♪♪ -Students from Dominion... ♪♪ ...Sherwood... ♪♪ ...and West Springfield compete today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ Hello, everybody.

I'm Hillary Howard, and welcome to "It's Academic," produced by Altman Productions in association with David M. Rubenstein Productions.

-Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following... MITRE -- a not-for-profit research and development company working in the public interest.

-The world is full of challenges... ...and at MITRE, we're committed to solving them.

From aviation... and health... to cyber.... and national security... our people know we are called to do more.

MITRE -- solving problems for a safer world.

-Okay.

In this opening round, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

Let's go, Dominion High School.

Medha, Gabe, and Miya, here's your first question.

For bitter taste.

Hidden in this phrase is the term for what path followed by a planet as it revolves around the sun?

-Conferring -- orbit?

-Yeah.

-Finally answer -- orbit.

-Yeah, it's orbit.

Blame, honor, medicine.

Someone who is culpable should receive which of these?

-Conferring -- blame.

-Blame.

-Final answer -- blame.

-Yeah, it's blame.

June 29, 1854.

On this date, the Senate ratified what land purchase along our border with Mexico?

-Conferring -- Louisiana Purchase?

No.

-The Mexican Cession.

-Okay.

Final answer, the Mexican Cession.

-Nah, it's the Gadsden Purchase.

-Oh.

-Chernobyl.

Krakatoa.

Pompeii.

Disasters devastated these three places, but at different times.

Please arrange them in chronological order.

-Conferring -- Pompei.

Krakatoa.

Chernobyl.

-Yeah.

Okay, final answer -- Pompei, Krakatoa, Chernobyl.

-It's a good answer.

"The multitude of books is a great evil."

No librarian would agree with these words from what 16th century German monk who began the Protestant Revolution?

-Conferring -- Martin Luther.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- Martin Luther.

-Martin Luther is it.

Nicely done, Dominion.

180 points.

Sherwood, you're up.

Elizabeth, Noah, Ella, here's your first question.

Do I rise now?

You can find hidden in this question what part of your eye that shares its name with a flower?

-Conferring -- iris.

-Iris.

-I agree.

-Okay.

Iris, final answer.

-Yeah, it's iris.

Indifference.

Hatred.

Concern.

A person showing solicitude for you is exhibiting which of these?

-Conferring -- it's concern.

-Yeah, I agree with that.

We're going to go concern, final answer.

-I'm glad you chose that.

Yes, it's concern.

July 13, 1787.

This date in US history marked the adoption of what ordinance that set up the government of the region beyond the Ohio River?

-I'm thinking -- Conferring -- Northwestern Ordinance.

That's the only one I can think of.

-Yeah, I think it's Northwest Ordinance.

-I'll agree.

-Okay.

Yeah.

We'll say Northwest -- Northwest Ordinance.

Final answer.

-It is the Northwest Ordinance.

Diesel engine, radar, barometer.

These scientific advances were made in different centuries.

Please arrange them chronologically.

-Conferring -- I think diesel's a lot more recent.

Do either of you remember -- -Conferring.

I would say barometer, diesel, then radar.

-Yeah, I think barometer was first.

-Okay.

So, barometer, diesel, and then radar?

-You did that.

You did that correctly.

Nice job.

"To do good is my religion."

This statement was considered atheistic when it was written by what 18th century pamphleteer?

The author of "Common Sense."

-Conferring -- who is Thomas Paine?

-Yeah.

Thomas Paine.

-It's Thomas Paine.

-It's Paine, right?

Okay.

-Mm-hmm.

-Paine, final answer.

-Thomas Paine is right.

Sherwood, awesome job.

200 points.

And you are up, West Springfield.

John, Cory, Cole, here's your first question.

A golden verse.

Hidden in this phrase is the name of what Mile High City, the capital of Colorado?

-Conferring -- Denver.

-Denver.

-Final answer -- Denver.

-Denver is right.

Condemn them.

Conceal them.

Copy them.

If you wanted to emulate some of your competitors here, you would take which of these actions?

-Conferring -- copying them.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Final answer, copy them.

-Copy them is right.

May 26, 2012.

On this day, space station astronauts entered the world's first commercial supply ship named for what type of legendary fire-breathing monster.

-Conferring -- dragon.

-Dragon.

Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- dragon.

-Dragon is right.

Nelson Mandela freed, Battle of Iwo Jima, Mexican War ends.

These events all took place in the month of February, but in different years.

Please arrange them in chronological order, starting with the earliest.

-Conferring -- Mexican War end, Battle of Iwo Jima, Nelson Mandela freed.

-Yep.

I agree.

-Final answer -- Mexican War end, Battle of Iwo Jima, Nelson Mandela freed.

-That's it.

You got it right.

"There is more to life than increasing its speed."

This comment was made by what pacifist who led India to independence from British rule.

-Conferring -- Gandhi.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- Gandhi.

-Your final answer is right.

And you have a score of 200 points, West Springfield.

And that's the opening round.

The Picture Perfect round is next.

-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.

-Picture Perfect round, everybody.

In this round, questions are worth 20 points up or down, 10 points off if you don't answer.

Medha, Gabe, Miya, here's your first picture.

Thomas Jefferson owned this portrait of what French marquis who came to the aid of Americans in the Revolutionary War.

-Conferring -- Lafayette.

-Lafayette.

-Final answer -- Lafayette.

-Lafayette is right.

In this reaction, water and what gas are produced?

-Conferring -- carbon dioxide.

-Carbon dioxide?

Final answer -- carbon dioxide.

-Yes, it is.

Named the cotton-top tamarin for obvious reasons, this endangered primate lives in what South American country whose capital is Bogotá?

-Conferring -- Colombia?

Final answer -- Colombia.

-Yeah, it's Colombia.

Way to do it, Dominion.

240 points.

Here we go, Sherwood.

Elizabeth, Noah, Ella, let's do it.

In an effort to cure stomach aches, daisies were eaten by what English king, whose six wives often gave him a headache?

-Conferring -- Henry VIII.

-Conferring -- it's King Henry VIII.

-It's King Henry VIII.

Combining these two compounds will result in the formulation of what strong acid?

-Conferring -- I think that's sulfuric acid.

-I agree.

-Sure.

Yes.

-We're going to go sulfuric acid, final answer.

-It is.

This flag flies over what European country whose national heroes include Prince Henry the Navigator?

-Conferring... [ Sighs ] -I believe that's Portugal.

-Portugal.

Portugal.

-I was just gonna say Portugal or Spain.

Portugal.

-Okay, Portugal, final answer.

-Portugal is right.

Sherwood, knocking it out of the park.

You've got 260 points.

West Springfield, here we go.

John, Cory, and Cole, this is the golden nugget that James Marshall found at what California mill in 1848?

-Conferring -- California mill... San Francisco?

-Need an answer.

-Yeah.

Go with that.

I don't know.

Yeah.

-Final answer -- San Francisco.

-It's Sutter's Mill.

That's where they found all that gold.

This plant lacks color and can't produce its own food because it lacks what green pigment or pigment-producing structures found in photosynthetic plants?

-Conferring -- chlorophyll.

-Chloroplasts.

-Final answer -- chlorophyll?

-That's it.

Nice.

We would have taken either, by the way.

-Okay.

-Among the founders of the NAACP was what man who often used his first three initials, W.E.B., when signing articles?

-Conferring -- W.E.B.

Du Bois.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- W.E.B.

Du Bois.

-Du Bois is right.

West Springfield, nice job.

You have 220 points.

Picture Perfect round is finished and the Packet Round is next.

-Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that Andrew Jackson was the first president to face an assassination attempt?

Jackson beat his attacker off with his cane and the man was arrested.

The district attorney who prosecuted Jackson's attacker was Francis Scott Key, who had earlier written "The Star-Spangled Banner."

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

-It is half time, which means it's time for the Packet Round where questions are worth 20 points.

The good news is nothing off for a wrong answer.

The better news is there's a 25-point bonus if you get all of those questions right.

Yay!

Team one, Dominion.

Before we jump into the questions, we'd really like to know a little bit more about you.

So let's start with the captain.

Medha is a 16-year-old senior.

Hey, tell us what you're up to.

-Hi.

During the summers, I like to help coach my neighborhood swim team.

-Nice.

So is coaching hard?

-It is with the younger kids, at least.

-Oh, alright.

So that sounds like fun.

-Gabe, you're a 16-year-old junior.

Tell us about yourself.

-Over the summer, I actually worked as a lifeguard at a local pool.

-Oh, wow.

So you guys have that in common.

[ Chuckles ] Finally, Miya, a 17-year-old senior.

What are you up to?

-Over the summer at my part-time job, I helped translate for some of my coworkers.

Oh, that's wonderful.

And what are you translating from?

-Spanish, mostly.

-Uh-huh.

That's great.

And now that we've met everyone, let's begin this Packet Round, huh?

Here's your first question.

Dominion.

The English alphabet has 26 letters, but there are 28 letters, or characters, in what language in which the Holy Koran was first written?

-Conferring -- Arabic?

-Mm-hmm.

-Final answer -- Arabic.

-It is Arabic.

The Judith River in Montana was named for the fiancée of what explorer who charted the Louisiana territory with Meriwether Lewis?

-Conferring.

-Conferring -- Clark.

-Final answer.

-Yeah.

William Clark.

Here's your science question.

Calcium cyanide, calcium chloride, ferric oxide -- which of these compounds is often found in commercial products because of its ability to remove moisture from damp places like basements?

-Conferring -- Calcium chloride.

calcium chloride.

-Calcium chloride?

Final answer, calcium chloride.

-You've got it.

Several years ago, an archeologist looking for some shade discovered a 2000-year-old mural painted by what Indians who lived in the Yucatan Peninsula and Guatemala?

-Conferring.

-Uh... -The Mayan civilization.

-Mayans?

-Mayans?

-Answer?

-Final answer -- Mayans.

-Yes, that's it.

What Shakespearean king could have used the services of a good estate lawyer when he tried to divide his kingdom among his three daughters?

-Conferring -- King Lear.

-Lear.

Final answer -- King Lear.

-Poor King Lear, huh?

He always got it wrong.

Here's your math question.

What is the value of this expression?

-Conferring -- 98?

No.

-No.

-94?

-It's... No, it's 101.

-108?

-108.

-108.

-108.

Final answer -- 108.

-You got there.

It's 108.

Abraham Lincoln served in the Black Hawk War, as did what other future president -- a general elected our 12th chief executive in 1848?

-Conferring -- Zachary Taylor.

-I think so.

-Final answer -- Zachary Taylor.

-Yeah.

Zachary Taylor is it.

Dominion, you just got a 25-point bonus.

That is amazing.

And 405 points.

Great job.

Let's get to know the team from Sherwood a little better.

And we begin with the captain, Elizabeth.

Hello, Elizabeth.

She's a 17-year-old senior.

What are you up to these days?

-So, well, if I'm not writing my college applications, I'm playing -- I'm planning our English Honor Society fall book drive for the Maryland Book Bank.

-Oh, that's wonderful.

Good luck with that, Elizabeth.

And tell us about yourself, Noah.

You are a 16-year-old junior, right?

-Yeah.

I'm a junior from Sherwood, and in my free time, I like to play football, tennis and basketball.

-Which is your favorite?

-I like playing football the most.

-Really?

Not too rough and tumble, huh?

-No.

-[ Chuckles ] Well, it's great to have you.

Hello, Ella.

And you are a 17-year-old senior.

What have you been up to?

-I'm working towards getting my CNA license because I really enjoy basically everything medical.

In my free time, I like to write and draw usually usually.

-Beautiful.

And as I said before off camera, I love that lipstick.

Totally diggin' it.

Let's do this, Sherwood.

Thanks to new technology, we now know that what small rodents such as the fictional Stuart Little like to sing.

-Conferring -- mouse?

-Stuart Little?

Mice?

-Yeah.

I think Stuart Little was a mouse.

Okay, we're going to go mouse, final answer.

-Yeah, it's a mouse.

Who knew?

I didn't know they sang.

Next question.

Romulus and Remus were raised by a wolf.

But had they gone looking for their father, they would have sought out what classical god of war?

-Conferring.

-That would be Ares, but the Roman version, so it's Mars.

-Mars?

Yes.

Yes, that is it.

It is Roman.

Okay.

Mars, final answer.

-Yes, it is.

Glycine, gamete, glycerol -- which of these terms identifies the simplest amino acid and is one of the main components of proteins?

-Conferring.

-Conferring -- I think it's either glycine or glycerol.

I feel like it's glycine.

-I feel like it's glycerol.

-Okay.

-'Cause just from -- I'm feeling glycerol today, so we're going to go glycerol, final answer.

-You know, you should have gone with glycine.

Here's the next question.

The mysterious destruction of the battleship USS Maine in Havana Harbor sparked what war fought in 1888?

1898?

-Conferring... 1898.

Would that be like Spanish-American?

-Yeah, I think so.

-I think it's Spanish-American.

Spanish-American, final answer.

-You got that one.

Yes.

Any list of obscure books by famous writers should include "Sweet Thursday" by what author of "The Grapes of Wrath"?

-That is going to be Stein-- Conferring Steinbeck.

-Steinbeck?

Okay.

Steinbeck, final answer.

Steinbeck it is.

Here's your math question.

This expression equals X to what power?

-Conferring X to the eighth.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, 'cause you add them all together.

Okay, so X to the eighth, final answer.

-X to the eighth is correct.

What same chief executive is listed twice in the list of US presidents as he was elected in 1884, defeated in 1888, and elected again in 1892?

-Conferring -- is that Cleveland?

-Stephen Grover Cleveland, yes.

-Yeah.

Okay.

So we're going to go Cleveland, final answer.

-Cleveland is the right answer.

-Elizabeth, Noah, Ella, fabulous job.

380 points, Sherwood.

West Springfield, you are up.

Let's meet this team, huh?

John is the team's captain.

He's a 17-year-old senior.

Hi, John.

What are you up to these days, and what's your favorite thing outside of school?

-Well, favorite thing outside of school, going on long drives, listening to WTOP, favorite radio station, long-time listener.

-[ Laughs ] Do you know I love you, John?

Thank you so much.

And for those of you who don't know, I work at WTOP Monday through Friday.

Thanks so much.

Anything else you want to tell us about yourself?

-I'm a Eagle Scout and I volunteer in the Boy Scout Honor Society.

-Wonderful.

Well, it's great to have you here.

Cory is a 16-year-old senior and -- Junior.

Sorry, Cory.

I'm elevating you too quickly.

But why don't you elevate yourself and tell us what you like to do?

-Yeah.

So I like to collect soda cans and stuff, and I have a new flavor, new Mountain Dew that just came out.

And aside from that, I'm also a Boy Scout like John.

Not quite Eagle yet, and I help to run a food drive each November with my scout troop.

Last year, we raised about 7,000 pounds, so I'm hoping we can get those numbers up this year.

-That's awesome.

Well, it's really good to have you with us, Cory.

And Cole is a 15-year-old sophomore.

Cole, tell us about yourself.

-Hi, I'm Cole.

Outside school, I like to cook, read, and play video games.

And I also collect Pokémon cards.

-Pokémon cards.

Nice.

Some of those are worth real money.

Some of those old ones, right?

-Yeah.

-And now, of course, we get to do some questions.

Are you ready, West Springfield?

-Yep.

-Alright.

Here we go.

John, Cory, Cole, in 1903, a boat pulled by a kite -- a man named Cody crossed what body of water separating Britain from France?

-Conferring -- English Channel.

-Conferring -- English Channel.

-Yep.

-Yep.

-Final answer -- English Channel.

-That is correct.

Egypt's stone pyramids are known worldwide, but also famous is what single stone that provided the key to deciphering ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics?

-Conferring -- the Rosetta Stone.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- Rosetta Stone.

-It's Rosetta Stone.

Here's your science question.

Muon, gallium, ion -- which of these is an unstable subatomic particle whose mass is 207 times greater than that of an electron?

-Conferring -- muon?

-Yeah.

Confirm muon.

-Final answer -- muon.

-It's muon.

Tensions between North and South increased after the 1857 Supreme Court decision involving what slave who had sued for his freedom?

-Conferring -- Dred Scott.

-Yep.

-Final answer -- Dred Scott.

-Yeah, you got it.

Some mornings are worse than others, especially the morning Gregor Samsa woke up and found he had been turned into an insect in what story by Kafka?

-Conferring -- "The Metamorphosis."

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- "Metamorphosis."

-That's right.

Math question.

Which of these numbers is evenly divisible by three?

-Conferring... -Conferring...978.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

978, final answer.

-978 is a right.

Among the property owners affected by the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 was what man who was then living in the White House as our 18th president?

-Conferring...

So it's not Lincoln.

Lincoln's 16.

After Lincoln is...Johnson.

After Johnson is Grant.

-Conferring -- Grant.

-Final answer -- Grant.

-That was some nice work there, John.

Yes, it's Ulysses S. Grant, and, man, you did it.

Brought a 25-point bonus.

You can do that gesture now, Noah.

Whoo!

Guys, go, go, go, with a total score of 385 points.

♪♪ -We have reached the Lightning Round.

And in this round, you've got 45 seconds to answer up to 10 questions.

They're worth 20 points up or down.

No penalty if you pass.

Dominion, it's your turn to play.

Medha, Gabe, and Miya, here we go.

All your answers end in the letter "M." That's "M" as in "mom."

In three, two, one...

This 11th century English king was known as the Conqueror.

-Conferring -- William.

Final answer -- William.

-Yes.

In a Dr. Seuss title, this food accompanies green eggs.

-Ham.

-Ham.

-Yes.

Hf is the symbol of this metallic element.

-Hafnium.

-Yes.

This is the only native American marsupial.

North American marsupial.

-Opossum?

-Yes.

In the Netherlands, this is the capital and largest city.

-Amsterdam.

-Yes.

This element has symbol Ra.

-Radium.

-Yes.

These structures include the Grand Coulee and Aswan.

-Dam.

-Yes.

Lewis Carroll -- [ Buzzer ] Oh, and there's the buzzer.

I'll finish up that question.

Lewis Carroll paired this character with Tweedle D, and the answer is...?

Tweedle Dum.

But you didn't need it.

You did great, Dominion.

All of the seven questions you got to you got correct with a total score of 545 points.

Sherwood, you're up.

All answers must end in the letter "M." That's "M" as in "mom."

In three, two, one, this musical instrument's varieties include snare and bongo.

-Drum.

-Yes.

In the Zodiac, this animal is represented by Aries.

-Ram.

-Yes.

This element has the symbol Be.

-Beryllium?

-Yes.

In 1769, James Watt patented this type of engine.

-Steam.

-Yeah.

Molasses, slaves, and this drink were part of the triangle trade.

-Rum.

-Yes.

This term means "a space devoid of matter."

-Vacuum.

-Yes.

This Pacific island is an overseas territory of the United States.

-Guam.

-Yes.

This gas has atomic number two.

-Helium.

-Yeah.

[ Buzzer ] It's helium.

Sherwood, you did a fabulous job getting eight of those questions with a total score of 540 points.

Let's do it, West Springfield.

All the answers must end in the letter "M" like "mom."

In three, two, one... a home run that clears the bases has this two-word name.

-Grand slam.

-Yes.

This meaty term refers to junk e-mail.

-Spam.

-Spam.

-Yes.

This term refers to two words pronounced the same, but with different meanings.

-Homonym?

-Yes.

Nd is the symbol of this element?

-Neodymium.

-Yes.

In ancient Rome, this was the center of political life.

-Uh... -Uh... -Pass.

-Forum.

This is the S.I.

unit of electrical resistance.

-Oh, uh... -Ohm.

Ohm.

-Yes.

This invertebrate belongs to the annelid phylum.

[ Buzzer ] Oh, there's the buzzer.

The answer to that question is worm.

West Springfield, you really brought it today.

You've got a great score, 485 points.

And that is the game.

The official scores are next.

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

Students are getting involved in their communities in many important ways.

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

-Hi, my name is Sachi, and I'm a senior at the National Cathedral School in D.C. One of the things that I love is working with younger children.

So for the last three years, I've been volunteering with the Latino Student Fund.

What the Latino Student Fund does is they connect students with tutors who work with them a few times a week, throughout the entirety of the summer or the school year.

And through them, I've tutored about six elementary-aged kids over the past few summers, second to fifth graders, in Spanish, English, math and if they have another native language.

I really enjoy it because I'm able to build relatio-- build relationships with them and see how they progress from struggling or having challenges with certain problems to solving them easily over just a few months.

So it's definitely a really rewarding experience.

-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.

First, congratulations go to West Springfield High School from Fairfax County.

John, Cory, Cole -- 485 points with a bonus.

From Sherwood High School in Sandy Spring, Elizabeth, Noah, and Ella -- 540 points.

And coming back for the playoff, Dominion High school from Sterling, Virginia, Medha, Gabe, and Miya got a bonus and 545 points.

-Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following... MITRE -- a not-for-profit research and development company working in the public interest.

-At MITRE, we're committed to solving some of our biggest challenges in national security, cyber, aviation, and health.

And our dedication to service starts at home, working to fight hunger, serving people in need, protecting public health, and supporting our civic institutions.

This is serving the public.

This is MITRE -- solving problems for a safer world.

♪♪ -Make sure you join us next time when we have Justice, Bishop O'Connell, St. Anselm's High School competing here on "It's Academic."

I'm Hillary Howard.

So glad to see you, and we'll see you then.

Bye!