-Students from Benjamin Banneker... ...Bullis... ...and Wakefield... meet today on... "It's Academic."

[ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Hello, everybody.

Welcome to "It's Academic," the world's longest-running TV quiz show, now in its 65th season, produced by Altman Productions and the great WETA.

-Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following... George Mason University -- All Together Different.

-Call us different.

-Different in where we come from... -...where we're going... -...and how we think.

-But the same in our dreams for tomorrow.

-Driven by the pull of possibility... -...to inspire... -...to think fearlessly... -...to protect and to heal the planet.

We know the world will change.

-Together... -...we will be the ones to change it.

-Call Mason different.

-All... -...together... -...different.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ -Hi everyone!

We are so glad that you are here joining us today as we begin the Fast Start.

That's what we always do.

In this round, questions are worth 10 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer, and and the contestants don't see what you do on your screens at home.

Teams.

Beginning With "J" -- In this round, all your answers will begin with the letter "J."

That's "J," as in jump.

This music genre starred Louis Arm-- Yes, Benjamin Banneker?

-Jazz.

-Yeah.

Yep, Wakefield?

-Juneau.

-Correct.

This cabinet department is headed by an attorney -- Bullis?

Answer.

-Justice.

-Yes, it is.

Banneker?

-Joyce.

-Correct.

This pointed spear is thrown in Olympic compe-- Banneker?

-Javelin.

-Yeah.

Wakefield?

-"Jingle Bells."

-Correct.

Banneker.

-Janus.

-Yeah?

Yep, Bullis.

-Junk.

-Correct.

Yeah, Bullis?

-Johannesburg.

-Nicely done.

This NFL team is based in Jacksonville -- Banneker?

-Jaguars.

-Nice.

Very well done, guys.

That was our fast start.

Let's see what the scores are.

Benjamin Banneker, 150 points, Bullis 130 points, and Wakefield, 120 points.

Yay!

[ Applause ] So now we get to meet the teams.

And we begin with Benjamin Banneker High School from Washington, D.C., home of the Bulldogs.

Hiya, Sadie.

Tell us a little something about yourself.

-Hi, I'm Sadie.

I'm a senior.

And I do MALDI-1.

-Yeah, I bet it's amazing.

Hiya, Eleanor.

-Hi, I'm Eleanor.

I'm a senior.

And I work as a teacher at my temple.

-Yeah.

Nice.

And finally, Amelia.

Hello.

-Hi.

Um, I'm also a senior.

And I'm a tour guide at the Holocaust Museum.

-Wow, that must be pretty powerful.

-Yeah.

It is.

-Alright, guys, here are your questions.

They're worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

November in Greece -- You can find in this phrase the name of what explorer who discovered and named the strait separating Siberia and Alaska.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Bering.

-Yeah.

All the consonants are missing here from the name of what African country founded by freed American slaves.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Liberia.

-It is Liberia.

Tame Ride -- This sounds like a complaint at an amusement park, but you can rearrange the letters to name what line that bisects a circle.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -The diameter.

-Yeah.

That's it.

Simple.

"Like a baby..." To complete this description of clumsiness, add what large African mammal whose name comes from the Greek word for river horse.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Giraffe.

-No.

Hippopotamus.

[ Chuckles ] Iroquois, Apache, Hopi -- in the 19th century.

Which of these three Native American tribes was led by Cochise and Geronimo?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Apache.

-It is Apache.

"I was thought to be a bit eccentric and maybe a bit cranky."

These were the words of what recently deceased British physicist whose name was given to a subatomic boson.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] The ans-- -Mr.

Electron.

[ Laughter ] -No, but you might know when I say it.

Higgs, the Higgs boson.

Nice job, Benjamin Banneker.

230 points.

[ Applause ] Over to the Bullis School from Potomac.

Hiya, Kailey.

how are you doing?

-Hi.

I'm good.

My name is Kailey.

I'm a junior.

And this is my first year on "It's Academic."

-How's it going so far?

-It's good.

-Oh, good.

I'm really glad.

Hi, Graham.

-Hi.

I'm a junior at Bullis, and I play soccer.

I've been around it my whole life, so?

-So you're pretty good.

-[ Laughing ] Yeah.

-[ Laughing ] Okay.

Hi, Adian.

-Hi.

I'm a junior.

And this is also my first year on "It's Academic."

-Yeah.

Feeling okay?

-Yeah, feeling great.

-Yeah, it's fun.

Right?

-Yeah, definitely.

-Alright.

Here we go, guys.

A Gumbo I Served -- Whether or not you like gumbo, you can find in this phrase the name of what capital city of Idaho.

-Boise.

-Yeah.

Boise.

Blank "Army," Blank "Congress" -- What same word would you place in the blanks here to name George Washington's army and the colonial congress that met between 1774 and '89?

-Continental.

-That's it.

Nor Hug Dog -- Whether or not you hug your dog, rearrange these letters to name what small burrowing animal that has its own special day on February 2nd.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Groundhog.

-Groundhog.

Yeah.

"Life should be like a steady, visible..." To complete this quote from one writer, place in the blank what electromagnetic radiation that travels 186,000 miles per second.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] You know this.

It's light.

Know-Nothing, Greenback, Prohibition -- Which of these was an 1850s political party whose members refused to answer any questions about its platform?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Know-Nothing.

-Yeah.

"My strength lies in my tenacity."

This observation is from what tenacious French scientist who found a vaccine to prevent rabies and a process to make milk safe?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] The answer is Louis Pasteur.

And that's why we call it pasteurized.

Bullis, 210 points.

Yay!

[ Applause ] And over to Wakefield High School from Arlington, Virginia.

Hi, Helena.

How are you?

-Hi.

I'm good.

-Good.

Tell us a little bit of something about yourself.

-I'm a junior, and I've been a Girl Scout for 12 years.

-That is really nice.

Hi, Amelie.

-Hi.

-I'm a senior at Wakefield.

And this is my first year on our varsity trivia team.

-How do you like it?

-I love it.

-Oh, good.

Well, we like having you.

And finally, last but not least, Josh.

-Hi.

I'm a junior at Wakefield.

And this is my second time on "It's Academic."

-Is it easier than the first?

-I hope so.

[ Laughter ] -[ Laughing ] Okay, here we go.

Corral Eight Cows -- As soon as you round up these cows, see if you can find in this phrase the name of what Capital of North Carolina.

-[ Quietly ] Raleigh.

Raleigh.

-Yeah.

It's Raleigh.

I'm asking you to add some more letters here to name what Midwestern Cornhusker state.

-Nebraska.

-Yeah.

Avenge -- The letters in this word can be rearranged to identify what Swiss city that names the conventions governing the treatment of prisoners of war.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Geneva.

-Yes, it is.

"No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the..." To complete this optimistic quote from Helen Keller, add what type of celestial bodies like Polaris and Rigel.

-Star.

-Yeah.

That's it.

It stars.

Afghanistan, Nepal, Albania -- Which one of these countries shares a land border with Iran?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Afghanistan.

-That's it.

"Never think that you already know all."

I sure don't.

[ Chuckles ] This advice was offered by what knowledgeable Russian scientist?

A Nobel Prize winner who studied conditioned reflexes in dogs.

The answer is Pavlov.

Wakefield, home of the Warriors, 220 points.

[ Applause ] Mix & Match, in the books.

We have Picture Perfect next.

See you in a second.

♪♪ In 1961, nine high school students walked walked into a TV studio in Washington, D.C.

to film the very first episode of "It's Academic."

-Good evening, and welcome to "It's Academic."

The weekly program... -Little did they know that over the course of the next 65 years, thousands of high school students would follow them onto the set and into broadcast history.

-I think what has kept "It's Academic" on the air for so long, you had strong support from the schools and we've had a strong community support.

-There aren't a ton of outlets to, like, be competitive in an academic setting.

-It teaches composure, knowledge, wisdom.

-And it's like an engaging, fun quiz show.

But it also teaches you so much about the world and so many different facets.

-Today, "It's Academic," is celebrating 65 years, and is the world's longest-running TV quiz show.

Thank you students, schools, viewers, and fans.

And remember... "It's Academic."

♪♪ [ Applause ] Alright, you guys like pictures, yeah?

Good because this is the Picture Perfect round.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

Once again the first team to buzz in gets to answer.

This Crab Nebula is 6,000 light years from Earth in what constellation named for the zodiac sign of the bull?

Banneker.

-Taurus.

-Yeah.

This is what kind of fly used by Thomas Hunt... Banneker?

Fruit.

-Fruit fly is right.

...in his groundbreaking genetics experiments.

Here you have a view of one of the most beautiful cities in Europe What Czech Republic capital city -- Bullis?

-Prague.

-Yeah.

This expression is equal to what positive integer?

Anybody?

The answer is -- Yes, Banneker?

-Nine.

-No.

It's three.

on display at the US Capitol is this picture showing the goddess Minerva with Ben Franklin, Samuel Morse, and what man who built the steamship Clermont?

The answer is Robert -- -Is it Fulton?

-It is Fulton.

No, I started Robert.

Sorry about that.

This 3,000 year old Egyptian temple is located at what L-initialed town where The ancient city of Thebes -- Banneker.

-Luxor.

-That's it.

Magnesium, Copper, Potassium -- Choice.

When burned, which of these elements will produce a brilliant white flame and white ash?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] The answer?

Yeah, Wakefield?

-Copper?

-No.

Magnesium.

Here you see the construction of India's Red Fort.

built by what 17th century ruler who also built the Taj Mahal.

Bullis?

-Shah Jahan.

-You are right.

And I've seen it.

It's magnificent.

Nice job, everybody.

Let's recap those scores.

[ Applause ] Banneker, 270 points.

Bullis, 250 points.

Wakefield, 200 points.

♪♪ Alright.

I now have a question for you.

While you try to figure that one out, we're going to meet the coaches.

Let's begin with Benjamin Banneker from Washington, home of the Bulldogs.

Eleanor, who's behind you?

-This is our coach, Doctor Kerr.

And, uh, he's an amazing coach.

And he teaches AP World history and AP gov.

-Awesome.

It's always good to have you here.

Thanks.

Over to Bullis.

And Graham, who's standing directly behind you?

-Yeah, so we have Mr.

Hansen here with us.

He's our wonderful coach who also teaches world history and US history.

-Awesome.

Good to see you as always.

And Wakefield, I see that your coachless today.

But, Amelie, why don't you tell us about your coach?

-Yes, our coach is Mr.

Stewart, and, um, we're very lucky to have him.

He wishes he could be here today.

-What's so special about him?

-Um, he's very enthusiastic, and he loves teaching.

-That's a -- Those are both very, very good things.

Alright, well, now that we've done that, I can give you the answer to our question.

Genghis Khan and flying carpets, well, here's the thing.

He got so angry, he had all of them destroyed, all except one which was buried with him.

And if you don't believe it, we haven't really seen a flying carpet since, so there's that.

It's time for the Packet round.

In this round, Banneker, you're going to answer questions first.

And Bullis, you'll get to choose which of these packets they answer questions from.

-3.

-3.

Questions are worth 20 points.

You know this, presumably.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

And if you get all of the questions right?

-25 point bonus.

-That's it.

One of the most popular breeds of dog is what sort of retriever named for a region of Canada?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Labrador.

-Yeah, it's Labrador.

Winston Churchill gave his famous "Iron Curtain speech" in 1946 at a midwest college, which shares its name with what famous London Abbey?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Westminster?

-Yes, it is.

Ascorbic acid is just another name for what common vitamin found in citrus fruits?

-"C."

-"C," it is.

Here's your science question.

Coal, Feldspar, Calcium Carbonate -- In a cave, stalactites and stalagmites are formed by the decomposition of calcium bicarbonate into water, carbon dioxide, and which of these?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] [ Chuckles ] -Feldspar?

-Nah, calcium carbonate.

There's an annual Japanese horse race in which riders dress like what traditional Japanese warriors?

-Samurai?

-Yeah, you've got that.

Critics lavished praise on Edward Fitzgerald in 1859, when he published his translation of what work by Persian author and poet Omar Khayyam.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -"The Rubaiyat."

-Yes, it is.

Here's your math question.

What is the value of this expression, giving your answer as an integer?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -50.

-It is 50.

Well done.

In the 1829 Battle of Tampico, Spanish troops were defeated by what same Mexican general who was later victorious at the Alamo?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] [ Whispering indistinctly ] Answer is...?

-Bull... -Nah, Santa Ana.

Benjamin Banneker, 390 points.

[ Applause ] Alright, Bullis, you're up.

And Wakefield, packet 1 or 2?

-1.

-1, are you sure?

-Yes.

-Okay.

Using sticks to measure the depth of water is just one of the activities practiced by what largest of the great apes?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Orangutans.

-No.

Gorilla.

"600 men, all thinking a great deal of themselves and very little of each other," was one man's view of what lower house of the British Parliament?

Answer is...?

House of Commons.

Because of its disastrous floods, the phrase "China's sorrow" is sometimes used to describe what Chinese river with a colorful name?

-Yellow.

-Yeah, you've got it.

Here's your science question.

Monatomic, Diatomic, Isotopic -- If a molecule of a substance contains two atoms joined together, the molecule is which of these?

-Diatomic?

-Yes.

There was relief on December 21, 2012, when the world did not come to an end, as had been predicted by what pre-Columbian people who lived in Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula?

-Aztec?

-No.

Maya.

Close.

It was at the request of the Emperor Augustus that what ancient Roman author wrote his epic work, "The Aeneid"?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] The answer is...?

-Homer.

-Nah, Virgil.

Virgil.

Here we go with your math question.

What is the value of this expression if x = 8?

-11.

-Yeah.

Nicely done.

A book titled "Onward" takes the story of what African American explorer who reached the North Pole along with Robert Peary?

And it was Matthew Henson.

Bullis Bulldogs, 310 points.

[ Applause ] And now Wakefield, with your choice of packet number 1 for Bullis, we have packet number 2 for you.

Although Medusa was so repulsive, her looks turned men to stone, what beautiful winged horse sprang to life from Medusa's blood?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Pegasus?

-Yeah.

In 1945, a delegation that included W.E.B.

Dubois was sent by the NAACP to a conference writing the charter for what new international organization that succeeded the League of Nations?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -The United Nations.

-Yep.

It was.

The first Shakespeare scenes ever filmed back in 1899, were from the drama about what king who had signed the Magna Carta?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -James.

-Nah.

It's a "J."

John.

Close, but no cigar.

Here's the science question.

Aluminum, Platinum, Beryllium -- If you analyze the metals in Earth's crust, you could accurately state that which of these is most abundant?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Aluminum.

-That's it.

Toledo, Ohio is trying to get rid of weeds to make the city more attractive to the monarch variety of what lepidopterous insects?

-The butterfly.

-Yeah.

Having survived two Nazi concentration camps, what Nobel Peace Prize winner wrote about his experience in a book titled "Night"?

-Um, Elie Wiesel.

-Yeah.

That's it.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression when both x and y equal 6.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -48.

-Yes.

In the 1860 presidential election, Abraham Lincoln defeated what Democrat with whom he had previously engaged in a series of famous debates?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -McClellan.

-No.

Stephen Douglas, but well done.

Wakefield, 320 points.

[ Applause ] The next round is fast and furious, and anything can happen.

We've got the Grab Bag in just a minute.

See you on the other side.

Did you know that in Georgia, it was once illegal to keep a donkey in a bathtub?

Several other states have similar laws.

Rubber duckies, however, are still allowed.

So now you know.

♪♪ It's Grab Bag time in a very close game.

Teams, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

Our Constitution assigns duties in both the executive and legislative branches to what official who can vote in the Senate only to break ties?

Yeah, Wakefield?

-Vice President.

You've got it.

The Nun, the Dun, and the Son of a Gun was an early work by what English author who later teamed with Sir Arthur Sullivan to write operettas like H.M.S.

Pinafore?

And it is Gilbert, Gilbert and Sullivan.

Arizona was admitted to the U.S.

as what number state, making it the last of the contiguous states?

Yep, Wakefield?

48.

48, it is.

On your screens.

This girl and her younger brother live in what small South American country where Paramaribo is capital?

-Yeah, Wakefield.

-Paraguay?

-Nah, Suriname.

Farther north.

There was never any rush hour on what Ancient Roman highway that ran south from Rome to Brundisium?

The answer is the Appian Way.

The cosine of what acute angle is equal to the sine of 20 degrees?

Yep, Banneker?

-70.

-You've got it.

In the 1850s, the phrase "Border Ruffians" referred to pro-slavery forces who entered Kansas from what neighboring state whose capital is -- Wakefield?

-Missouri.

You've got it.

Jefferson City is the Capitol.

On your screens.

"Not so much brains as earwax."

Shakespeare wrote this nasty description of what legendary Greek king who sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia -- Banneker?

-Oedipus?

-No, Agamemnon.

Among the books that George Washington owned was what Cervantes novel about a noble but delusional -- Wakefield?

"Don Quixote."

-Yeah.

Choice -- When hydrated copper sulfate is heated, does its weight increase, decrease, or stay the same?

Yup, Wakefield?

-Stay the same.

-No, decrease.

Many early alchemists adopted as their symbol what mythical bird said to arise unharmed from the ashes of a fire -- Wakefield?

-Phoenix.

-You've got it.

On your screens.

These stamps honored what French brothers who demonstrated hot air balloons in the 18th century?

The answer is the Montgolfier brothers.

At president Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration, a poem was recited by a woman whose -- Banneker?

-Angela.

-Yeah, you've got that one.

What man tried careers in medicine and teaching before becoming World War I's French prime minister, known as "The Tiger"?

And that was Georges Clemenceau.

Not content with spaceships, NASA is considering a plan to send a nuclear submarine to explore methane links on Titan, the largest moon of what planet?

Yep, Wakefield?

-Saturn.

-Saturn is right.

[ Buzzer ] And you just got it in.

That's the end of this game.

Good job, everybody.

[ Applause ] We'll have those scores in just a moment.

So stay where you are.

I'm Hillary Howard, host of "It's Academic."

And I've got a question for you.

The answer is... WETA+!

That's right.

WETA+ is a free and easy to use streaming service created specifically for DC area viewers like you.

With WETA+ you can watch local shows like "It's Academic" or PBS hits like "Masterpiece," wherever and wherever you want on your TV or on the go.

WETA+ is free and available to download on all major streaming devices and smart TVs.

For more information, go to... ♪♪ The scores are now official and we begin with Bullis, home of the Bulldogs from Potomac, Maryland.

Kailey, Graham, Adian, 310 points.

[ Applause ] From Wakefield, home of the Warriors in Arlington, Helena, Amelie, and Josh, 400 points.

[ Applause ] Just ten points away for the team that won Benjamin Banneker, home of the Bulldogs from D.C., Sadie, Eleanor, and Amelia.

I knew I could get that out.

410 points.

[ Applause ] Thank you so much for being here and knowing that education matters.

I'm Hillary Howard.

See you next time.

Remember, everybody... "It's Academic"!

Bye bye.

[ Applause ] -Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following... George Mason University -- All Together Different.

-Call us different.

-Different in where we come from... -...where we're going... -...and how we think.

-But the same in our dreams for tomorrow.

-Driven by the pull of possibility... -...to inspire... -...to think fearlessly... -...to protect and to heal the planet.

We know the world will change.

-Together... -...we will be the ones to change it.

-Call Mason different.

-All... -...together... -...different.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪