>> Join us tonight as Agawam High School goes up against Lee High School, the historic 65th season of Western New England's award winning high school quiz show continues tonight as schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA 180 years of commitment to the public, schools and colleges our communities deserve.

>> You can see the difference from the first couple of minutes that you walk onto this campus.

You realize that it's not just a campus.

It's a community.

>> Good evening and welcome to As Schools Match Wits coming to you from the campus of Westfield State University.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Once again high schools from throughout our region are going head to head in qualifying matches to see who can score enough points to finish in the top eight and compete in this season's championship tournament.

In tonight's matchup, we have Agawam High School going up against Lee High School.

Let's meet the teams, starting with Lee, coached by Joshua Hall and Annie Fielding.

>> Hello.

My name is Andrew Hall and I'm a junior from Lee High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Gavin and I'm a sophomore at Lee High School.

>> I'm Leland Davis and I'm a sophomore at Lee Middle High School.

>> Hello, I'm Kevin Chen and I am a junior from Lee Middle High School.

>> And for Agawam High School, coached by Keith Ireland.

>> My name is Daniel Carlson and I'm a junior from Agawam High School.

>> Hi.

>> My name is Jason Lee and I'm in 12th grade from Agawam High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Colin Kirk.

I'm a sophomore from Agawam High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Austin LeBlanc.

I'm a senior from Agawam High School.

And I'd like to acknowledge our alternates, Fidan Ahmadov and Timothy Dupree.

>> As we do each match, we start off with the challenge round.

Both teams will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for ten points each.

All right, let's begin with the first question of the evening.

Good luck to both teams.

Here we go.

Spell the name of the U.S.

state whose capital city is Saint Paul.

Agawam.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

All right, that means Lea high school.

You get the opportunity to answer the question.

>> M I n n o o.

>> You were getting there.

I know you caught it.

M I n n e o t is the right answer there.

Let's move on.

In what system of the human body are ribs a part of Agawam?

>> Skeletal?

>> Yes.

Skeletal is correct.

In what world?

Sea.

Will you find?

The islands of Corsica, Sardinia and Malta.

Agawam.

>> Mediterranean.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Which of the following laws of thermodynamics states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but only transformed from one form to another?

Agawam.

First.

>> First.

Law of thermodynamics.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Nice name.

The armed conflict involving US soldiers that took place in Asia between 1950 and 1953.

Lee High school.

>> Korean War.

>> Yes, you are correct.

Anne of Avonlea is one of eight books which make up the series known as Anne of Green Gables by author Lucy Maud Montgomery.

In what country does Anne of Avonlea take place?

Agawam.

>> England.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

That gives you Lee High School the chance to answer the question.

>> Canada?

>> Yes, Canada is correct.

Nice job.

Tunis is to Tunisia as Agawam.

>> Algiers?

>> That is correct.

I didn't have to finish.

All right.

Nice job in the sport of tennis.

The length of the court from baseline to baseline is which of the following 78ft?

83ft or 88ft?

>> Agawam 83ft.

>> I'm sorry.

That's incorrect.

Lee High School, can you answer?

>> Uh, 88ft?

>> Correct answer is 78ft.

Try this.

Which lunar phase immediately precedes a full moon?

Is it waxing crescent?

Waning crescent or waxing gibbous?

Agawam.

>> Waxing gibbous?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

When texting the letters OTP or an abbreviation for what?

>> Agawam on the phone?

>> On the phone is correct.

If you had a sitar spelled s I t a r, would you drive it, play it, eat it or wear it?

Agawam.

>> Play it?

>> It's a classical Indian string instrument.

All right, let's move on to the next one.

Which of the following European countries does not border France, Belgium, Portugal or Switzerland?

Agawam.

>> Portugal.

>> Listen to this literary line.

Once there were four children whose names were Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy.

It is the opening line of The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe.

By what?

Agawam.

>> Jules Verne.

>> Good guess.

However, that is incorrect.

All right.

Lee High School, that gives you the chance to answer.

C.S.

Lewis is the right answer there.

Name the classic red mechanical drawing toy that lets you draw on its ag1 Etch-a-sketch.

Didn't have to finish.

Yes that's right.

Listen to this sentence.

OTC medications can be purchased without a prescription.

Agawam.

>> Over-the-counter.

>> Yes.

You're correct.

Next up, using a 100 inch diameter telescope, Edwin Hubble wrote that the Andromeda Nebula is actually another galaxy, and that the Milky Way is only one of many such galaxies in the universe.

Did Hubble announce his discovery in the 1700s, 1800s, or the 1900s?

>> Agawam 1800s.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Lee High school, can you answer 1700s?

It's actually the 1900s.

1924.

Complete this relationship as it pertains to classical mythology.

Zeus is to Jupiter as who is to Mercury.

>> Hermes.

>> Yes.

Hermes is correct.

Fill in the blank.

The ratio of consecutive Fibonacci numbers approaches what is known as the blank ratio.

Agawam.

>> Golden.

>> Listen to the sentence.

The camaraderie among the players on the team usually leads to success on the field.

Spell the word camaraderie.

Agawam.

>> CAMH d e r I.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Lee High school, can you give it a give it a go.

>> C o m r a d e r y.

>> Both very close.

However, the correct answer is c a a a e r I. All right, let's move on to the next one.

The German passenger airship Hindenburg caught fire and crashed while attempting to moor in Lakehurst, new Jersey.

In which of the following years was it 1927, 1937 or 1947?

Agawam.

>> 1937.

>> Yes, that's correct.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

Let's take a minute now to meet the team from Lee High School.

>> I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Lee High School, what's your favorite field trip you've taken?

>> My favorite field trip that I went to was a Plymouth Rock back in third grade.

>> My favorite field trip was last year when I was in ninth grade.

The band trip that we went on to Philadelphia.

>> Um, my favorite field trip was probably last year when we went on a band field trip to Philadelphia.

>> My favorite field trip is definitely this past April, when we took a band field trip to Philadelphia.

>> Let's move on now to the first lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz in and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

Your team loses five points.

Well, it's hit or miss on this one.

Each of the answers contain either the letter sequence h, I, t, or the letter sequence m I, s s somewhere in it.

You have 90s starting right now.

She ate curds and whey on a tuffet.

Agawam.

>> Little Miss Muffet.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Term describing turbulent rapids or surf.

Lee Rapids Whitewater is the right answer there.

Period between act one and act two of a play.

Agawam.

>> Intermission.

>> Yes.

Intermission is right.

What you use to attach a trailer to your car.

Agawam hitch.

Hitch is correct.

If you say a word incorrectly, you did this.

>> Agawam mispronounce.

>> Misspoke or misspeak is the right answer.

What pencil leads are made of Agawam graphite?

Graphite is correct.

This state's nickname is the Show-Me state.

>> Agawam, Mississippi.

>> Missouri is the right answer.

Their money given to sales rep for selling a high priced item.

Agawam.

Commission.

Commission is correct.

Person who designs houses and buildings.

>> Architect.

>> Yes.

Architect is correct.

An authorization allowing you to do something.

Li.

>> Permit.

>> Permission is the right answer there.

The person at bat in a baseball game.

Agawam.

>> Hitter.

>> Hitter is the correct answer.

A term for paying to enter a movie theater.

Agawam.

>> Admission.

>> Admission is correct.

Its capital city is Jackson Lee.

>> Mississippi.

>> Yes.

Correct.

A snowstorm causing very little visibility.

Agawam.

>> White front.

>> Correct answer.

There is whiteout.

But that bell that you just heard marks the end of our first lightning round.

Let's move on now with the capitalization round.

That's where teams get the chance to pick a category and a point value, they'll need to answer a qualifying question first before they can continue on for points.

Now, if they fail to answer that qualifying question correctly, their opponents will have the opportunity to capitalize and get those points.

All right.

As tradition holds and the rules state, the team that is behind at the moment also gets the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

All right, Lee, that is you at the moment.

So what's it going to be?

>> Math and science for.

>> Math and science for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

I to the 19th power is equivalent to what in its simplest form.

>> Positive.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

All right.

Agawam High school, can you capitalize?

Negative one correct answer there is negative I. All right.

Let's move on now with Agawam for the first time of the evening, please pick a category and a point value.

>> General knowledge for 30.

>> General knowledge for 30.

Here's your Your qualifying question.

We have a video qualifier for this one, so please take a look at your screen.

>> Hi, I'm Victor Ambros, a professor at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts, and co-recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

Here, with your qualifying question, I received both my Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from a university in Cambridge, Massachusetts that was founded in 1861 to qualify.

What is the full name of that University.

>> Institute of Technology?

>> Massachusetts Institute of Technology?

>> Yes, that's correct.

Let's move on.

Let's see what you know about higher education in that world.

We'll give you an acronym.

You tell me, the college or university.

These are for ten points each.

Here's the first one BYU.

>> Brigham Young University.

>> Brigham Young University.

>> Yes, that's right.

Here's the next one Risd.

>> Rhode Island Institute of Math and Science, Rhode Island.

Oh.

>> I'm sorry, not quite in time.

All right.

That would be Rhode Island School of Design.

Finally, let's do this one.

UCLA.

>> California, Los Angeles.

>> University of California, Los Angeles.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

All right, Lee High School once again.

Your turn.

>> Social studies 30.

>> Social studies for 30 to qualify.

Take a look at your screen.

In the bloody battle of New Orleans, this future president's militia fighters withstood a devastating frontal assault by British forces and claimed victory.

Name this future president.

>> Andrew Jackson.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

More about Andrew Jackson for ten points each.

First, the Battle of New Orleans was fought, during which war?

>> Oh.

>> Mexican War or.

>> The correct answer?

There is the War of 1812.

Here's the next one.

Although Jackson won a plurality of the popular vote in the presidential election of 1824.

Who did he lose to when the House of Representatives held a contingent election under the terms of the Constitution's 12th Amendment?

>> Who is John Quincy Adams?

>> Yes, that is correct.

And finally, in which state was Andrew Jackson, a resident of at the time of his 1828 presidential victory?

>> Virginia.

>> Virginia.

>> Correct answer there is Tennessee.

All right.

Agawam, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Arts and entertainment 30.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30 to qualify, take a look at your screen.

Opening in November of 1997, this Broadway musical is the third longest running show in Broadway history.

Name the musical.

>> The Lion King.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Let's move on.

Sticking with current or recent Broadway musicals for young people for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

This musical is told from the perspective of the witches of the Land of Oz.

Its plot begins before and continues after Dorothy Gale arrives in Oz from Kansas.

Name the musical.

>> The Wizard of Oz.

>> I'm sorry.

The correct answer there is wicked.

Let's try this one.

Based on the 1992 Walt Disney animated film, this Broadway musical features a boy, a princess, and a genie.

Songs from this show include A Whole New World and Arabian Nights.

Name this musical.

>> Aladdin.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, this Broadway musical, which opened in March of 2018 and closed in March of 2020, centered on the relationship between two sisters who are princesses Elsa and Anna.

Songs in this show included Do You Want to Build a Snowman?

And For the First Time in Forever.

Name the musical.

>> Frozen.

>> Yes, frozen is correct.

All right, Lee, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> World events for 30.

>> World events for 30.

Your year qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen.

Passed by British Parliament in March of 1774, the Coercive Acts were designed to punish the American colonists after the Boston Tea Party.

What name for these acts has been used by American historians since the 19th century?

>> Intolerable acts?

>> Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on now in this category, more about the aftermath of the Intolerable Acts for ten points each, take a look at your screen.

First attended by over 50 delegates.

What colonial assembly met in Philadelphia in September of 1774 as a result of the Intolerable Acts Continental Congress?

Yes, that's right.

Try this.

Following the passing of Peyton Randolph of Virginia in May of 1775, this Massachusetts man was elected president of the Second Continental Congress.

Name him.

>> John Adams.

>> John Hancock is the right answer.

And finally, on June 15th, 1775, whom did the Second Continental Congress appoint to command the American Army?

>> George Washington?

>> Yes, you are correct.

Okay, Agawam, once again, your turn.

>> We're going to take general knowledge for 25.

>> Nobody likes literature tonight.

Okay.

General knowledge for 25.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

What classic game is played on this game board?

>> Sorry.

>> I'm sorry, but that is incorrect.

All right.

Lee High school, can you capitalize?

Trouble?

>> Trouble?

>> Good guesses.

However, the correct answer there is Parcheesi.

No one plays Parcheesi anymore.

Okay, let's move on with Lee High School.

Once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Social studies 25.

>> Social studies for 25.

Your qualifying question.

Which of these South American countries does not border Guyana, Colombia, Suriname, Venezuela or Brazil?

>> Venezuela.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Agawam high school, can you capitalize?

>> Columbia.

>> Columbia.

Yes, that is correct.

Let's stick with South American geography.

All name two South American countries.

You tell me whether they border each other or not for five points each.

Here's the first one.

Bolivia and Peru.

Yes, you are correct.

Venezuela and Ecuador.

>> No.

>> That is correct.

Also Uruguay and Argentina.

Yes, yes they do.

Paraguay and Uruguay.

No, no, they do not.

And finally Chile and Colombia.

>> No.

>> That is correct.

Nice job Agawam once again.

Your turn.

>> Literature for 30.

>> Going for it.

Literature for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

You have picked the Westfield State University entrance exam question, answer the qualifier and all of the category questions correctly.

You'll win an additional ten points.

All right good luck.

Take a look at your screen name.

This author of the 1926 collection of short stories about a teddy bear named Winnie the Pooh.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

Lee High school, can you capitalize?

>> Winnie A.A.. >> Winnie A.A.

Milne is the right answer.

M I l n e. All right.

You were both close.

All right, Lee High School, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> For.

>> Math and science.

>> 25 math and science for 25.

To qualify.

What characteristic of a substance would you most likely measure with a mass spectrometer?

Specific gravity density.

Chemical composition or radioactivity?

>> Chemical composition?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Let's move on in this category.

Scientific terms, beginning with the letter M for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

First name for physicist James Clerk Maxwell.

Maxwell's screw rule predicts the direction of what type of field produced around a wire carrying electric current.

>> Electromagnetic.

>> Magnetic.

>> The mandore, named for English astronomer E.W.

Mandore, refers to the period in history 1645 to 1715, when what phenomena were rarely seen on the surface of the sun.

>> Sun spots.

>> Sunspots.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, this one's for five Points, named after French doctor Prosper Meniere.

Meniere's disease is a recurring condition of the inner part of what?

Anatomical structure affecting mechanisms of balance.

>> Ears.

>> Ears.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Nice job.

Okay, Agawam, your turn once again.

>> Arts and entertainment 25.

>> Arts and entertainment for 25.

To qualify, take a look at your screen and identify this musical symbol.

>> Eighth note.

>> Yes, that's right.

Let's continue identifying musical symbols for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen once again.

First, identify what this musical symbol is called.

>> Bass clef.

>> Bass clef is right looking like the greater than symbol in math.

What is this symbol called in musical notation?

>> Accent.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, for five points, what is this note called?

>> Called whole note.

>> Whole note.

Nice job.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take some time now to meet the team from Agawam High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Agawam High.

Do you prefer presentations or tests?

>> I prefer tests because they're a lot easier to prepare for.

>> I prefer presentations because they allow you to express what you want to say in a more free form way.

>> I prefer presentations because it lets me freely express, rather than have to stay confined to a single piece of paper.

>> I prefer test because I'm a lot better of a test taker, and presentation can be nerve wracking at times.

>> Let's move on now to the final lightning round of the match.

You know how this works.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz in and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, your team loses five points.

Well, you'll have a good ear for this round.

All of the answers to the following questions will rhyme with the word ear.

You have 90s starting right now.

The last name of Midnight Rider, Paul Revere.

Revere is correct.

The shape of a globe or a ball.

Agawam.

>> Sphere.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Liquid falling from an eye.

Agawam.

>> Dear.

>> Dear is correct.

A male bovine animal.

Lee.

>> Deer.

>> Correct answer.

There is steer.

The ruler of Kuwait.

Correct answer.

Amir.

Very bad.

And degree or extent.

Agawam.

>> Severe?

>> Yes.

Severe is correct.

Precious or expensive?

Agawam.

>> Dear.

>> Dear is correct to speak or cry out with derision.

Lee.

>> Jeer.

>> Jeer is correct to stick or hold together and resist separation.

Agawam.

>> Adhere.

>> Adhere is correct.

A platform on pillars where boats dock.

Agawam.

Here pier is correct.

A name for one's professional life.

Lee.

>> Career.

>> Career is right.

Unexplored territory at the edge of a settled area.

Agawam.

>> Frontier.

>> Frontier is right.

A long handled weapon with a sharp, pointed end.

>> Agawam spear.

>> Spear is right.

An artistic work performed for the first time.

>> Agawam premier.

>> Premier is right.

Genuine.

Not deceitful.

Agawam.

>> Sincere.

>> Sincere is correct to come into sight.

Lee.

Appear is the right answer.

There are.

And that bell marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of our match.

Agawam took the lead right from the beginning.

They never looked back.

So congratulations to you, Agawam on a job well done to see this season's roster.

And for more information, be sure to log on to our web page at npr.org.

Or you can look for us on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Good night, and be sure to tune in again next time.

As schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA 180 years of commitment to the public, schools and colleges our communities deserve.

>> Westfield State University has allowed me to grow and pursue my passion to become a neurologist.

I think the quality of education is invaluable.

>> Do you want to see when your school's match is scheduled?

Want to know who the past ASM champions are?

Have a question you'd like to see us ask?

Then log on to the.

As Schools Match Wits web page at npr.org, you can see this season's roster, a listing of past ASM champions, and even submit a question of your own, which may be used in a future episode.

It's all just a mouse click away.