Hey, Kid News fans. Are red pandas like giant pandas? Not really. They're closer relatives to skunks,

weasels, and raccoons than they are to those awesome black and whites. And technically speaking,

bananas are berries, but strawberries aren't. Fascinating, right? If you want your Kid News-loving kid

to tap into trivia, check out

The Week Junior. It's a weekly news magazine full of fascinating facts and interesting stories

that, like our podcast, is age-appropriate for 8-14-year-olds and 100% screen-free. Whether they're

into science or tech, animals or sports, or all of the above,

the Week Junior has it and delivers it straight to your mailbox every week. And it makes an

awesome gift. This holiday season, give your child the joy of reading and the confidence

of knowledge. Visit theweekjr.com slash fun facts and try six issues risk free. That's the

week junior.com slash fun facts. Good morning and welcome to kid news. I'm Kim. Today is Friday,

December 12th, 2025. Our last episode before we break for a few weeks to enjoy the holidays.

And we begin this morning with a 14-year-old

launching a long-shot bid for the Vermont Governor's Mansion. High school freshman Dean Roy of Stowe

got bit by the political bug after working as a page in the state legislature and began his

campaign in earnest when he found out Vermont has no minimum age

requirement. He's now traversing the state microphone in hand telling voters, I'm not pretending

that I know everything, but I do know this. Vermont deserves better. And maybe the first step

toward real change is taking a chance on something different, even if that

change comes in the form of a 14-year-old. He's approaching the 500 signatures needed to make the ballot

and has enlisted a fellow freshman as his running mate and four other friends to help. When he's not

busy politicking, Dean runs and skis cross-country, taps maple trees to make maple syrup, and is an avid fan of Formula One auto racing.

...