-Students from Blake... Saint Albans... and Einstein meet today on... "It's Academic".

[ Cheering and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -Hello, everybody!

I'm Hillary Howard.

Welcome to "It's Academic", the world's longest-running TV quiz show, produced by Altman Productions in association with David M. Rubenstein Productions and WETA.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following... -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.

♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -I love when they are excited.

Hello.

We are so glad to have you.

We begin, as we always do, in a Fast Start.

Questions, guys, are worth ten points up or down.

You all know this.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

The contestants don't see what you do on your screens.

Although this is the beginning of the game, the category is all about things in the middle, so, all of your answers must include the word "middle" or begin with the letters "m-i-d".

This is the historical period between antiquity -- Blake.

-Middle Ages.

-Middle Ages is right.

This musical note is on the first line below -- Blake.

-Middle C. That's it.

Yup, Blake.

-Middle Earth.

-That's it.

This two-word term refers to the men President John Adams appointed at the very -- yep, Blake.

-Midnight judges.

-Midnight judges is right.

This Shakespeare comedy features the characters -- Blake?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Answer.

-A Midsummer Night's Dream.

-That's right.

Oberon and Titania was the rest of the clue.

This is the term for the slave trade route between -- Saint Albans.

-Middle Passage.

You've got it.

This major Pacific naval battle took place -- Saint Albans.

-Midway.

-That's right.

This is the classification for a boxer between 147 -- -Middleweight.

-That's it, Saint Albans.

And that does it for our Fast Start.

[ Cheers and applause ] -So it is time for our next round, which is Mix & Match.

However, we get to meet these students first, and we begin with Blake High School from Silver Spring, Maryland.

Fred, it's good to see you again.

-Hey, I'm an 18-year-old senior, and I'd like to thank all of our parents and teachers for preparing us for this moment.

-Alright.

Let's second that.

Hiya, Nathan.

-Hi.

I'm a 17-year-old senior, and I'd like to thank our alternates, Luke, Sam, Aiden and Anika, for helping to prepare us.

-Okay.

Hi, Nikhil.

-Hi.

How are you?

-I'm very well.

How are you doing?

-I'm doing well as well.

-Good.

-Um, I'd like to thank our principal, Ms. Snead, for coming out and supporting us today.

Um, and all of our coaches and friends for, you know, also doing that.

-Beautiful.

Do you realize none of you told me anything about yourselves?

[ Chuckles ] So I'm gonna go back, Fred.

Tell me something meaningful.

-Uh, I really enjoy fishing in my spare time.

And I founded a fishing club at Blake.

-Oh, that's really cool.

Just regular old casting or... -Uh-huh.

-Nice.

It's very cath-- It's like very, um, calming, isn't it?

-Yeah, it is.

-Yeah.

Nathan, how about you?

-This year I'm taking a music production class, and I'm learning how to make electronic music.

-Very cool.

Do you like electronic music?

Yeah, I do.

-Yeah.

And Nikhil?

-Something I really like to do in my free time is play golf.

And I played on the school's golf team this fall.

-Very nice.

Are you good?

-I'm okay.

-Yeah.

You're okay?

-Trying.

-Yeah, you're alright.

You know, I don't play golf, but I always think it must be so nice to walk the green, you know?

-Yeah.

-Okay.

In this round, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

First question, Blake.

Ninja pants may be fashionable, but look carefully and you can find hidden here the name of what Asian country where ninjas originated?

-Japan.

-Yeah.

Rearrange the letters in these words and you'll name what forest that was home to Robin Hood and his men?

-Sherwood.

-Yes.

To complete this remark by a German statesman, place in the blank space what common synonym for epidermis?

-Skin.

-Skin.

Believe me, if you're in broadcasting, you have to have thick skin.

What same one-syllable word fits both these definitions?

-Light.

-Light is right.

These words were part of a tribute to what American who created Mickey Mouse and gave his name to large amusement parks in California and Florida?

-Disney.

-Disney is right.

Nice job.

Blake, 250 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] From Washington, D.C., the Saint Albans School, home of the Bulldogs.

Hello, Arjun.

How you doing?

-Good.

How are you?

-I am good, tell us something about yourself.

-I'm a 16-year-old junior and I love playing tennis.

-Tennis?

And have you been doing that for a long time?

-Yes, I have -Uh-huh.

Do you hope to get like a tennis scholarship from a school?

-I guess, hopefully.

-I guess.

Alright.

Good.

Hi, William.

-Hi.

I'm an 18-year-old senior, and I try and watch "Jeopardy!"

with my mom every night.

-Oh, how do you do?

-How do I do?

I do alright.

-Yeah, I bet you do.

Or you wouldn't be sitting in that seat, as a matter of fact.

Sebastian, how about you?

-I'm Sebi, I'm 17, I'm a senior, and I founded the school's poetry and juggling club.

-Lovely.

Who's your favorite poet?

-Uh, I'd have to say e.e.

cummings.

-Oh.

Very nice.

Yeah.

Simple and meaningful.

And uh, juggling.

[ Laughs ] -Yeah.

Juggling.

-Yeah, I can't juggle.

Was it hard for you to learn?

-Um, a little bit.

But if you just stay at it for a little bit, it gets easier pretty quickly.

-I guess I should stick at it then.

-Yeah.

-Alright, guys, first question.

Perhaps a psychic can help you locate, in this phrase, the name of what mountain range that runs through Switzerland?

-Alps.

-Alps is right.

It would certainly be a good idea to rearrange these letters to name what famous leaning tourist attraction in Italy.

-Tower of Pisa.

-Tower of Pisa.

-That is right.

You can complete this bit of wisdom by filling in the blank with the name of what leafy plant containing nicotine that was important to the colonial economy?

-Tobacco.

-Yeah.

What same word fits both these definitions?

-Pound.

-Pound is right.

Scripture witnesses.

One writer claimed that the Bible Psalm 92 proved the existence of what legendary animal with one horn in the middle of its forehead?

-Unicorn.

-Yeah, it's unicorn.

Nice.

Saint Albans, 230 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And now from Kensington, Maryland, Einstein High School, home of the Titans.

Hey, Maeve, tell us about yourself.

-I'm Maeve, I'm a 15-year-old sophomore, and I really like art.

-What kind of art do you do?

-Um, a little bit of everything.

Mainly like painting and collage combined.

-Oh.

That's nice.

And how long have you been doing it?

-Um...a while.

-Forever.

right?

It just starts when you're a little kid and you build on it.

Great to have you, Maeve.

How you doing, Brendon?

-I'm doing good.

-Good.

-I'm a 17-year-old senior, and I've mostly been just investing most of my time into "It's Academic" recently.

-Oh, well we appreciate that.

That's awesome.

Do you study by going around with these other teams and practicing or...?

-I usually just read from a packet or just use flashcards to try and memorize as much as I can.

-Well, that's great.

We look forward to seeing what you bring today.

-Thank you.

-Hiya, Maggie.

-Hi.

-Tell us something about yourself.

-I'm a senior in the IB diploma program, and, but outside of academics, I'm on our school's construction crew for stage crew, and I play trombone in the jazz ensemble.

-So, what play are you doing this year?

-Um, we're doing the musical "A Year With Frog and Toad."

So, it was one of my favorite musicals as a kid, so it's been great.

-You're not wearing frogs and toads as earrings, just dinosaurs.

-No, just the dinosaurs.

-Okay, here we go, guys.

See if you can find hear the last name of what American general who turned traitor during the Revolutionary War.

-Arnold.

-That's it.

You can say hi to 20 points if you rearrange these letters to name what inert element that's the second lightest gas.

-Helium.

-Helium.

-Helium it is.

You can complete this statement by a 19th-century congressman by adding what basic document that provides the framework for the US government?

-Constitution.

-Constitution.

-Constitution is right.

What same short word fits both these definitions?

-Bat.

-Bat it is.

This was the comment about a newly discovered waterfall in what Asian land once headed by the Dalai Lama?

-India?

-No, it's Tibet.

But you did nicely, Einstein.

180 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And that does it for the Mix & Match round.

We've got the Picture Perfect next.

See you then.

[ Applause ] -I'm David Rubenstein.

From the Kennedy Center and the National Archives to the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, I've been pleased to support many important organizations and historic sites linked to American history, art, culture, education, and more.

I believe giving back to our country isn't just an idea, it's an action, a patriotic action that involves all of us.

And it begins with education and learning about our nation's past so that we the people can make a more perfect union for the future.

We can do it together.

Please read, learn, get involved, and make a difference.

♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -Hey, everybody, time for the Picture Perfect round.

Teams, in this round, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

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

The statue of Chief Massasoit is in the Massachusetts town that shares its name with what rock where pilgrims -- Blake?

-Plymouth.

-Plymouth.

-Plymouth it is.

"Go with the flow" might have been a text from Ulysses, who preferred to take his chances with what whirlpool rather than the sea monster Scylla?

-Yep.

Blake.

-Charybdis.

-Charybdis it is.

This is Menelik, the son of the biblical Queen of Sheba, who is said to have founded -- Blake?

-Ethiopia.

-Ethiopia.

-Ethiopia is right.

10 million equals 10 to what -- Blake?

-Seven.

-Seven is right.

10 to what power.

"A Month and a Day" is a prison memoir by Ken Saro-Wiwa, a human rights activist executed -- Blake?

-Nigeria.

-Yeah.

He was executed in Nigeria.

Choice -- machines that convert mechanical energy into electrical energy.

Saint Albans.

-Generators.

-You are right.

Meet Tanit, the lion-headed goddess worshipped in what ancient city-state that fought Rome in the Punic Wars?

Saint Albans.

-Carthage.

-Carthage is correct.

These climbers are scaling the Eiger, an alpine mountain in what country that joined the United Nations in 2002?

Yep.

Blake.

-Switzerland.

-Switzerland is correct.

That does it for the Picture Perfect round.

[ Cheers and applause ] So we're going to jump into the packet round momentarily.

But first we get to meet the team behind the team here.

We begin with Blake.

Nathan, who's with you?

-Here we have our two coaches, Mr. Kalina and Mr. Caulfield, our principal, Ms. Snead, and two of our alternates, Anika and Luke.

-Wow.

You've got a whole crew here.

It's great to see all of you guys.

Good to see you.

And from Saint Albans.

Hey, William, tell us about your guys.

-Hi, we'd like to thank Mr. Kelley, our "It's Academic" coach and wonderful math teacher at Saint Albans, for coming and our alternate Alex for being here.

-Fabulous.

And Mr. Kelley, you're one of the longest serving coaches, aren't you?

Yes, you are.

It's good to see you.

And then over to Einstein.

Brendon, who's with you?

-I'd like to thank our wonderful coach, Ms. Colson, who's been supporting us all this time, and also our two amazing alternates, Jasper and Blake.

-Alright, round of applause for all of you.

Very good to see you.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ So, you all know how this next round works, right?

I've got these three lovely packets.

Blake will answer questions first.

And Saint Albans gets to choose which packet they answer questions from.

-Give them packet three.

-Packet three.

You also know by now that these questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing is off for a wrong answer.

And if you get all the questions right there is a 25-point bonus.

Guys.

Blake.

Most geologists think that the world's oldest river is what African waterway that is also the world's longest river.

-Nile.

-Nile is correct.

When "It's Academic" first went on the air in 1961, the United Nations had how many members, equaling the number of weeks in two years?

-104.

-104.

-104 is it.

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but what is the name of the pictorial writing used in ancient Egypt?

-No, no, hieroglyphics?

Hieroglyphics.

-Hieroglyphics is correct.

Here's your science question.

In combining with oxygen, iron loses electrons.

Therefore the iron is which of these?

-The third one.

-Yes.

Reducing agent.

In the 1850s, a Midwestern territory was the site of such bitter pro- and anti-slavery fighting, what soon-to-be state was referred to as "bleeding"?

-Kansas.

-Kansas is correct.

Author Bram Stoker used some mannerisms of his own boss in creating what title character of this classic vampire novel?

-Dracula.

-Dracula.

Yes.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression, giving your answer as an integer.

-18.

-18 is right.

"Keep cool.

Anger is not an argument."

This is a cool quote from what 19th-century Massachusetts senator who argued effectively for the Compromise of 1850?

-Webster.

-Webster is right.

And with that question, you have a 25-point bonus, Blake!

Well done.

[ Applause ] Love when that happens.

Saint Albans, you're up.

Einstein, packet one or packet two?

-Oh, we give them packet one.

-Packet one.

Alright.

Saint Albans.

One of the first oil shortages occurred in 1957 after the temporary closing of what Middle East canal?

-Suez.

-That's it.

In 1921, Albert Einstein won a Nobel Prize for his work on the photoelectric effect, not for what famous theory he published in 1905.

-Relativity.

-Relativity is right.

What 1894 federal tax was referred to as socialism, communism and devilism, and was unconstitutional until the passage of the 16th Amendment?

-Income tax?

-Yeah.

Income tax.

Science question.

Which of these objects possesses purely kinetic energy?

-Arrow in flight.

-Yeah.

If you sailed through the Straits of Messina, you'd pass between Italy and what largest Italian island?

-Sicily.

-Sicily.

Yes.

The classic novel "Moby-Dick" was originally a commercial failure and was out of print when what man who wrote it died in 1891?

-Herman Melville?

-Yes.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression.

-404.

-404 is correct.

Two biographies of George Washington were written by what fourth Chief Justice who served in that post longer than anyone else?

-Marbury.

-No.

The answer is Marshall.

-Oh... -But you're thinking of that case.

I mean, that was good.

Saint Albans, 410 points.

[ Applause ] And that leaves -- oh, I should hold the packet up -- packet number two for Einstein.

Guys.

In 1998, a lamb named Bonnie was born to what famous sheep, the first ever to be cloned?

-Dolly.

-Dolly.

-Dolly's right.

Printed around 1455, a Bible is named for what German inventor who invented a printing press by movable type.

-Gutenberg.

-Correct.

Portugal led the 15th-century search for an all-water route to Asia, thanks to the leadership of what prince known as "The Navigator"?

-Prince Henry.

-Yeah, you've got it.

Here's your science question.

The part of the air that varies most in its partial pressure from day to day -- it's which of these?

-Nitrogen?

-Nope.

It's water vapor.

In Morse code, the signal "dash dot dash" stands for what same letter as the chemical symbol for potassium?

-K. -Yeah.

Washington Irving used what literary device involving repeated letters or sounds when he referred to the Headless Horseman as the Hessian of the Hollow?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Alliteration.

-It's alliteration.

Here's your math question.

Please perform the indicated operation.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -80.

-Yes.

It's 80.

It was on Christmas Day in the year 800 that what king of the Franks was crowned the first Holy Roman Emperor?

-William the Conqueror?

-Nah, the answer is Charlemagne.

But you did a nice job, Einstein.

300 points.

[ Applause ] Packet round is in the books.

We've got the Grab Bag next.

See you in a minute.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know some jellyfish have four brains and 24 eyes?

Eight of those eyes can form images and two can see colors.

I'm David Rubenstein, reminding you to read, learn, get involved, and make a difference.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Well, we've done it.

We've reached the Grab Bag round.

And before we begin, let's recap those scores, huh?

Blake, 555 points.

Saint Albans, 410 points.

Einstein, 300 points.

[ Applause ] It's a good game.

You guys ready for the Grab Bag?

Alright.

Okay, well, you know very well that questions in this round are worth 20 points up or down.

And again, the first team that buzz in gets to answer.

Here we go.

A postage stamp honoring the artist Edward Hopper shows his painting of a sailboat along what coast of Massachusetts called -- Yes.

Blake.

-Cape Cod.

-Cape Cod.

Yeah.

Nobody likes a lycanthrope, the technical name -- Blake?

-Werewolf -Werewolf.

For what legendary creature.

Yes.

Rising to a height of over 19,000 feet, Africa's highest mountain -- Blake?

-Kilimanjaro.

-Yes.

In Tanzania.

On your screens.

[ Bell dings ] -Albatross?

-No.

This bird makes its home on what Atlantic islands, the subject of an 1982 war between Argentina and Great Britain?

You would have known that was Falklands.

Yeah.

What woman was only 29 years old when her play "A Raisin in the Sun" became a -- Blake.

-Hansberry.

-Hansberry is correct.

Choice -- as the atomic weight of the halogen element increases, should their chemical reactivity -- Blake?

-Decrease.

-Decrease is right.

If a ship charted its position as latitude zero, it would be somewhere along -- Blake?

-Equator.

-Yeah.

The imaginary line we know of as the equator.

On your screens.

This rhyme comes from what American poet whose longer works include "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy" -- Albans.

-Frost.

-Yeah.

Very good.

One of the few words to contain all five vowels is the name of what white vegetable?

Saint Albans.

Answer in three.

-Cauliflower.

-Yeah.

Cauliflower.

Whoo!

A toy chimpanzee named Jubilee helped inspire what woman noted for her studies of chimps?

Blake?

-Goodall.

-Goodall is right.

How many degrees are there in an acute angle with a tangent -- Saint Albans.

Go for it.

Guess.

-45.

-[ Laughing ] That was it!

With a tangent of 1.

Nice.

On your screens.

This is a view -- Blake.

-Toledo, Spain.

-Toledo.

-A view of what Spanish city that, of course, names one in Ohio.

If you added together the number of moons of the planets Mercury, Venus, and Earth, you would get -- Blake?

-One.

-One is right.

What total?

Elihu Root was the first Nobel Prize recipient who had held what senior U.S. cabinet post?

Anybody?

Blake, you got nothing?

Saint Albans?

-Sure.

-Secretary of state.

-Yeah, you've got it.

Very nicely done.

Northrop's P-61 aircraft, the first plane designed to use radar, had what two-word name that identifies a type of poisonous female spider?

-Yep.

Blake?

-Black widow.

-It is.

Right.

Black Widow.

If Lewis Carroll's Mad Hatter had his tea party at Cape Hatteras, he'd have -- Blake?

-North Carolina.

-Yep.

North Carolina.

The title of an early story by humorist James Thurber names what 1895 -- Saint Albans?

Answer?

-Walter Mitty.

-No!

X-ray.

Scientific discovery.

[ Buzzer ] That is the end of the game.

[ Cheers and applause ] Stay with us, because we'll have the official scores in just a moment.

-I'm David Rubenstein, and I believe giving back is something we all can do.

Many students are getting involved in their communities in important ways.

I've asked them to share with us how they're making a difference.

-Hi, my name is Chloe.

I'm a junior at the National Cathedral School in D.C.

I had the opportunity to give back to my community through music.

This past year I worked with my conductor on my orchestra and a music teacher at a school in D.C. to provide violins and teach violin skills and techniques to third graders at the school.

I really enjoy getting to mentor these students because it -- music is such an integral part of my life, and it was really fulfilling to be able to share my passion with such young students.

-Like these students, you, too, can help improve the lives of so many people by volunteering in your town and community.

Please read, learn, get involved and make a difference.

-The scores are now official.

But before I talk about the scores, I want to apologize to Einstein and Saint Albans for having to play Blake [ laughs ] because they just didn't let you get anything.

And I know you all are really smart and accomplished and know the answers to these questions, but they're fast.

Okay, now I'll do the scores.

We begin with Einstein High School from Kensington, Maryland.

Maeve, Brendon, and Maggie, 300 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] From Saint Albans in Washington, D.C., Arjun, William, Sebastian, 470 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And obviously coming back for the playoffs, Blake High School from Silver Spring, Maryland.

Fred, Nathan, Nikhil.

So fast.

755 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Well, that was a fun game.

We're so glad that you were here with us.

Can't wait to see you next time.

I'm Hillary Howard, and remember -- All: "It's Academic"!

Bye, everyone.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following... -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.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪