with the easy idea of collecting donated(捐赠) Build-A-Bears, the popular toy animal that is made by children themselves in the stores' workshops. Fredette then gave them as presents to the homeless children in California during the holiday season.

    With donations at more than 100 bears a year, Fredette and volunteers hold activities every year, where volunteers not only give out the bears, but also clothing, meals, and other things.

    Not wanting to limit(限制) the giving to just the holiday months, Fredette held other activities for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Halloween, offering the chance to her volunteer team to make a difference through the year.

    "I love making friends with the people I offer services to," Fredette said. "It's so cool to hear their stories and see how happy they are."

    Fredette even built a public food bank and offered a self-development class to students in her school.

    She plans to stay local and continue to help out in her hometown.

    Jeff Corwin is a scientist and author. He does these jobs with one life goal: to help save animals and their habitats. His latest book, 100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth's Most Endangered Species, is a collection of stories about animals on the edge(边缘) of extinction. Corwin recently talked to TFK kid reporter Sarah Horbacewicz.

Reporter: How would you describe your job?

Corwin: My job is to travel around, look at animals and tell their stories.

Reporter: When did you know this is what you wanted to do?

Corwin: I knew that when I was 6 years old. My dad was a police officer, and we lived in the city. I really enjoyed the time when I could go to the quiet countryside. The day that I saw my very first wild snake, I knew that's what I would do for the rest of my life. I didn't know if I would be a teacher or a zookeeper, but I know I would have a life connected with (与……有关) nature.

Reporter: Why did you write the book?

Corwin: We're losing species(物种) very fast. I wanted to show people that while we are in a very serious situation, we are not at the point of no return. If we make big changes, we may have the chance to save what remains.

Reporter: Is it true that humans are the reason that many of these animals are in danger?

Corwin: Human beings have a powerful effect on every other living thing. The challenge is to make that effect a positive one.

    There is an old man in a house. In the house there are many mice. The old man has a cat. Every day the cat catches the mice and eats them. One day, the old mouse says "All mice must come to my room this evening. We must find a way to deal with the cat." All the mice come. Many mice speak but they don't know what to do. At last a young mouse stands up and says "We must put a bell on the cat. When the cat comes near we can hear the bell and run away. So the cat can't catch us." "Who can put the bell on the cat" asks the old mouse. But no one answers.