-Students from Falls Church, Herndon, and Wakefield meet today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ ♪♪ Hello, everybody.

Welcome to "It's Academic," the world's longest-running TV quiz show, now in its 65th season.

[ Cheers and applause ] Produced by Altman Productions and 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.

♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -We are so happy that all of you and you are here for the first show of this historic 65th season.

And we begin, as we always do, with a Fast Start.

Hello, teams!

Are you ready for the Fast Start?

-Mm-hmm.

-Yeah?

All right.

Good.

Here we go.

Questions are worth 10 points up or down.

There's more to apple than phones and computers.

Identify the following, all of which have to do with apples.

This garden is where the biblical Eve offered Adam -- Falls Church?

-Eden.

That's it.

Falls Church.

-New York City.

-Yeah.

Yep.

Wakefield.

-Trojan War.

-Yeah.

Nicely done.

Yeah, Herndon.

-William Penn.

-William -- no.

William Tell.

So close.

Although that might be an answer for something later.

And the answer is Atalanta.

Yep.

Herndon.

-Hard cider.

-Yeah.

Well, cider.

Do we take that?

Yes.

Very nice.

Yes, Herndon.

-China.

-Yeah.

Yes, Falls Church.

-Washington.

-That's it.

Yes, Falls Church.

-Ray Bradbury.

-That's correct.

Being hit by a falling apple led this scientist to -- Falls Church.

Answer?

-Newton.

-Newton is correct.

And that does it for our Fast Start.

Let's recap the scores.

[ Cheers and applause ] Falls Church -- 150 points.

Herndon -- 110 points.

And Wakefield -- 110 points.

Nice job, guys.

[ Cheers and applause ] All right, guys, now we're going to begin with Mix & Match.

But first we get to meet these teams.

And we begin with Falls Church High School from Fairfax County, home of the Jaguars.

Hi, Sagar.

How are you doing?

-I'm good.

How are you?

-I'm well.

Tell us about yourself.

-My name is Sagar, like I said.

I'm a senior at Falls Church High School, and a fun fact about me is I'm an EMT.

-Beautiful.

Hello, Eleanor.

-Hello.

-Tell us something about yourself.

-A fun fact about me is that I am an athletic training student aid at my school.

-Wow.

Wonderful.

And Jayden, hi.

-Hi, Hillary.

How are you?

-I'm very well, thank you.

-I'm Jayden.

I'm a senior at Falls Church High School as well.

And a fun fact about me is that I love to play word games.

-What's your favorite word game?

-I'd have to say any of the "New York Times" games, like the crossword.

-I'm not good at crosswords.

Other stuff, yeah, but not that.

In this round, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

Here's your first question.

"Add faster numbers."

If you slow down and study this phrase, you'll find the hidden name of what part of the body, also called the breastbone?

-Sternum.

Sternum.

-Sternum's right.

Of these three V-initialed words, which one would most accurately describe a corrupt politician or public official who takes bribes?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -One.

-It -- no -- yes, venal.

Very good.

Go with the flow here and you can complete the name of what ship that brought the pilgrims to Plymouth in 1620?

-Mayflower.

-Mayflower is right.

Which two of these words are opposite in meaning?

-One and four.

-Yeah.

-One and four.

-One and four, transitory and permanent, is correct.

Which of these is the title of Rachel Carson's landmark book about the environment?

-One.

-Yes, "Silent Spring."

This was one observer's 1880 description of what capital city of Canada?

-Ottawa.

-Ottawa is right.

Nicely done, Falls Church.

270 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Now to Herndon High School, also from Fairfax County, home of the Fighting Hornets.

Hello, Steven.

What should we know about you?

-Hi.

How are you?

-Good.

-I'm a senior at Herndon High School.

And, um, fun fact about me is I do really enjoy astronomy.

And I hope to study environmental science or meteorology in college.

-Really wonderful.

Good to have you, Steven.

And hiya, Peter.

-Hello.

-What should we know about you?

-I am the managing editor for news on our student newspaper, "The Stinger."

-Good to have you, Peter.

And finally, Brian, hi.

-Hi.

-So, what do you want to tell us about yourself?

-So I'm a junior at Herndon High School, and outside of school, I enjoy hiking at Virginia state and national parks.

-All right, guys, "Don't slap a cheetah."

Now, there's some good advice.

And you can find within this phrase the name of what Native American tribe whose leaders include Geronimo?

-Apache.

-Correct.

The word pathetic means pitiful, but the word apathetic has which of these meanings?

-Uninterested.

-Yep.

You got it again.

You'll have this answer in the bag by filling in the blanks to get what last name of the hobbit whose first name is Bilbo?

-Baggins?

-Yeah.

Which two of these words are synonyms?

-Deception and duplicity?

-You've got it.

Which of these mythical figures was so in love with his own reflection, he rejected the love of the nymph Echo?

-Narcissus.

-Yeah, you've got it again.

This is what Robert Livingston said when he signed what 1803 purchase agreement that greatly expanded the territory of the United States?

-Louisiana Purchase?

-Nicely done, Herndon.

230 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Now to Wakefield High School from Arlington, Virginia.

First we get to say hello to Helena.

Hiya.

-Hi.

I'm a 16-year-old junior, and I row crew for Wakefield.

-Oh, cool.

That's a really fun thing to do.

It's good for your head, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Awesome.

Nice to have you.

And hello, Amelie.

-Hello.

-What should we know about you?

-I'm a senior at Wakefield, and I'm also on our rowing team.

-You are?

All right.

And finally, hello, Josh.

-I am a junior at Wakefield High School, and I do piano and theater.

-Wonderful.

Here are your questions.

"Bears on the road."

Ignore the bears and see if you can find hidden in this phrase what crime that involves the malicious setting of fires?

-Arson?

-Yes.

If a person is fully informed about a situation, you can best describe him with which of these adjectives?

-Cognizant?

-Correct.

What same word placed in the blanks here will give you the nicknames for the U.S.

flag and the U.S.

ship whose formal name is USS Constitution?

-Old?

-Yeah, old.

Which two of these words would you describe as opposite in meaning?

-Two and three.

-No, it's one and four, venerate and abominate.

A list of Civil War generals would not include which of these men who served in World War II?

-George C. Marshall?

-You've got it.

This cruel remark has been attributed to what man who led the Bolshevik Revolution, becoming the first head of the Soviet Union?

-Lenin?

-Lenin is right.

Wakefield -- 210 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] That does it for Mix & Match.

We've got the Picture Perfect round next.

Stay with us.

In 1961, nine high school students walked into a TV studio in Washington, DC, 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 ] Welcome back, guys.

It's time for the Picture Perfect round.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

Here we go.

Dr.

Charles Drew pioneered the development of what type of bank that deals with hemoglobin and plasma rather than -- Falls Church.

-Blood.

-Blood bank, yes.

This is the flag of what British territory, a Pacific island first inhabited by mutineers from the HMS Bounty, who settled -- Herndon.

-Pitcairn?

-Yeah, you've got it.

Pitcairn Island.

This is an early 20th century painting of what Oldest New York City suspension bridge named for -- Herndon.

-Brooklyn Bridge?

-The beautiful Brooklyn Bridge, yes.

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

Falls Church.

-Three.

-Three is right.

Operating as it has for centuries, this is one of the floating markets of what capital -- Falls Church?

-Hanoi.

-No.

Bangkok.

Capital city of Thailand.

This llama is taking it easy among the ruins left by -- Yes, Herndon?

-Machu Picchu?

-Mm, we're going for Incan empire.

But that was a really good leap.

The red square here covers what element, whose name comes from an Arabic word meaning "gold color"?

Its symbol is Zr.

Yes, Falls Church.

-Zirconium.

-You are right again.

Seals and other animals still draw naturalists to what Ecuadorian islands that Charles Darwin -- Falls Church?

-Galápagos.

-Galápagos it is.

That does it for Picture Perfect.

Let's recap those scores.

330 -- Falls Church.

250 for Herndon.

And 210 points for Wakefield.

And now let's hear it.

[ Cheers and applause ] Now let's meet these folks who help prepare the students for competition.

Over at Falls Church, Eleanor, tell us about the guy behind you.

-We're here today with our lovely coach, Mr.

Bermingham, who we've been lucky to have for every year we've been here.

And he's our number-one supporter.

We're really grateful for him.

-That's wonderful.

Good to see you.

Over to Herndon.

Peter, who's with you?

-This is Mr.

Lubinsky.

He's a history teacher, and he's just a really good coach.

I mean, he often quizzes us on paintings because he used to teach AP Art History, and, overall, he's just a good guy.

-Yeah.

All right, that's good.

Can't get better than that.

Amelie, how about you?

-This is Mr.

Stewart.

He teaches AP seminar in English at Wakefield, and I think we're grateful to have such an energetic and fun coach.

-Wonderful.

Good to see you.

And thanks, everybody, so much for being here and supporting your teams and getting them ready.

We are now beginning the Packet round.

Falls Church, you go first.

Herndon, will they answer questions from packet one, packet two, or packet three.

-Packet one.

-Packet one.

[ Chuckles ] Here we go, Falls Church.

Over three centuries ago, James I of England wrote an essay attacking what plant from which cigarettes are made?

-Tobacco.

-Tobacco?

-Yes.

One of the most influential men of the last millennium was what 15th century German printer who developed a system of movable type?

-Gutenberg.

-Gutenberg?

-That's it.

The letters "A-S" form the chemical symbol for what poisonous element linked to old lace in the title of an old play?

-Arsenic?

-That's it.

Here's your science question.

The solid portion of the Earth is known as which of these?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Geosphere?

-Geosphere is right.

Artworks from the last 3,000 years are displayed at the Biscari Museum on what largest Mediterranean island, a part of Italy?

-Sicily?

Sicily?

-[ Whispers indistinctly ] -Sicily?

-Yep, it's Sicily.

In E.B.

White's book "Charlotte's Web," Charlotte is a spider, but her good friend Wilbur is what other animal?

-A pig.

-Yeah, it's a pig.

Here's your math question.

What number must be added to make this a perfect square?

-Four.

-Four is right.

The Rifs were a rough rebel group who battled the French Foreign Legion in what North African kingdom whose capital is Rabat?

-Morocco.

-Morocco?

-Yeah, that is right.

25-point bonus for Falls Church.

[ Cheers and applause ] Nicely done, guys.

Over to Herndon.

Wakefield, will Herndon answer questions from packet number two or packet number three?

-Two.

-Two.

"A Testament of Hope" is a collection of writings by what American civil rights leader, a Nobel Prize winner assassinated in 1968?

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

-That is right.

In April of 1918, the U.S.

government first mandated what practice in which clocks are set ahead one hour?

-Daylight Savings Time?

-Yep, you've got it again.

In 1795, French revolutionaries introduced a decimal calendar, which replaced the seven-day week with what other number of days indicated by the word decimal?

-Ten?

-Ten it is.

Here's your science question.

Which of these substances is a good insulator for electricity?

-Copper?

-No, it's glass.

Police were ordered to shave off the beards of Russian men as part of the Westernization program of what czar called "The Great"?

-Peter?

-Peter's right.

Being of royal blood does not guarantee happiness.

And that was certainly true in the case of what Danish prince who titles a Shakespeare tragedy?

-Hamlet?

-Yep.

It's Hamlet.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression, taking all roots to be positive and giving your answer as an integer.

-[ Whispers indistinctly ] -21?

-21 is right.

If you like warm weather, you should know that even in January, the temperature never dips below 57 degrees in what capital city of Jamaica?

-Kingston?

-Kingston is right.

Well done, Herndon.

390 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And now we have packet number three for Wakefield.

In 1868, people gathered in Paris to watch the first recorded race of what two-wheeled vehicles now ridden in the Tour de France?

-Bicycles?

-That's it.

People were turned to stone when they looked at Medusa, but they were turned to gold if they were touched by what fabled king?

-Midas.

-Midas?

-Midas is right.

Although he was an accomplished musician, William Herschel is best remembered as the astronomer who discovered what planet seventh from the sun?

[ Indistinct whispering ] Answer?

-Neptune?

-No.

Uranus.

Here's your science question.

Which of these terms refers to the point at which the air becomes saturated with water vapor that will condense as droplets as the temperature falls?

-Dew point?

-Yeah, that's it.

In 1867, several prominent northerners raised the $100,000 bail money needed to free what man who had been president of the Confederacy?

-Jefferson Davis.

-Jefferson Davis?

-Jefferson Davis is correct.

Back-to-school night couldn't have been easy for the parents of Holden Caulfield, the protagonist of what J.D.

Salinger novel?

-"Catcher in the Rye"?

-That's right.

Here's your math question.

Solve for "x," giving your answer as a positive integer.

-12.

-Yeah.

What 19th century Kentucky senator was known as the "Great Compromiser," partly for his work in crafting the Compromise of 1850?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Polk.

-Polk?

-Nah, it's Henry Clay.

But nice job, Wakefield.

330 points.

And that does it for our Packet round.

[ Cheers and applause ] You know what's next, right?

We've got the Grab Bag, so please stay where you are.

See you back in a minute.

Did you know gorillas burp when they're happy?

And what makes them happy is a nice meal of leaves, ants, and grubs with bananas for dessert.

I'll take the bananas.

In case you want to make a gorilla happy... [ Cheers and applause ] Well, we've made it to the Grab Bag round, guys.

As you know, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

And before I ask you questions, let's recap the scores.

Falls Church -- 515 points.

Herndon -- 390 points.

Wakefield -- 330 points.

Yay!

[ Cheers and applause ] And with that, we can begin the Grab Bag, guys.

Many books begin with a foreword, but the U.S.

Constitution begins with what other -- Herndon.

-Preamble?

-Preamble is correct.

Most deserts are bleak places, but what colorful Arizona desert has a name suggesting it's been decorated by an artist?

Yes, Herndon.

-Mojave Desert?

-Nah, the Painted Desert.

Camel's Hump is a peak in the Green Mountains of what New England state whose -- Falls Church?

-Vermont.

-Vermont is right.

On your screens.

This painting is the work of William Heine, an aide to what U.S.

Navy commodore sent in 1852 to open Japan -- Falls Church.

-Matthew Perry?

-Yeah, you got it.

After Germany's defeat in World War I, Kaiser Wilhelm fled to what Lowlands country, Herndon?

-Netherlands.

-You're right.

What is the area of a trapezoid if the altitude is 10 and the bases are 6 and 14?

Yes, Falls Church.

-100?

-That's it.

Americans often categorize things by numbers, as FDR did when enumerating what number of freedoms in a famous 1941 -- Herndon.

-Four?

-Four it is -- freedom of worship, speech, from want, and from fear.

On your screens.

The letters in this phrase can be describing what word that describes Neville Chamberlain's effort to avert war by giving in -- Falls Church?

-Appeasement.

-Appeasement.

Nice job on my mangled question.

Nicknamed "Quicksilver Bob" because of his interest in Mercury, what teenager later designed the first practical submarine and the steamboat?

It is Robert Fulton.

Just north of the Baltic Sea, the Gulf of Bothnia separates Finland from what largest -- Herndon.

-Estonia?

-No.

Sweden.

What largest of the Scandinavian countries?

Andrew Carnegie had the words "Let there be light" inscribed on what type of public buildings, 3,000 of which -- Wakefield.

-Libraries?

-Yeah.

That's it.

On your screens.

This is what Canadian city, the largest in Quebec province -- Wakefield.

-Toronto?

-No, Montreal.

As a young man, Abraham Lincoln fought in the Black Hawk War, emerging with what Army rank that today is signified by two silver bars?

Yes, Herndon.

-Lieutenant?

-No, it's captain.

"The Mighty Mo" was the nickname of what American battleship on which the Japanese surrendered in 1945?

The answer is the Missouri.

What Dutch artist who once painted his beard orange in a self-portrait also painted himself with a bandaged ear?

Falls Church.

-Van Gogh.

-Yeah.

On your screens.

Wearing a top hat to visit his Titusville, Pennsylvania, oil well, this is what man... [ Buzzer ] ...who struck oil there?

Herndon, answer?

The answer was Edwin Drake.

And that's it, guys.

That is the end of the Grab Bag round.

[ Cheers and applause ] We're going to tally up these scores and have them for you in just a minute.

Stay where you are.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, here are some things you should know.

Just over two decades before the revolution, in 1753, a guide named Christopher Gist saved George Washington from drowning after Washington fell off a raft and into the Allegheny River.

Learn more about America's founding.

Stream "The American Revolution," a new documentary from Ken Burns premiering November 16th on WETA+, a brand-new, free, and easy-to-use streaming service created specifically for DC-area viewers like you.

For more information, go to weta.org/wetaplus.

[ Cheers and applause ] The scores are now official.

We begin with Wakefield High School from Arlington, Helena, Amelie, and Josh, 330 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] From Herndon High School in Fairfax County.

Steven, Peter, and Brian, 370 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And coming back for the playoffs, Falls Church High School, Sagar, Eleanor, Jayden, 615 points!

[ Cheers and applause ] So happy you were here.

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

See you next time.

Bye-bye, guys.

[ 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'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.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪