4/16: Pre-K For All, Human Trafficking, Animal Homes, Ceramic Art

> FROM THE WORLD'S LEADING CENTER FOR FINANCE, THE ARTS PUBLISHING, SCIENCE, RESEARCH, MEDIA, INNOVATION AND MUCH MORE, THIS IS 'METROFOCUS' WITH RAFAEL PI ROMAN AND TONIGHT WITH JACK FORD NOMINATED FOR TWO NEW YORK EMM AWARDS FOR BEST INTERVIE DISCUSSION PROGRAM AND FOR BES COMMUNITY AFFAIRS SERIES

TONIGHT, PRE-K FOR ALL HEAD INTO THE SECOND YEAR AND MANHATTAN'S DISTRICT ATTORNEY TACKLES HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

WE TREAT IT LIKE A BUSINESS CRIME NOW.

INSIDE ANIMAL HOMES

WHAT IF THEY WERE MADE BY BEAKS OR PAWS, THESE HOMES HAV A UNIVERSAL PURPOSE.

TO KEEP THEIR OWNERS SAFE FROM A DANGEROUS WORLD.

AND MAKING CERAMIC WORKS OF ART.

I'M REALLY INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PURPOSE BEHIND THE OBJEC IS AND WHAT KIND OF SECRET IT MIGHT HOLD

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM IS PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING.

CORPORATE FUNDING FO 'METROFOCUS' IS PROVIDED B MUTUAL OF AMERICA.

YOUR RETIREMENT COMPANY.

NEW YORK'S AMBITIOU PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAM CALLED PRE-K FOR ALL IS ONE OF MAYO BILL DE BLASIO'S TOP PRIORITIES.

THE CITY OFFERED 53,000 SEAT FOR 4-YEAR-OLDS ALL AT NO COST TO THEIR FAMILIES.

PLENTY OF PARENTS CONTINUED TO PAY FOR PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS BUT THE CITY WANTS TO BE SURE NO CHILD IS LEFT OUT.

ANDREA VASQUEZ REPORTS ON TH PLAN TO EXPAND THE MODEL IT'S PART OF THE AMERICA GRADUATE, A PROJECT MADE POSSIBLE BY THE CORPORATION FO PUBLIC BROADCASTING.

TO HELP LOCAL COMMUNITIES FIND WAYS TO KEEP STUDENTS ON THE PATH TO GRADUATION

ABCDEF --

TWINS RUBY AND MILA STARTED AT EAST HARLEM AS 3-YEAR-OLDS.

THEY KNOW THEIR BASIC SHAPE AND THE COLORS AND NUMBERS THESE ARE SKILLS THEY NEED T KNOW ENTERING KINDERGARTEN

NEXT YEAR AS 4-YEAR-OLDS THAT I'LL QUALIFY FOR IN THE PRE- FOR ALL PROGRAM.

THE GOAL IS TO ENROLL 70,000 4-YEAR-OLDS IN PRE-Ks AT DAY CARES AND COMMUNITY BASE ORGANIZATIONS.

WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE HARBO IN 2011, WE WERE RUNNING ESSENTIALLY A DAY CARE PROGRAM HERE AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT W WANTED TO DO IN 2011 WAS BUILD A PROGRAM THAT WOULD BUILD KINDERGARTEN READINESS STUDENTS.

SO WE WERE AHEAD OF THE CURVE IN TERMS OF TRANSFORMIN PROGRAMMING AND TAKING A LOOK AT COMMON CORE STANDARDS AN PREPARING STUDENTS FOR KINDERGARTEN

A LOT OF PARENTS HAVE SAI THAT IF IT WASN'T FOR THE -- THEY WOULDN'T HAVE SENT THEM, AT LEAST NOT THIS YEAR.

THEY WOULD HAVE WAITED UNTIL KINDERGARTEN

THEY'RE LEARNING THEIR COLORS AND NUMBERS AND LEARNING SOCIA SKILLS LIKE HOW TO GET ALONG WITH EACH OTHER AND HOW TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.

CAN YOU SHOW ME WHAT YO MADE

A SQUARE.

WE ARE DEVELOPING KID COGNITIVELY AND PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY FOR LIFE ESSENTIALLY.

THERE ARE SKILLS IN EACH ONE O THOSE CATEGORIES THAT MUST B DEVELOPED AS STUDENTS GROW

HOW MANY OF YOU ARE HERE FROM MANHATTAN?

OKAY QUEENS

PARENTS OF NEXT YEAR' 4-YEAR-OLDS ARE GETTING READY TO ENROLL THEY HAVE QUESTIONS AND THEY'R LOOKING FOR ANSWERS AT CIT SPONSORED EVENTS AND INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS LIKE THIS ONE HOSTED BY THE NEW SCHOOL AND THE EDUCATIONAL WEBSITE INSIDE SCHOOLS.

BECAUSE THEY HAVE SO MANY DIFFERENT PLACES FOR KIDS TO GO, DIFFERENT KINDS OF PLACES, TRYING TO GET A SEAT IS MUCH MORE COMPLICATED THAN JUST GOING TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL AN SIGNING UP

IT'S NOT THAT EVERYBODY GET THEIR ABSOLUTE TOP CHOICE.

THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN ANY PAR OF THE SYSTEM BUT WE THINK W CAN FIND SOMETHING THAT WORK FOR THEM

PRE-K IS OPTIONAL BUT EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS AND CITY OFFICIALS SEE IT AS A WAY TO REDUCE INCOME INEQUALITY B OFFERING IT TO PARENTS WHO COULDN'T AFFORD IT

AS A SYSTEM AND AS A CITY, WE BELIEVE THAT IF MANY CHILDRE PARTICIPATE IN THE FULL DA PRE-K, WE'LL BE LAUNCHING THEM ALL FOR SUCCESS IN SCHOOL AND IN LIFE AND IT REALLY DOES PROVIDE A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE CITY AS A WHOLE

PARENTS ARE ALSO LEARNING THAT UNLIKE SOME DAY CARE AN HALF DAY PROGRAMS, PRE-K FOR ALL REQUIRES A FULL SIX HOUR AND 2 MINUTE SCHOOL DAY.

BEFORE A STUDENT CAN GO INT THE KINDERGARTEN, THERE ARE LOT OF BASIC SKILLS THAT KID NEED TO KNOW AND ONE OF THE MOST CRITICAL AREAS IS LITERACY AN VOCABULARY AND KIDS GOING INTO PUBLIC SCHOOLS TODAY, MANY OF THEM AR ALREADY EXPERIENCING AN ACADEMIC GAP.

THE HOPE IS THAT PRE-K FO ALL WILL HELP JUMP START STUDENTS ON THE PATH T GRADUATION IN EAST HARLEM, I'M ANDREA VASQUEZ FOR 'METROFOCUS.

> SINCE 2010, CYRUS VANCE JR HAS BEEN THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN MANHATTAN DURING THAT TIME, HE'S BEE RESPONSIBLE FOR A NUMBER O INITIATIVES DESIGNED TO CREATE INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO THE STRUGGLE AGAINST CRIME ONE OF THOSE INITIATIVES IT' FOCUSED ON COMBATING HUMAN TRAFFICKING.

CYRUS VANCE IS HERE TO TAL ABOUT SOME OF THOSE.

I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A NUMBER I SAW IN PREPARATION FOR THIS.

I THOUGHT IT WAS ASTONISHING THAT IS ON ANY GIVEN NIGHT I NEW YORK STATE MORE THAN 4,000 UNDERAGED YOUTH ARE THE VICTIM OF SEX TRAFFICKING IS THAT NUMBER ACCURATE AND HO DOES THAT HAPPEN

WE HAVE REALLY HAD TO RETHINK AS PROSECUTORS THE ROLE IN INVESTIGATING WHAT USED TO B PROSTITUTION CASES THEY'RE OFTEN YOUNG TEENAGER COMING FROM DISADVANTAGED HOME WITH SIGNIFICANT ADDICTION AND OTHER PROBLEMS AND THEY ARE BEING TRAFFICKED BY PIMPS AND BROADER ORGANIZATION TO LEVELS THAT WE REALLY HAV NOT APPRECIATED.

SO IN THE DAYS WHEN I WAS YOUNG ASSISTANT IN THE 1980s, WE MIGHT ON A NIGHTTIME ARRAIGNMENT SHIFT HANDLE 40 PROSTITUTION CASES BUT WE DO NOTHING MORE THAN PROCESS THOSE INDIVIDUALS ANONYMOUSLY, LITERALLY, THROUG THE COURTROOM.

AND THEY'RE ALL VIEWED AS DEFENDANTS

THEY'RE ALL VIEWED AS DEFENDANTS TODAY, IT GOES TO A SPECIA COURT AND OUR LAWYERS ARE TRYING TO IDENTIFY OUT OF -- IN EVERY CASE WHETHER THIS IS A SITUATION OF SOMEONE WHO IS IN THE LIFE OF PROSTITUTION AS AN ADULT WILLINGLY OR IS IN THE LIFE OF PROSTITUTION BECAUSE HE OR SHE IS IN FACT BEING TRAFFICKED BY A PIMP WHAT WE SEE TRAGICALLY IS WHEN YOU DIG INTO THE CASES, WHAT W THOUGHT WERE PROSTITUTES A CRIMINALS IN THE OLD DAYS ARE IN FACT YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN WHO ARE BEATEN, BRANDED WITH BAR CODES TO DEMONSTRATE THEY'RE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR PIMPS.

WE GO UP -- WE TREAT THE SEX TRAFFICKING CASES LIKE A BUSINESS CRIME NOW SO OUR TOOLS ARE WIRETAPS, FORENSIC ANALYSIS OF DIGITAL INFORMATION SUCH AS FACEBOOK AND THE LIKE AND WE'VE COME TO RELY ON VERY SOME OUT IN THE PUBLIC WHO ARE SKEPTICAL, WHO WOULD LOOK AT THIS AND SAY, THEY CAN WAL AWAY IF THEY DON'T WANT TO BE PART OF THE SEX BUSINESS SO THEY HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO WAL AWAY WHY SHOULD WE TREAT THEM A VICTIMS RATHER THAN TREAT THEM AS DEFENDANTS, GET THEM ALL OF THE STREET BECAUSE IT WILL MAK OUR QUALITY OF LIFE BETTER WHAT'S THE ANSWER TO THAT?

THE ANSWER IS IF YOU WANT T REDUCE PROSTITUTION I THINK YO NEED TO REDUCE THE LIKELIHOO THAT THAT MAN OR WOMAN WIL CONTINUE IN PROSTITUTION AND I YOU SIMPLY CYCLE A CASE THROUG THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM WITH THE TIME SERVED SENTENCE ON AN ARREST, WHAT THAT PERSON WILL DO IS GO BACK OUT INTO THE STREET INTO THE LIFE HE OR SHE LIVES IN WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY NO MONEY, NO SUPPORT SERVICES AND THEY'R GOING TO CONTINUE TO BE INVOLVED IN PROSTITUTION.

OFTEN AS A TRAFFICKE INDIVIDUAL BUT IF YOU'RE ABLE TO INTERVEN WHEN THEY COME INTO THE COUR SYSTEM AND TRY TO IDENTIFY THOSE WHO ARE ACTUALLY BEING TRAFFICKED, WHO YOU CAN HELP T PROVIDING AN ARRAY OF SERVICES WE CAN PROVIDE, THEN YOU MAY I FACT BE DOING TWO THINGS NUMBER ONE, TAKING SOMEONE OFF THE STREET TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE SKEPTIC AN NUMBER TWO, TREATING THE PROSTITUTED INDIVIDUAL AS -- A A VICTIM AND SOMEONE WHO NEEDS HELP WE OPENED A SEX TRAFFICKING -- IN IT A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO, BUT WITHIN THE LAST YEAR WE HAVE - WE HAVE COME TO PARTNER ACTUALLY INTERESTINGLY WITH DARPA, TH DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARC PROGRAM AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AND THEY HAVE HELPED US USE A PROGRAM CALLED MEMEX IT'S A PRODUCT THAT ENABLES US NOT JUST TO LOOK AT THE WEB AS YOU AND I LOOK AT IT, THE 5% O THE WEB THAT THE PEOPLE SEARCH ON GOOGLE OR YAHOO! BUT THE 95 OF WHAT'S CALLED THE DEEP WEB.

AND IN THAT DEEP WEB IS A VAST AMOUNT OF INFORMATION, SOME OF IT RELATED TO HUMAN TRAFFICKIN AND PROSTITUTION THAT WE CAN NOW THROUGH MEMEX CRAWL OVER EVERY SEVERAL HOURS AND PULL OUT FRO THE DARK WEB INFORMATION RELATED TO PROSTITUTING INDIVIDUALS, BACK PAGE SEX TRAFFICKING, SEX TOURISM, AND IT TAKES THAT INFORMATION AND IS ABLE TO ESSENTIALLY PUT IT IN A DATABASE THAT WE CAN MANAGE WE HAVE USED IT IN EIGHT POS INDICTMENT PROSECUTIONS.

WE HAVE 20 ACTIVE SE TRAFFICKING INDICTMENTS THAT USE MEMEX.

YOU ASKED ME WHAT'S DIFFERENT?

WHAT'S DIFFERENT IS THE TOOLS WE HAVE NOW ARE ACTUALLY ADAPTING VERY WELL TO THE CRIMES THAT W NOW SEE.

THERE WAS AN INTERESTIN ARTICLE IN 'THE NEW YORK TIMES FAIRLY RECENTLY.

YOU WERE QUOTED AS TALKING ABOUT THE DILEMMA IN THAT SOME PEOPL ARE GETTING PULLED OUT OF THIS TRAFFICKING WORLD, THE SEX TRAFFICKING WORLD AND LOOKIN TO -- OKAY, CREATE A NEW LIF HERE BUT THEY'RE FINDING THAT ALL O THESE ARRESTS THAT THEY HAVE ARE AN ABSOLUTE OBSTACLE TO IT I KNOW YOUR OFFICE AND SOME OF THE OTHER OFFICES ARE TRYING T DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING

'THE NEW YORK TIMES' ARTICL YOU REFERENCED, I THINK WE WER WORKING WITH DEFENSE COUNSEL I THE COURT.

ONCE WE REALIZED WE HAD TRAFFICKED INDIVIDUAL, WE MOVE TO DISMISS THE NUMBER OF CONVICTIONS THAT THIS WOMAN WA CARRYING WITH HER ON HER RECOR BECAUSE WE BELIEVED THAT SHE WAS A VICTIM AND NUMBER TWO, W BELIEVED SHE NEEDED A CLEA SLATE IN ORDER TO GET A FRES START.

SO I THINK TODAY IN 2015 WE LOOK AT THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

APPROPRIATELY THAN WE DID IN 1982 WHEN YOU DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TH TIME TO MAKE INDIVIDUA INVESTIGATIONS ON THE SMAL CASES, AND BY SMALL I MEAN THE MINOR ARRESTS.

THE TRUTH IS IF YOU WANT T FIGHT CRIME AND YOU WANT TO HAVE SUCCESS LONG TERM YOU HAVE T PAY ATTENTION TO THE MISDEMEANOR CASES JUST LIKE YOU HAVE TO PA ATTENTION TO THE FELONY CASE BECAUSE THESE MISDEMEANOR CASE OFTEN ESCALATE FROM MISDEMEANO PROSTITUTION TO PERHAPS SH EBEING THE VICTIM OF A -- SH BEING A VICTIM OF A FELONY ASSAULT OR HOMICIDE.

WE HAVE HAD SERIOUS ASSAULTS O TRAFFICKED INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS PHYSICAL INJURY

AS YOU SAID, A DIFFEREN WORLD FOR PROSECUTORS COMBATIN CRIMES CYRUS VANCE, THANKS.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

> WHETHER IT'S A BIRD'S NEST A BEAR DEN, A BEAVER LODGE OR SPIDER WEB, HUMANS CAN LEARN A LOT FROM THE OFTEN INGENIOUS INNOVATIONS OF ANIMAL ARCHITECTS IN THE WILD.

THESE ARE THE SUBJECT OF NATURE'S THREE-PART SERIES 'ANIMAL HOMES.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK.

THEY'RE OUR PLANET'S FIRS BUILDERS, CRAFTING HOMES O SPECTACULAR DESIGN IN EVER CORNER OF THE GLOBE.

SOME ARE ELEGANTLY SIMPLE.

OTHERS SURPRISINGLY COMPLEX.

SO IT LOOKS LIKE A TEENAGERS BEDROOM FROM THE OUTSIDE, BUT IF YOU CUT IT DOWN FROM THE INSIDE -

WHAT IF THEY WERE MADE OF BEAKS AND PORES THEY HAVE UNIVERSAL PURPOSE -- TO KEEP THEIR OWNERS SAFE FROM THE DANGEROUS WORLD AS THEY GIVE BIRTH AND RAISE A FAMILY THAT MAKES A PERFECT BEAR HOME IT'S SECURE, IT'S DRY.

OUR STORY STARTS WITH THE MOST PROLIFIC OF BUILDERS A BIRD'S NEST IS NO SIMPLE MATTER MUST MATCH THE MAKEUP, LARGE O SMALL.

WHETHER FROM COARSE RED CLAY O THE FINEST SILKEN DREADS AND I TURNS OUT THAT THE QUEST FOR REAL ESTATE IN THE WILD IS ALL ABOUT THE SAME THINGS WE VALUE THE MOST -- LOCATION, LOCATION LOCATION A STRATEGIC LOCATION IN SPACE.

AND A PRECISE LOCATION IN TIME THESE ARE THE ESSENTIAL MUST HAVES OF JUST THE RIGHT HOME

AND JOINING US NOW FOR AN INSIDE LOOK AT ANIMAL HOMES IS NATURE'S EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FRED KAUFMAN.

WELCOME.

THANKS.

THIS IS AN AMAZING SERIES HOW DID IT COME ABOUT?

WELL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT, MY WIFE IS A BIG FAN OF HGTV, AND WHENEVER I WOULD LOOK AT IT AN I WOULD CATCH IT, I WOULD THIN THE SAME PRINCIPLES REALLY D APPLY IN THE ANIMAL WORLD.

THE IDEA OF HOME, THE IDEA O NEIGHBORHOOD, THE IDEA OF THES STRUCTURES, BUILDING MATERIALS AND I THOUGHT LET'S TAKE A LOO AT SOME OF THESE AMAZING NESTS AND BURROWS AND STRUCTURES AND HOW THEY'RE BUILT AND WHAT THE MEAN

HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO GET S CLOSE TO THE STRUCTURES?

I MEAN, SOME ARE MINUSCULE

WELL, I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTL SECRET ABOUT HOW WE WORK WHATEVER WE DO, WE'RE ALWAYS WORKING WITH SCIENTISTS AN RESEARCHERS.

THEY REALLY TELL US WHERE TO GO, SOME OF THESE ANIMALS.

AND IN SOME CASES, AND IN TH CASE WITH THE HUMMINGBIRD, THA PARTICULAR BIRD WAS ACCUSTOMED TO A BIT OF ACTIVITY AROUND IT FROM RESEARCHERS AND TRAFFIC NOISE AND SO WE FELT WE CAN GE A LITTLE BIT CLOSER TO THA BIRD BUT ALL THESE ANIMALS HAVE DISTINCT PERSONALITIES SOME WILL ALLOW YOU TO GET CLOSE AND IN THE CASE WITH OTHER HUMMINGBIRDS WE HAVE TO STAY FURTHER BACK

TALK ABOUT CHRIS MORGAN THE HOST HE WAS TERRIFIC IN THIS SERIES WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS HI CONTRIBUTION TO THE SERIES

YOU KNOW, FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE THOUGHT WE'D LOOK AT ALL OF THESE HOMES IN NEIGHBORHOODS.

WE NEED A REAL ESTATE AGENT.

YOU KNOW, WE NEED SOMEBODY T SHOW UP ON LOCATION AND ASSESS THE AREA AND WE WANTED TO GE SOMEBODY TO ALSO HAVE A SENSE OF SCALE.

SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE STANDING ON A BEAVER DAM OR ON A BEAVER LODGE, YOU SEE THE SORT OF COMPLEXITY AND THE SIZE OF IT.

AND ALSO WHEN HE'S HOLDING A NEST, YOU COULD SEE JUST REALL HOW BIG OR SMALL IT IS FOR EXAMPLE, HE HOLDS HUMMINGBIRD NEST IN HIS HAND AND IT COULD FIT IN YOUR HAND.

SOME ANIMALS RECONSTRUCT TH WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD BEFORE THEY REBUILD THEIR HABITAT AND SOME LOOK LIKE THEY'RE LEARNING A THEY'RE GOING.

SO ARE WE JUST TALKING ABOUT INSTINCT HERE OR IS INTELLIGENCE INVOLVED

THAT'S REALLY THE BIG QUESTION IT'S INSTINCTIVE BEHAVIOR.

THESE STRUCTURES THEY'RE HAR WIRED TO BUILD A BIRD IS NOT TAUGHT TO BUILD, IT'S HARD WIRED TO BUILD BUT GETTING IT DONE WITHIN A CERTAIN TIME PERIOD, THERE ARE COUNTLESS DECISIONS THAT HAVE TO BE MADE.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER T THAT THE IDEA OF IT BEING A HAR WIRED BEHAVIOR AND YET AT TH SAME TIME, YOU'RE GOING OFF.

YOU'RE BRINGING TWIGS AN BRANCHES, YOU'RE CONSTRUCTIN IT YOU'RE GOING ON FOR DAYS AND HOURS BUILDING AND YOU KNOW WHEN TO STOP.

I HAVE TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE WOOD RAT APTLY CALLED THE PACK RAT.

RIGHT

HERE IS AN ANIMAL THA COLLECTS USELESS STUFF AS THEY BUILD THEIR HOMES.

WHY DO THEY DO IT AND ARE THER ANY OTHER ANIMALS THAT DO IT BESIDES HUMAN BEINGS

WELL, WE DON'T KNOW IT'S PURELY DECORATIVE THEY WILL GO OUT AND THEY LIKE PARTICULARLY SHINY THINGS.

COINS OR BOTTLE CAPS AND THE BRING IT BACK TO THEIR HOME.

IT HAS NO EVOLUTIONARY PURPOSE WE DON'T KNOW WHY THEY DO IT THERE'S A BIRD IN AUSTRALIA THAT ACTUALLY TAKES FLOWER PETALS AND THINGS LIKE THAT TO DECORATE ITS HOME, BUT THE PACK RAT DON'T KNOW WHY IT DOES IT.

IT'S PURELY DECORATIVE LIKE US, WE LIKE NICE THINGS I OUR HOMES.

SHINY THINGS THEY DO TOO.

AND TALK ABOUT TH INTELLIGENCE OF -- THE POSSIBL USE OF INTELLIGENCE.

THERE'S A HUMMINGBIRD CALLED THE BLACK CHIN HUMMINGBIRD THA BUILDS ITS NEST UNDER A HAWK'S NEST HOW DOES IT KNOW THAT THE HAWK WON'T KILL IT?

IT'S ABOUT NEIGHBORHOOD HUMMINGBIRD -- THIS PARTICULAR HUMMINGBIRD WILL NEST IN THE SAME TREE AS A HAWK.

AND YOU THINK WHY WOULD IT D THAT WHY WOULDN'T THE HAWK JUST SWOOP DOWN, KILL IT AND EAT IT WELL, IN FACT, THE HUMMINGBIRD IS JUST TOO SMALL AND NOT ENOUGH OF A MEAL FOR THE HAWK SO WHAT IT DOES, IT NESTS IN THIS TREE.

THE HAWK JUST BY IT BEING THER SCARES AWAY THE OTHER PREDATOR THAT MIGHT FEED ON THI HUMMINGBIRD AND THIS HUMMINGBIRD LIVES HAPPILY EVER AFTER DOES IT KNOW THAT THE HAWK IS IN THE TREE PROBABLY NOT THIS WAS A SAFE NESTING SITE S IT RETURNS TO IT

WE HAVE A MINUTE LEFT I HAVE TO ASK YOU, WHAT DOES THE WAY THAT THE ANIMALS CONSTRUCT THEIR HABITAT AND OVERCOME OBSTACLES TEACH US AS HUMA BEINGS

ANIMALS WERE THE FIRS BUILDERS THEY WERE DOING IT BEFORE WE WERE BUT ESSENTIALLY, THEY DO I FOR -- THE REASON WE DO IT A WELL AND WHEN WE HAVE OFF SPRING, WHEN WE HAVE A BABY, WHAT'S TH MOST IMPORTANT THING TO US TO MAKE SURE THAT CHILD IS PROTECTED.

TO MAKE SURE IT'S IN A SAF PLACE.

YOU KNOW, WHERE NOTHING WILL GET AT IT.

WHERE NOTHING WILL HURT IT WELL, ANIMALS TOO, PARTICULARL BIRDS.

THE REASON I THAT CONSTRUC THESE NESTS -- NOT FOR PROTECTION FROM THE ELEMENTS BUT TO HOUSE THE EGGS AND THEN WHEN THE CHICKS COME OUT THEY'RE SAFE THEY'RE WARM AND SECURE.

THAT'S THE REASON THEY D EVERYTHING IT'S REALLY FOR THE NEXT GENERATION TO MAKE SURE THEY'R SAFE

ALL RIGHT, FRED, THANK YOU SO MUCH

THANKS.

> AND FINALLY TONIGHT, A LOO INSIDE THE STUDIO OF MATTHEW WILSON A CERAMIC ARTIST IN NEW YORK WSKG INTRODUCED US TO HIM IN HIS CLAY WORKS OF ART.

THE PROCESS I THINK IS TH MOST EXCITING PART OF CLAY AND THERE'S CERTAIN STAGES AND ALL OF IT IS TIMED OUT SO THERE'S SOME PARTS OF CLA THAT YOU CAN'T WORK WITH UNTIL IT'S READY FOR YOU TO WORK WIT IT AND THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN MOST MEDIUMS BEING ABLE TO OPEN UP THAT KIL FOR THE FIRST TIME AND SEE, YO KNOW, WHAT KIND OF COLORS, WHA TYPE OF GLAZE.

SO I THINK IT'S A LOT MORE EXCITING AND I FIND THE PROCES OF ACTUALLY CREATING SOMETHING WITH YOUR HANDS THAT YOU CAN LATER USE FOR FUNCTIONAL STUFF IS WHY I'M DRAWN TO IT I'M DOING SORT OF MIDWESTERN POTTERY RIGHT NOW.

IN THE CLAY WORLD THERE'S TW DIFFERENT TYPES OF ART THERE'S FUNCTION AND THE THERE'S SCULPTURE.

WHEN I MAKE A PIECE, I TRY T KEEP THAT IN MIND AS I START S IS THIS SOMETHING THAT I WANT, AM I ABLE TO EAT OFF, SOMETHIN I WANT TO HANG, IS IT TO LOO NICE MY FAVORITE STYLE TO WORK WITH IS FUNCTIONAL.

I REALLY LIKE BEING ABLE TO HAVE YOUR EVERYDAY PERSON SAY WOW THAT'S GREAT I WOULD LOVE TO USE THAT, IT WOULD LOOK PERFECT ON MY TABLE I'M DRAWN TO BASES AND VESSELS AND I LIKE TEAPOTS A LOT OF TIMES I'LL TAKE THOSE IDEAS AND MAKE THEM COMPLETELY UNFUNCTIONAL SO I DO A SERIES OF TEAPOT WHERE I MAKE THEM WITH HOLES O A DESIGN WHERE YOU CAN'T USE THEM, BUT THEY STILL REFERENCE IT ENOUGH THAT PEOPLE WILL UNDERSTAND THAT IT'S A TEAPO SCULPTURE.

I REALLY AM INTERESTED IN WHAT THE PURPOSE BEHIND AN OBJECT IS.

AND WHAT KIND OF SECRETS I MIGHT HOLD OR WHAT CAN MOVE, WHAT CAN COME OUT OF IT.

SO THE IDEA OF HAVING TH VESSELS, I THINK IS EXCITING BECAUSE IT COULD REALLY HOLD ANYTHING AND IT CHANGES, DEPENDING ON WHO BUYS THE PIEC OR WHO IT'S MADE FOR SO I THINK IT'S VERY INTERESTING TO WORK WITH THAT FORM, TH VESSEL

OKAY.

REALLY LONG PROCESS, AND IT'S VERY HARD TO MASTER BECAUSE SO MANY ELEMENTS WORK INTO IT EVEN THE TEMPERATURE CHANGE, HOW MUCH MOISTURE IS IN THE ROOM, IF TWO PIECES AREN'T MATCHING THE SAME THICKNESS THEY'LL CRACK O IT WILL FALL OFF THERE'S SO MANY THINGS THAT CA GO WRONG AND THAT'S WHY IT'S S FRUSTRATING.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WHEN I ALL LINES UP AND COMES OUT GREAT, THAT'S THE FEELING I LOOK FOR.

I DON'T THINK A LOT OF THE OTHER ARTS CAN GIVE YOU THAT SAM FEELING LINE I GOT IT ALL DOWN I GOT IT EXACTLY WHERE IT' SUPPOSED TO GO THAT'S WHY MAINLY WORK IN THIS.

WELL, WHAT I ENJOYED ABOUT WORKING WITH CLAY IS EVERYTHING.

THE WHOLE PROCESS BEHIND IT.

GETTING YOUR HANDS DIRTY BEING ABLE TO TAKE SOMETHING THAT A NORMAL PERSON WOULD LOO AT AS NOTHING MORE THAN DIRT O SOMETHING THAT'S IN THE GROUND AND WHAT I LOVE ABOUT CLAY IS IT CAN TAKE THE SHAPE OF EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING, REALLY THE SKY I THE LIMIT.

YOU HAVE THE TECHNIQUE AND YOU HAVE THE INSPIRATION TO DO IT.

AND I LOVE THE -- THAT IT HA THE ABILITY TO CREATE SOMETHIN OUT OF NOTHING REALLY.

AND I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN DRAWN T 3-D AND I JUST LOVE TH INTERACTION WHERE YOU HAVE TO GO AROUND IT TO VIEW IT, WHERE YO CAN HOLD IT, WHERE IT' TANGIBLE THERE'S ALWAYS THAT ELEMENT OF THIS COULD BREAK, THIS COULD - SOMETHING COULD GO WRONG I SEE THAT KEEPS THE VIEWER LITTLE ON EDGE I REALLY LIKE ARCHITECTURE AND A LOT OF THE ELEMENTS THAT I HAV SEEN IN EUROPEAN ARCHITECTURE TRY TO PULL INTO MY WORK AND JUST BEING EXPOSED TO ALL THAT REALLY CHANGES YOUR MINDSET AN HOW YOU VIEW DIFFERENT TYPES O ART.

SO MY WORK A LOT I TRY TO TAKE WHAT I HAVE IN MY REGULAR EVER DAY LIFE AND THEN MIX IT UP WITH THINGS THAT ARE FOREIGN TO M VIEWER, THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCE AS WELL AS BROUGHT WHAT INSPIRES ME IS EVERYTHING THAT'S AROUND ME AND I FIND CERAMICS VERY RELAXING WHEN I -- I TRY TO SORT OF CLEAR EVERYTHING OUT OF MY MIND AN JUST PULL WHAT I WANT OUT OF I AND USUALLY IT WILL BE A DESIG THAT I HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOU FOR A WHILE.

AND THEY COME FROM ALL SORTS O PLACES SO I CAN LOOK INTO MY EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENT AND DECID THAT I WANT TO DO, YOU KNOW, WINGS, LIKE A BIRD THAT I SAW.

I'LL ADD WINGS ON.

I'LL HAVE IT PLANNED OUT AND THEN CLEAR EVERYTHING OUT AN SAY TODAY I'M GOING TO MAKE WING VASE AND GO THROUGH ALL THE STEPS.

IT'S VERY THERAPEUTIC IN THE WAY THAT I WORK AND THAT'S ONE O THE REASONS I ENJOY IT SO MUCH IT'S HARD TO SAY WHERE ALL O THE IDEAS COME FROM BECAUSE LOT OF TIMES IT'S JUST - THEY'RE THERE.

I THINK THAT'S JUST PART O BEING CREATIVE AND BEING ABLE TO BRING IDEAS TOGETHER EVEN THOUGH YOU MIGHT NOT NECESSARILY KNOW WHERE THEY COME FROM AND I THINK IT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THEIR MINDS WORK THIS WAY BU THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO TRAIN IT INTO SOMETHING AND I LIKE HAVING THE OUTLET THAT I CAN TAKE THE IDEAS AND DO SOMETHING WIT THEM

THAT'S IT FOR THIS EDITION OF 'METROFOCUS.

YOU CAN FIND ALL OUR STORIES AND ADD YOUR COMMENTS ONLINE A METRO FOCUS.ORG.

JOIN US AGAIN FOR NEWS CONVERSATIONS AND IN DEPTH REPORTING FROM NEW YORK AND NE JERSEY PUBLIC TELEVISION I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

THANKS FOR WATCHING.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

FUNDING FOR THIS PROGRAM WA PROVIDED BY THE FOLLOWING.

CORPORATE FUNDING FO 'METROFOCUS' WAS PROVIDED BY MUTUAL OF AMERICA, YOU RETIREMENT COMPANY