-Students from Charles H. Flowers, Gonzaga, and Elizabeth Seton meet today on "It's Academic."

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -Go get it!

[ Applause ] [ Cheers and applause ] -Go!

-I love the enthusiasm.

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... George Mason University -- All together different.

-Call us different.

-Different in where we come from.

-Where we 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 ] -Well, hello.

I'm so glad that you're with us today as we jump into the Fast Start round.

Questions in this round are worth 10 points up or down.

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

Here we go, guys.

Snakes.

I hope you're not afraid of snakes because that's what this round is all about.

Yes, Gonzaga.

-Medusa.

-Answer?

-Medusa.

-Yeah, that's it.

Yep, Flowers.

-Brazil.

-Brazil is it.

Yep, Gonzaga.

-Moccasin.

-Correct.

Yep, Gonzaga.

-Molting.

-That's it.

Answer is caduceus.

Gonzaga.

-St. Patrick.

-Correct.

Yes, Gonzaga.

-Cotton.

-Cotton is it.

This variety of rattlesnake names Arizona's major league -- Gonzaga.

-Diamondback.

-Diamondback is right.

And that does it for Fast Start.

Let's recap those scores.

[ Applause ] Charles H. Flowers -- 110 points.

Gonzaga -- 160.

Elizabeth Seton -- 100 points.

♪♪ [ Applause ] And now we've got the Mix & Match round.

Before that -- you know -- we meet the teams and we begin with Charles H. Flowers, home of the Jaguars, from Springdale, Maryland.

Hey, Derrick.

What should we know about you?

-Um, my name is Derrick Hueston.

I'm a senior at Charles Herbert Flowers High School.

Um, in my free time, I fly drones.

Uh, I race RC cars, and I like to play basketball on the weekends.

-I don't even know which one to ask you about.

What -- Tell me about the flying drones.

What do you look for?

-Um, well, I started about two years ago.

I do something called Aerial Drone Competition.

It's every year.

Last year, we went to West Virginia Nationals.

It's kind of like a competition where you code drones and you use piloting skills to actually fly drones through courses.

-Wow, that's really cool.

Well, great to have you here, Derrick.

And, Luke, tell us about yourself.

-Hello.

My name is Luke Hartman, and I like playing baseball.

I've been playing baseball since I was about 8 years old.

-And who's your favorite team?

-Orioles.

-Orioles.

All right.

Go, O's.

And, Boyan, hello.

-Hi.

My name is Boyan.

I'm a senior at Charles Herbert Flowers High School.

Um, in my free time, I like to play chess, play violin, and learn French.

-And learn French.

How's that French going?

-It's going pretty well.

-All right.

Nice.

Okay, guys, here's your first question.

"Is chili very hot?"

This really hot question is whether you can find in this phrase the name of what large hepatic organ of the body.

-Liver.

-Liver is right.

And you don't even have to buzz in for this round.

It's all about you.

"Wild behavior.

Artistic talent.

Religious devotion."

Someone who is noted for his piety is known for which of these?

-Religious devotion.

-That is it.

Here you have every other letter in the last name of what first American astronaut to go into space?

[ Indistinct whispering ] Answer... is Alan Shepard.

"Tiger Lily, Rose Bud, Little Buttercup."

Of this bouquet of characters, which one is an Indian princess who befriended Peter Pan in Never Never Land?

[ Indistinct whispering ] Which one?

-Buttercup.

-Buttercup.

-Answer?

-No.

Tiger Lily.

"Wit is the blank of conversation, not the food."

To complete this quotation from English writer William Hazlitt, add what seasoning that a chemist would refer to as sodium chloride?

-Salt.

-Yeah.

And that does it.

Flowers, you've got 170 points.

[ Applause ] Now we go over to team two from Gonzaga.

Johnny, what should we know about you?

-Hi.

My name's Johnny Broome, and I run and swim at Gonzaga.

-Nice.

Do you have a preference?

-Uh, swimming, definitely.

-Swimming.

Yeah, yeah.

What's your favorite event in swimming?

-Um, the 50 free and 100 freestyle.

-Uh-huh.

Do you come in first a lot?

-No.

-[ Laughs ] But you're working on it.

-Working on it.

-You're working on it.

Good to have you.

How are you, Peter?

-I'm doing well.

How are you?

-Good, thanks.

-My name is Peter Allen.

I'm a senior at Gonzaga College High School, and I run our trivia club.

And I also run.

-And you run.

And trivia club -- How do you practice?

-So every Monday and Friday -- It's a lot of fun.

We try to do kahoots, we do Gimkits.

We do other kind of just fun activities and we just get everyone involved.

-That's great.

Well, nice to have you, as well.

And hello, Paul.

-Hi.

My name is Paul Liles.

I'm a junior at Gonzaga.

I also run track and cross-country.

-All right.

Lots of sports guys, right?

All right, here we go.

First question.

"He met rice quota."

Study this phrase and see if you can find the name for what system of measurement that uses kilograms and liters?

-Metric.

-That's it.

"A salesman, a physician, a farmer."

The occupation of which of these persons can best be described as agrarian?

-A farmer.

-Yeah.

The chemical symbol for radium is the name of what other radioactive element used to make one of the first atomic bombs?

-Uranium.

-That's it.

"Pea plants.

White rats.

Hamsters."

Gregor Mendel used which of these for his groundbreaking experiments in heredity?

-Pea plants.

-Yes.

"Life is a luminous..." Novelist Virginia Woolf was in a cheerful mood when she wrote this sentence, which you can complete by naming what shining circle of light seen over the head of an angel?

-Halo.

-Halo it is.

Nicely done, Gonzaga.

260 points.

[ Applause ] Now to Elizabeth Seton High School from Bladensburg, Maryland.

Tiffany, really good to have you.

-Hi.

-Hi.

-My name is Tiffany Offor.

I'm the president of my school's animation club, and I am the -- I'm in the executive team for my school's, um, fashion club.

-Oh, my gosh.

So tell me about the fashion club.

-Oh, well, we do two things.

It's called Seton Diamonds.

We do two different things.

We either have discussion meetings where we talk about, like, important things that we should know as people, as growing people and stuff.

And the other one is where we, like, practice walking, like, actual modeling and stuff.

And since I'm a part of the executive team, we do a lot of performances for the school in pep rallies and, like, assemblies and stuff.

-Great.

-I'm gonna do an advertisement on Monday.

-So after this, you can teach me how to properly strut.

-We'll see.

-All right.

Nice to have you, Tiffany.

Hello, Kiera.

-Hi.

Um, I'm Kiera.

I'm from Elizabeth Seton High School, and I'm a junior there.

I'm also on the cross-country, swimming, and lacrosse teams.

-And lacrosse.

How long have you been playing that?

-Since second grade.

-Oh, wow.

So that's something you really enjoy.

Well, it's good to have you.

Hello, Alyssa.

-Hi.

My name is Alyssa.

I am a junior at Elizabeth Seton High School.

I am the principal double second player in a steel orchestra.

And I am an AV technician for assemblies, masses, plays, and musicals.

-So when you say the steel orchestra, is that steel drums?

-Yes.

-Oh, nice.

How long have you been doing that?

-Since I was six.

-Oh, man.

That's wonderful.

Guys, I have some questions for you.

Here we go.

You may not win an Oscar, but you'll win 20 points if you can find here the hidden name of what element common to all plant and animal life.

-Carbon.

-Carbon.

-Carbon, it is.

You would use which of these adjectives to describe someone who is very miserly.

-Parsimonious.

-Parsimonious.

-Yes.

Fill in the blanks here to get the last name of what Texas hero for whom the capital city of Texas is now named?

-Houston.

-Houston.

-No.

Austin.

A book about the American Revolutionary War would not mention which of these battles?

-Ticonderoga maybe?

-King's Mountain.

King's Mountain.

-Nah, it's Mosul.

To complete this quote from French author Honoré de Balzac, place in the blank what critical organ that includes the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex.

-The brain.

-Yeah.

That's it.

Nice.

Elizabeth Seton 160 points.

[ Applause ] That does it for the Mix & Match round.

You know what's next.

It's Picture Perfect.

See ya in a minute.

-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.

[ Applause ] -Hello!

It is time for the Picture Perfect round.

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

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

Here we go with your first picture and clue.

These flowers can be seen near the American birthplace of what African-American educator who established the Tuskegee Institute.

Any takers?

Yep.

Flowers.

-Washington.

-Yeah, you've got it.

It was Turkey's Kemal Ataturk who moved the capital of Turkey from Constantinople to -- Yes?

-Ankara.

-Yes.

Very good.

This seven year old girl posed for a portrait by what American painter whose last name sounds like a non-commissioned officer in the army.

The answer is John Singer Sargent.

Amazing work.

This expression equals what positive integer?

Yep?

-20.

-Gonzaga, you've got it.

World War II's Pacific battlegrounds included this beach on what Japanese-held island where Mr. Suribachi is located.

Answer is Iwo Jima.

A satellite would use these coordinates to locate what ancient temple of Athena still standing on the Acropolis in Athens.

Yep.

Gonzaga.

-The Parthenon?

-Yes, it is.

The most important method of heat transfer in the atmosphere is which of these?

-Radiation.

-No.

It's convection, Flowers.

This sea cave is in what Mediterranean island country whose capital is Nicosia?

Yeah, Gonzaga.

-Cyprus.

-You are right.

And that does it for the Picture Perfect round.

Let's recap these scores.

[ Applause ] And now it's time for the Packet round.

But before we jump into the Packet round, we get to meet the team behind the team, the folks who help prepare these students for competition.

First, Charles H. Flowers.

Luke, tell us who's with you.

-Today we have our amazing principal, Dr. Gorman Brown, with us.

Thank you for the support.

And we have our Coach Blue there sitting right in front of Chase Player, our alternate.

-Wonderful.

So good to have you guys.

And over to Gonzaga, who's with you, Peter?

-So today we have our amazing moderator, Mr. Kilner.

Thank you for being here.

And we also have our great alternates, Christian and Chase.

So, appreciate you being here.

-Fabulous.

Yeah, we do, too, of course.

And Elizabeth Seton.

Tell us, Kiera.

-Today with us here, we have Ms. Edwards, our computer science teacher and our coach.

-Beautiful.

Big round of applause for everybody.

[ Applause ] And now we can do this Packet round.

In the Packet round, questions are worth 20 points.

There's nothing off for a wrong answer.

And if you get every question right, do you know what happens?

-A bonus?

A bonus, a 25-point bonus.

Charles H. Flowers, you get to answer questions first.

Gonzaga, which packet shall they answer questions from?

-Give 'em 2?

We'll give them 2.

-Okay.

2 it is.

Guys, in 2003, a fire caused the evacuation of over 2,000 tourists from what 984-foot tall iron framed Paris landmark?

-Eiffel Tower?

Eiffel Tower.

-Yeah.

That's it.

On an island hopping tour, you might want to visit what Australian island named for that country's most famous hopping marsupial.

-Tasmania.

-No.

Kangaroo Island.

Bacon, ice cream, and chocolate-covered bacon are served at the annual Bacon Fest in what Iowa capital city?

-Des Moines?

-Yeah.

That's it.

Here's your science question.

Which of these terms refers to the process by which the long chains of molecules in crude oil are split into shorter molecules of gasoline?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Fission?

-Nope.

It's cracking.

An 8-foot measure called a land rod was a standard unit of length in what Mexican-Indian empire, whose rulers included Montezuma?

-Aztecs.

-Yeah.

-"The pride and glory of humanity" is the way one pope referred to what medieval Italian poet who wrote the "Divine Comedy."

-Francis?

-Nah, it was Dante.

Here's your math question.

Taking positive roots, evaluate this expression, giving your answer as an integer.

Need an answer.

In 3, 2 -- -64.

-Nope.

It's 5.

There are only 39 words in what number Constitutional amendment which gave women the right to vote in federal elections?

-13th.

-19th amendment.

And that's it for Charles H. Flowers.

250 points, guys.

[ Applause ] Now, Gonzaga, you get to play.

Elizabeth Seton, what packet for them, 1 or 3?

-3.

-3.

Here we go.

Temperatures over 130 degrees in the shade have been recorded in what largest North African desert?

-Sahara.

-That's it.

Lacking access to MapQuest, monarch butterflies will migrate 3,000 miles using for orientation what celestial body approximately 93 million miles from Earth?

-The sun.

-The sun.

One person who did not leave a tip for his barber was what Biblical hero who lost his strength when Delilah cut off his hair.

-Samson?

-Yes.

Here's your science question.

When sodium reacts with water and liberates hydrogen, which of these is the resulting compound?

-Answer?

-A salt.

-No, it's a base.

Contemporaries talked about the hypnotic eyes of what Russian monk who had enormous influence with the last Tsar and Tsarina.

-Rasputin.

-Yeah.

Each year, around a million copies are sold of what JD Salinger novel about Holden Caulfield?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -"The Catcher in the Rye."

-That is right.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression, giving your answer as a positive integer.

-1.

-1.

Yep.

What man with a common last name demonstrated uncommon resolve as the American Revolutionary War naval commander of the Bonhomme Richard.

Answer?

In 3, 2 -- -Smith.

-No.

Good guess.

John Paul Jones.

All right, Gonzaga, 440 points.

[ Applause ] Elizabeth Seton, you have packet number 1.

Dr. Francine Patterson made history in the 1970s when she taught sign language to Koko, who was what type of primate, the largest of the great apes?

-Gorilla.

-Ah.

That's it.

-The British ship Gaspee was burned by American merchants in 1772 when it ran aground near what capital of Rhode Island?

-Providence.

-Providence.

-Providence it is.

What R-initialed word identifies the 12-year period following our civil war.

-The... -Regression.

-Regression.

-No Reconstruction.

Close.

Halfway there.

Here's your science question.

Because there is virtually no air in space, which of these applies to aircraft but is not needed for spacecraft design.

-Newton's Third Law of Motion.

-No.

Bernoulli's Principle.

"I don't know," was the answer given by members of what political party that unsuccessfully ran Millard Fillmore for president in 1856.

The party was called the Know Nothings.

The letter O begins and ends the name of what Shakespeare character, a tragic Moor who kills his wife, Desdemona?

-Othello.

-Othello is it.

Nice.

Here's your math question.

Give the size in degrees of either of these two complementary angles.

Need an answer.

-80.

-Yep.

That's it.

Although his last name suggests Ireland, Bernardo O'Higgins won fame as a revolutionary in what South American country whose capital is Santiago?

The answer is... -Chile.

-Yeah.

That's it.

Nice.

Elizabeth Seton, 260 points.

[ Applause ] -That does it for the Packet round.

The Grab Bag round is next.

-Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

-Did you know that Robert has been a popular name for American boys for over 200 years, but there has never been a US president named Robert.

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

[ Applause ] -Well, here we are in the Grab Bag round.

Let's recap the scores before we do anything.

[ Applause ] In the Grab Bag round, they're worth 20 points up or down, and once again, the first team to buzz in gets to answer.

Here we go.

Derived from a Greek word meaning "hidden," a sculpture named "Kryptos" adorns the Langley, Virginia, headquarters of what secretive federal agency?

Yep.

Seton.

-CIA.

-You got it.

To get material for "Origin of Species," Charles Darwin sailed on what ship named for a breed of dog.

In 3, 2, 1.

-Shepherd.

-No.

The Beagle.

The HMS Beagle.

It is said the average DC driver wastes how much time every year looking for a parking spot, seven hours fewer than in three days?

Yep, Gonzaga.

-65.

-65 is right.

On your screens.

According to classical mythology, what one 100-eyed watchmen was turned -- Gonzaga.

-Peacock?

-No.

We were going for Argus was turned into a peacock.

Nice try.

In 1872, at a concert called the World's Peace Jubilee, an orchestra of 987 instruments was conducted by what composer called the Waltz King.

Yes, Gonzaga.

-Strauss.

-You are right.

Choice.

As the efficiency of a machine decreases, its ideal mechanical advantage increases, decreases, or stays the same?

Answer is stays the same.

Since the defendant was a bear and a member of a protected species, the government paid the fine when the bear was convicted of attacking beehives, in what European country where Skopje is capital?

The answer is Macedonia.

On your screens.

These were the words of what Holocaust survivor, the author of "Night."

Yep.

Gonzaga.

-Elie Wiesel.

-You've got it.

A 1940s movie called "Holiday in Mexico" included what teenage extra, who had a real-life starring role as the president of Cuba until 2008.

You'll know it when I say it.

It's Fidel Castro.

What is the perimeter of a rhombus if one side is 8 1/2 inches long.

Yes.

Gonzaga.

-52.

-No, 34.

The first African-American to earn a PhD from Harvard was what author and activist whose first three initials were W.E.B.?

-Du Bois.

-Yep.

Flowers, you are right.

On your screens.

General Pershing had many military successes, but he failed to capture what Mexican revolutionary whom he pursued for almost a year?

[ Buzzer ] And that's the end of the game.

And the answer was Pancho Villa.

All right, everybody, nice job.

Keep it here.

We will be back in just one minute with the official scores.

So stay where you are.

-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, I'm Boyan and I attend Charles Herbert Flowers High School.

One way I give back to my community is through the Manhole One On One Mentoring Program.

Every weekend, we try to go around to various community centers in the county and give back to the youth and the elderly.

In addition to this, we help out with Operation Earnie's Plate, where we give food back to the homeless and the underprivileged.

This has helped me build a stronger sense of self and immerse myself within my community.

I believe everyone who has the ability to do so should do so.

-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.

[ Applause ] -The scores are now official.

We begin with Charles H. Flowers, home of the Jaguars, from Springdale, Maryland.

Derrick, Luke, and Boyan, 250 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] From Elizabeth Seton School in Bladensburg, Maryland, home of the Roadrunners.

Tiffany, Kiera, and Alyssa, 280 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And coming back for the playoffs, Gonzaga, home of the Eagles.

Johnny, Peter, and Paul -- in Washington, DC, I should say -- 460 points.

Well done, guys.

[ Applause ] We are so happy that you were with us today, and we'll see you next week.

We always love it when you tune in.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Remember, everybody... -It's Academic.

-Bye-bye.

See you soon.

-Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following... -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 ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪