This program brought you, in part, by the Erika Lewis Endowment Fund.

-Coming up, it's Advanced Technologies Academy... [cheers and applause] ...taking on Coronado!

[cheers and applause] This is the Varsity Quiz Silver League Championship!

[crashing sound] ♪♪ [cheers and applause] Hello and welcome to this 56th season of Varsity Quiz.

The best and the brightest high school students are matching wits in this unique academic competition.

What an honor to be your host, Nathan Tannenbaum.

We started with 18 schools in this Silver League, three different divisions.

Well, the road to the 2025 Varsity Quiz Silver League Championship ends tonight.

A-Tech defeated Palo Verde in their semifinal to get their spot here.

Let's meet their starters.

There's Mark.

Hi, Mark.

-Hey.

-There's Carlo.

-Hey.

-Hey, Carlo.

-There's Callum.

-Hello.

-And there's William.

-Hello.

-And the coaches for A-Tech, Johnny Nguyen and Chris Argento.

Now let's meet the starters for Coronado, who eliminated Clark in their semifinal.

Starters for Coronado, we got Xander.

Hey, Xander.

-What's up?

-Good to see you again.

Hi, Raine.

-Hi.

-Maryiam.

-Hello.

-And Samay.

-Hey, Nate.

-And the coach for Coronado, Matt Aberman.

-Students, you ready?

Let's play Varsity Quiz.

What former French Mandate, home to the Hezbollah party-- And that's going to be Coronado, Samay: Lebanon -Yes.

Next question.

A character in this novel gets a letter from Theophilus Msimangu to come to-- We'll go with A-Tech, Mark: the jungle -That is incorrect.

That is an interrupt, and I'll complete the question.

--the letter to come to Johannesburg.

Arthur Jarvis is killed by Stephen Kumalo's son Absalom in what novel by Alan Payton?

Coronado, Maryiam: Cry the Beloved Country -That is correct.

More points for Coronado.

We move on to this question: In this country, the Free Officers Movement was launched to depose the opulent-- Coronado, Raine: Libya -That is incorrect.

That is an interrupt.

I'll complete the question.

Name this country where Gamel Abdel Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal.

A-Tech, Carlo: Egypt -Yes.

Now A-Tech is on the board, and we move on.

In both elastic and inelastic collisions, this quantity is conserved.

Name this physical property found by multiplying an object's mass-- Coronado, Maryiam: momentum -Yes.

Next question is a calculation question, students.

In the equation x squared plus mx plus n equals zero, m and n are integers.

The only possible value for x is negative three.

So what's the value of m, as in Mary?

Coronado, Miriam: Zero -Incorrect.

A-Tech, Callum: Nine -Incorrect.

We were looking for six.

No points.

We move on.

This city is home to a rooftop swimming pool that traverses three buildings in its Marina-- Coronado, Xander: Singapore -Yes.

Next question.

Whose performance at Super Bowl LIX made him the first-- Coronado, Xander: Kendrick Lamar -Yes.

In this novel, the protagonist knocks out a screaming priest, and Ogilvy is killed by a heat ray.

Bacteria kills tripod-shaped Martian invaders-- A-Tech, Carlo: War of the Worlds -Yes.

We move on.

This natural feature is found on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe on the-- Coronado, Xander: Victoria Falls -Yes.

Next question.

What particles, which are gained or lost in ionization-- Coronado, Maryiam: electrons -Yes.

What city lends its name to a type of blinds that use horizontal slats and glassware that's produced on the island of Murano?

Coronado, Samay: Mosaic -No.

A-Tech, Mark: lattice -No, Venice.

The Venetian blind?

Okay.

We move on.

No points.

Next question.

In a play by this author, a character describes ballroom dancing as "a world without collisions."

What South African author wrote about Hally, Sam, and Willie in "Master Harold"...and the Boys?

That's A-Tech, Mark: Soyinka -Incorrect.

Coronado, Maryiam: Alan Paton -No.

It was Athol Fugard.

Next question.

Charles Goodyear accidentally discovered a technique called vulcanization to make this material-- A-Tech, Callum: rubber -That's right.

Next question.

What "world's most famous sheep" was one of the first animals-- A-Tech, Carlo: Dolly -Pardon me?

-Dolly.

-Yes.

Next question, a calculation question, students.

Solve the following inequality for x: 6(x + 2) > 7(x - 5).

Repeating.

Solve the following-- We'll go with Coronado, Maryiam: X is less than 7 -I believe that is incorrect.

I'll finish repeating the question.

Solve the following inequality for x: 6(x + 2) > 7(x - 5).

A-Tech, Callum: x is greater than negative 23 -Incorrect.

We were looking for x is greater than 47.

No points.

Next question.

This country was home to composer Anton Bruckner, whose Fourth Symphony was dubbed his "Romantic."

Arnold Schoenberg founded what nation's Second Viennese School?

Coronado, Samay: Austria -Yes.

Next question.

In the song "Bohemian Rhapsody," this word is said after the lyric, "Easy come, easy go Will you let me go?"

What Arabic word-- We'll go with Coronado, Xander: bismillah -Yes.

Next question.

The rival Welser and Fugger families came from what southern German city that also names a Lutheran "Confession" with 28 articles?

Coronado, Samay: Nuremberg -Incorrect.

A-Tech, Callum: Munich -No.

It was Augsburg.

No points.

Next question.

What statement in quantum mechanics holds that some quantities can never be precisely measured-- A-Tech, Carlo: Heisenberg uncertainty principle -Yes.

Next question.

Which video game, allowing players to build virtual neighborhoods populated by virtual families-- A-Tech, Mark: The Sims -Yes.

What phenomenon, which disappears above the Curie temperature, is a form of magnetism exhibited by cobalt, nickel-- And that's A-Tech, Carlo: ferromagnetism -That is correct.

Next question.

Abu Bakr and Ali were holders of what title-- Coronado, Maryiam: caliph -Yes.

What Boeing aircraft, dubbed "the queen of the skies"-- That's Coronado, Xander: 747 -Yes.

Hydraulic presses work based on the fact that this quantity evenly transmits through a fluid, per Pascal's principle-- A-Tech, Carlo: pressure -Yes.

Next question.

What area of Seattle was taken over by protesters in 20-- A-Tech, Carlo: Capitol Hill -Can we take that?

[confers with judges] Yes, we can.

Okay.

Hey, we're out of questions for the first round.

Can we give these students a round of applause?

But don't go anywhere.

[applause] So we hope that you have been watching Varsity Quiz over the past several weeks.

So before we move on, we've actually gotten to know these players as they've been through us-- with us through the quarterfinals and the semifinals.

They're all incredible young men and women with bright futures.

So instead of asking biographical questions that we've already asked, this time we thought we would check in on your post high school plans if you've got some.

If you do, that's great.

If you don't, don't worry about it.

But we'll start over here with A-Tech.

Mark, you're only a freshman, so have you thought ahead to after high school?

-Yeah, a little.

-What do you think?

-I want to be a lawyer.

-Okay.

Well, that's all we need to know for now.

Good luck with that, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Mark.

Carlo, a senior, so hopefully you've made some plans for after high school.

-Hopefully.

[laughter] -What are you going to be doing?

-I'm going to go to college.

-Have you chosen one, or have they chosen you?

-Sure.

-Okay.

It sounds like it's a touchy subject, so we'll move on.

Carlo, good luck with that.

We know you'll do fine, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thank you.

Here's senior Callum.

Hi, Callum.

-Hi, Nate.

-How about yourself?

Where are you going after high school?

-I've been accepted to a handful of universities, and I have yet to decide.

-Oh, well, that's an awesome problem to have.

There could be much worse problems.

Good luck picking one.

I'm sure it'll be fine whatever you do.

Good luck with that, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Callum.

Here's 11th grader William.

You've got at least one more year, but have you thought what you might be doing after high school?

-I think I'm gonna go into architecture.

-Okay.

Well, good luck with that, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

-Ladies and gentlemen, Advanced Technologies Academy.

Great job, you guys.

[cheers and applause] All right.

So Xander, you've had some time to think.

You are a senior.

Hopefully you've got some idea what you're doing after high school.

-Yeah.

I'm going to college.

I don't got much of an idea past that, you know?

I just want to-- -Have you done the apps?

Has anybody got back?

Yeah, you know, I've gotten a couple, but mainly my goal just for beyond is just to travel a lot.

So whatever gets me there, you know?

-Xander, you're good to go, buddy.

Good luck with that.

Good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Raine, how about yourself?

You're an 11th grader, so you got another year?

-Yeah, I do.

I was thinking economics.

-Okay.

Do you have a particular school in mind, or you haven't even got that far?

-I narrowed it down to three: UNC Chapel Hill, Boston College, and NYU.

-Those are some good goals.

Good luck with all of them, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks Raine.

Maryiam, you have another year to go, but I'm guessing you may have thought about what you're going to do after high school.

-Oh, I've kind of gotten two plans.

First, after high school, I plan on studying medicine.

Second, after this game-- right now I'm fasting.

This is Ramadan.

I'm hungry for victory.

I'm tired.

I want this to be over.

Ramadan Mubarak to all the Muslims watching this, but we're going to get it for you.

-Okay.

Well, good luck with that, and I hope you get something tasty to eat when we're done.

-Thank you.

-All right, Maryiam.

-And Samay, how about yourself?

Do you know what you're doing after high school?

-Yeah.

I'm interested in going into cardiology.

-Wonderful.

You've got a couple years left of high school.

-Yeah.

-Good luck.

Good luck on Varsity Quiz.

-Ladies and gentlemen, the students from Coronado.

[cheers and applause] -And the bonus round coming right up.

Got a close one.

The score going into Round 2: A-Tech has 40 points.

Coronado has 50.

We have one new player for each team.

For A-Tech, there's Bryan.

Hi, Bryan.

Welcome aboard.

-Hello.

-And for Coronado, the new player is Ezra.

Hi, Ezra.

-Hey.

-Good to have you here.

This round is timed at six minutes.

That time starts as I read this question: What figure is originally known as Bertilak before a transformation by Morgan le Fay and promises to return a blow one year after being decapitated by Gawain?

Coronado, Samay: Merlin -Incorrect.

A-Tech, Mark: King Arthur -No.

We were looking for the Green Knight.

No points.

We move on to the next question for both teams.

Sarin gas prevents the breakdown of this neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, leading to seizures and death-- We'll go with A-Tech, Carlo: acetylcholine -I believe that is correct.

We have bonus questions, science questions now only for A-Tech.

First, what molecules' names usually end in the suffix "-ase" or "-ase" and serve as biological catalysts?

Second, the lithosphere of the North American plate floats on top of this layer of the mantle.

[students deliberate] Captain.

-First one's enzymes.

Second one's outer core.

-Enzymes is correct.

We were looking for asthenosphere for the second one.

You get some bonus points, but not all.

And this question now for both teams, a calculation question, students.

Discount tickets to a basketball game sell for $4 each.

Eric spent $60 on discount tickets, which was $37.50 less than if he bought the tickets at the regular price.

So what was the regular price?

Coronado, Samay: $7.50 -Incorrect.

A-Tech, Callum: $7.30 -No.

We were looking for $6.50.

No points.

Next question for both teams.

Which US National Park was named for the bluish haze characteristic of the region?

That's A-Tech, Callum: Smoky Mountains -Can we take that?

That's not the name of the park.

Coronado, Xander: Great Smoky Mountains -Yes.

Bonus questions now about national parks and historic sites for Coronado only.

First, this national historic site in Massachusetts features the world's largest collection of historic American firearms.

And second, this national park is located near Moab, Utah, and is near where climber Aron Ralston amputated one of his arms after getting stuck under a big rock.

[students deliberate] -First answer, Bunker Hill.

Second answer, Arches.

-Both are incorrect.

We were looking for Springfield Armory and the Canyonlands National Park.

No bonus points, but you get your regular points.

And this question for both teams: This country's Djerba Islands-- Djerba Island lies on the Gulf of Gabes.

Bishops from Djerba attended the Council of Carthage in what modern-day-- Coronado, Maryiam: Tunisia -Correct.

Bonus geography questions for now, Coronado only.

First, this Caribbean country, along with Bonaire and Curaçao, are collectively known as the "ABC islands."

Second, a namesake canal diverts water from the Colorado River to this agricultural area in Southern California, located south of the Salton Sea.

[students deliberate] Captain.

-First answer, Aruba; second answer, Palm Springs.

-Aruba is correct.

The second answer is Imperial Valley.

Some bonus points, but not all.

And this question for both teams: This memoir depicts the sadistic Edwin Epps.

It was adapted into a 2013 movie directed by Steve McQueen.

What memoir is by Solomon Northup, who was kidnapped and enslaved from 1841 to-- Coronado, Maryiam: 12 Years a Slave -That is correct.

Bonus literature questions now for Coronado only.

First, what author contrasted "a full-hearted evensong" with the title bird's "frail, gaunt, and small" demeanor in his poem "The Darkling Thrush"?

Second, what poet mourned the death of a President in "When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd" and "O Captain!

My Captain!"?

[students deliberate] Captain.

-First answer, "'Hope' is the Thing With Feathers."

Second answer, Walt Whitman.

-Walt Whitman is correct.

The first one was the author's name we were looking for, Thomas Hardy.

So you get some bonus points, but not all.

And we continue with this question for both teams: Philately is the study of what?

Coronado, Maryiam: stamp collecting -Can we take that?

I think we can.

Yes.

Okay.

Bonus questions about US stamps now for Coronado only.

First, a 32 cent stamp was issued with the likeness of which sociologist who, along with others, founded the NAACP, was a leader in the Niagara movement?

Second, a five cent stamp was issued with the likeness of which conservationist known as the father of national parks?

[students deliberate] First answer, W.E.B.

Du Bois; second answer, John Muir.

-Both are correct.

You got bonus points.

Now this question for both teams: A monarch with what first name and the last name Godwinson lost-- And that's A-Tech, Mark: Harold -Yes.

Bonus questions now about history for A-Tech only.

First, the sled dogs Togo and Balto helped transport diphtheria antitoxin in the 1925 serum run to this Alaskan city.

The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race finishes in this city.

Second, this world leader announced his resignation as president of Egypt after losing the Six-Day War, but rescinded the decision the following day.

[students deliberate] Captain.

-First one's Nome.

Second one's Nasser.

-Both are correct.

Okay.

We're out of time.

Speed round coming up.

Score going into Round 3: A-Tech, 65 points.

Coronado has 90.

We only say it because we mean it--anything can happen in the speed round.

Both teams are keeping their exact same players, so we keep going.

Let's get this party started.

The Livesstrong Foundation was founded by this man.

What cyclist had championship titles-- Coronado, Maryiam: Lance Armstrong -Correct.

Who once described Russia as "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma"?

Coronado, Xander: FDR -Incorrect.

A-Tech, Callum: Winston Churchill -That is correct.

Next question.

What city is an Italian port city and former merchant republic-- And that's A-Tech, Mark: Venice -Incorrect.

--on the Ligurian Sea?

Coronado, Samay: Pisa -No.

We were looking for Genoa.

Next question.

Einstein solved the photoelectric effect by realizing that quantum energy equals frequency times what constant-- And that's A-Tech, Carlo: Planck's -That is correct.

What artist collaborated with J. Cole on a single from his album-- And that's Coronado, Maryiam: Coltz -Nope.

--and said he only loves his mom and his bed in "God's Plan"?

A-Tech, Carlo: Kanye West -No.

We're going to Drake town.

Let's keep going, because we're on a timer.

Name the great founder of the Achaemenid Empire.

And that's A-Tech, Carlo: Cyrus the Great -Yes.

During the Miracle on the Hudson, who glided US Airways Flight 1549 into a New York river-- A-Tech, Callum: Sullenberger -Yes.

This author compared Loch Fyne to the title body of water in an 18-- Coronado, Maryiam: Henry David Thoreau -Correct.

Which tight end won Super Bowl LVIII with the Kansas City-- Coronado, Maryiam: the Eagles -That is incorrect.

And we'll go with A-Tech, Mark: Kelce -Yes.

Travis, Kelce.

Next question.

The Swahili coast was involved in trade in what ocean south of Asia?

Coronado, Xander: the Indian Ocean -That's correct.

In scientific notation, what is 670 million + 700 million?

Coronado, Maryiam: 1.37 times 10 to the 7th -Incorrect.

A-Tech, Carlo: 1.37 times 10 to the 8th -That's incorrect as well.

It was 1.37 times 10 to the 9th.

No points.

Next question.

Let's keep going.

Which counterculture hit of the 1960s, written by John and Michelle Phillips of The Mamas & the Papas, proclaims-- That's A-Tech, Callum: "California Dreaming" -That's right.

Let's keep going.

What school of American philosophy, emphasizing practicality-- Coronado, Maryiam: pragmatism -That's right.

In what Southeast Asian country did six tourists die of methanol poisoning in Vang Vieng-- Coronado, Maryiam: Vietnam -That is incorrect.

--about 80 miles from its capital, Vientiane?

A-Tech, Mark: Laos -Yes.

Next question.

A character in this novel is named Waverly Jong-- Coronado, Maryiam: The Joy Luck Club -That's right.

A focus and a directrix characterizes-- A-Tech, Carlo: parabola -That's right.

Many people of what nationality immigrated to the United States from Algarve and Lisbon?

Coronado, Samay: Portuguese -That's right.

The essays "Circle" and "Self-Reliance" were published-- Coronado, Maryiam: Ralph Waldo Emerson -That is incorrect.

--were published by a nature-loving member of this movement.

To what movement did Ralph Waldo Emerson belong?

A-Tech, Mark: Transcendentalism -That is right.

What NBA team had the first unanimous MVP in NBA history, with players like Draymond Green and Steph Curry?

A-Tech, Mark: the Warriors -That's right.

Which political party protested both Irish and German Catholic immigration-- Coronado, Maryiam: the Know-Nothing Party -That's correct.

What Baroque Italian painter showed a divine beam of light illuminating a tax collector in The Calling of St. Matthew?

A-Tech, Mark: Botticelli -Incorrect.

Coronado, Maryiam: Paganini -No.

Michelangelo.

No points.

Next question.

What American playwright wrote All My Sons and The Crucible?

Coronado, Xander: Arthur Miller -That's right.

What German composer's nine massive symphonies include-- Coronado, Maryiam: Beethoven -No.

--include the "Tragic" and the "Titan"?

A-Tech, Mark: Holst -No.

Gustav Mahler.

No points.

Next question.

Name this kingdom led by Gustavus Adolphos during the Thiry Years' War.

Coronado, Samay: Sweden -That's right.

What quantity equal to 4.18 for water-- Coronado, Maryiam: the specific heat capacity of water -That is correct.

What country is home to famed directors like Masaki Kobayashi and Akira Kurosawa?

Coronado, Maryiam: Japan -That's right.

What type of substance used to get rid of unwanted plants is exemplified-- That's A-Tech, Carlo: herbicide -That's right.

What company acquired Bang after a 2023 lawsuit-- A-Tech, Carlo: PepsiCo -No.

--is an energy drink company known for its distinctive claw logo?

Coronado, Xander: Monster -That's right.

Which scientist's constant can be found by dividing Faraday's constant by the charge of a proton or Boltzmann's-- Coronado, Samay: Planck's -Incorrect.

--Boltzmann's constant by the ideal constant?

And that's A-Tech, Carlo: Coulomb's -No.

It was Amedeo Avogadro.

We're out of time.

Let's find out who won.

[crashing sound] Wow!

It doesn't get a whole lot closer.

The final score tonight: A-Tech, 110 points.

Coronado, 120.

Congratulations to both teams for an excellent match.

[applause] And before we get to our trophy presentation for the winning team, we want to say thank you with a big round of applause to our team runner-up, Advanced Technologies Academy.

A-Tech, you guys are amazing.

[applause] That was quite a comeback.

So, Phil, you've seen a lot of Varsity Quiz matches.

This was a good one, but we have a trophy presentation.

-We do.

It was phenomenal.

10 point difference.

You guys put in a good effort, and I'd like to present this trophy to the winner, Coronado.

-Maryiam, turn around, team captain.

-Come on.

-There you go.

-I'd like to present this to you.

Now, you can't keep it, but you can hold onto it.

Your name will be put on it.

-How about you guys replicate part of the trophy so you guys keep that and I'll keep the actual.

-We'll give you the one from the dollar store.

[laughter] -But I want to compliment all the Varsity Quiz folks for the efforts you put into this every year.

We admire you a great deal.

Las Vegas Kiwanis Club really respects you, and that's why we do it every year, because it takes you somewhere, we hope to good places.

Thank you.

-Wonderful.

And congratulations to Coach, Matt Aberman.

Great job.

And for you guys at home, we want to say this is not the end of the season, because we had a great lighthearted match.

Next week, we're going to have the All Star with some of these players, but players from all 18 teams in all three divisions.

But we also have some serious business to take place next week as well.

We're going to be honoring the Varsity Quiz Coach of the Year, we'll induct a new member of the Varsity Quiz Hall of Fame, and we'll also announce the winner of this year's Howard Naylor Scholarship.

So you don't want to miss it.

That's next week on Varsity Quiz right here on Vegas PBS.