-Students from Fauquier... ...Sherwood... ...and La Plata 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.

-And now it's time for the opening round.

Questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

First up, Fauquier High School from Warrenton, Virginia.

Hello, Evan, Keira and Raeid.

Hey.

Here's your first question, guys.

Choose one word from each column and you'll get what phrase identifying the volunteer soldiers who were available to fight at any time in the Revolutionary War?

-Minutemen.

-Minutemen.

-Final answer -- Minutemen.

-Minutemen it is.

Erudite, fallacious, insipid.

An argument that is misleading and inaccurate can best be described by which of these adjectives?

-Conferring.

-Fallacious, I'd say.

-Fallacious, I believe.

-Final answer -- fallacious.

-Fallacious is right.

Here you have the postal abbreviation of Oregon in the middle of the name of what Centennial State, the site of Pikes Peak?

-Conferring.

Colorado.

-Yes, that looks right.

-Yeah.

Final answer -- Colorado.

-Colorado is right.

Kiwi, llama, shrew.

Which of these creatures is not a mammal?

-Conferring.

-Not a mammal.

-Kiwi.

It's a bird.

-Yeah.

Final answer -- kiwi.

-That's it.

It's kiwi.

"Hold the fort.

I'm coming."

This familiar phrase was sent to one of his officers by what Union general who was then marching through Georgia?

-Conferring.

-Grant, right?

-I believe it's Sherman.

-Yeah.

Sherman.

Final answer -- Sherman.

-Yep.

William Tecumseh Sherman.

You got it.

And you've also gotten yourselves 200 points.

Way to go, Fauquier.

[ Laughs ] Alright, Sherwood High School, you are up.

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

Choose one word from each column and you'll name what frontier mail system that flourished in the early 1860s?

-Conferring.

Pony Express.

-That's simply the Pony Express.

-Yep.

Okay, Pony Express.

Final answer.

-It is.

Intelligence, indifference, curiosity.

A person who is apathetic is characterized by which of these?

-Conferring.

That would be indifference.

-Indifference.

Yeah.

Okay.

Indifference.

Final answer.

-Yes, it is.

If you insert the missing letters here, you can spell the name of what city that is the capital of Turkey?

-Conferring.

I think that's Ankara.

-That's going to be right.

Okay.

Ankara, final answer.

-Ankara is correct.

Next question.

Cassiopeia, Ursa Minor, Orion.

Which of these constellations is referred to as the Hunter?

-Conferring.

Orion.

-Orion.

Yeah.

Okay.

Orion, final answer.

-That is it.

"I know of no way of judging the future but by the past."

This is a quote from what 18th-century Virginian best known for saying "Give me liberty or give me death"?

-Conferring.

-Thomas... -Answer?

In 3... -Noah, do you know this one?

-2... -Defer to Ella.

-Alright.

The answer is Patrick Henry, the famous Patrick Henry.

Really nice job, Sherwood.

You've got 180 points.

Team three from La Plata High School in La Plata, Maryland.

William, Christopher, Isaiah.

Here we go for the opening round.

First question.

Choose one word from each column and you'll name what Florida city, the oldest in the nation?

Answer?

In 3... -Uh, confirm... -Yes?

I need an answer.

-Saint -- Saint Augustine.

-Yes, Saint Augustine, very good.

Insubordinate, meticulous, revisionist.

Someone who is very fastidious can best be described by which of these words?

Answer?

-Conferring.

Revisionist?

-Is that your answer?

The answer is meticulous.

By filling in the blanks, you can identify what North Carolina island associated with the Lost Colony?

-Roanoke.

-Yeah.

O positive, A-B negative, Rh negative.

Which of these terms identifies the most common blood type in the U.S. and is found in about 38% of the population?

-O positive.

-O positive is right.

I love this quote.

"Creditors have better memories than debtors."

This cynical observation comes from what colonial statesman who invented bifocal glasses, a stove and the lightning rod?

-Benjamin Franklin.

-Yeah, it's Benjamin Franklin.

What a guy.

180 points, La Plata.

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.

-We have arrived at the "Picture Perfect" round.

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

Fauquier, you're up first.

Here's your first question.

You can still see the outlines of an ancient Roman camp in what Middle Eastern country where Tel Aviv is a major modern city?

-Israel.

-Israel.

-Final answer -- Israel.

-Yes, it is.

How many degrees are there in angle X?

-Conferring.

-I believe it's 50.

-Just X?

Yeah.

Okay.

I don't know.

-Wait.

-Answer?

-I think it's 50.

-And the answer is 40.

-Oh!

-The title of this painting refers to the coast of what North African country where Tripoli is capital?

-Libya.

-Conferring.

Libya.

-Libya is right.

Nicely done, Fauquier.

220 points.

Now to team two from Sherwood High School.

Elizabeth, Noah, Ella.

Here's your first picture for the "Picture Perfect" round.

This fragment of the Bible was written on what substance which the Egyptians used instead of parchment or paper?

-Conferring.

Papyrus?

-Mm-hmm.

-Hello?

Is that it?

Okay.

Papyrus, final answer.

-Papyrus is right.

-Sorry.

-Evaluate this expression, giving your answer as an integer.

-Conferring.

Would that be 1?

-I believe so.

-Yeah, 1 is the right answer.

The language you see here is Palpa, a dialect used in what Himalayan country where Kathmandu is the capital?

-Conferring.

-Is that going to be Tibet?

-Yeah, I think -- -I'm going to say Tibet.

-Yeah.

Okay.

Tibet, final answer.

-No, not too far away.

The answer is Nepal.

Nice job, though, Sherwood.

You've got 200 points.

Time to play the "Picture Perfect" round, La Plata.

William, Christopher, Isaiah, check out the first pic.

This rosemary plant is native to the region around what large sea separating Europe from Africa?

-Conferring.

Mediterranean?

-Mediterranean is it.

If X equals 2, what does Y equal?

-Conferring.

11?

-It is 11.

A major effort to save elephants was undertaken in the 1990s in what Indian Ocean country whose largest city is Colombo?

-Conferring.

Sri Lanka.

-The answer is Sri Lanka.

Nice job, La Plata, 240 points.

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

-Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that during the French Revolution, King Louis XVI attempted to escape from Paris but was caught when a postmaster recognized the king from his picture on French currency?

Louis' brother managed to escape and years later returned to France and became king himself.

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

-It's halftime, which means the "Packet Round."

As you know, it's 20 points for every correct answer, nothing off for an incorrect answer.

And if you get all the answers right, there's bells, whistles, 25-point bonus.

Before we jump into the "Packet Round," let's meet the team from Fauquier County High School.

Hello, Evan.

Tell us a little about yourself.

-Hi, I'm Evan.

I'm a senior this year and I'm interested in studying theology and mathematics.

-Awesome.

Well, it's really nice to have you here.

-Keira, how about you?

Tell us about yourself.

-I'm Keira.

I'm a senior, so I'm 17, and my favorite subjects are psychology and English.

-Good to have you here, Keira.

And, Raeid, tell us about yourself.

-Hello, my name is Raeid Abdelrahman Ebrahim.

And yes, I would like to major in biochemistry and after that, go into law school.

-Alright, guys.

how about we meet your coaches and the folks supporting you?

Evan, tell us who they are.

-So, I am joined by my awesome coach, Dr. Croft, and our wonderful alternate Bianca.

-Alright.

Great to see you guys.

Thanks so much for being here and cheering your team on.

Now we get to begin the "Packet Round."

Here's your first question.

There are two national parks whose names begin with the letter Y -- Yellowstone in Wyoming, and what park in California?

-Conferring.

Yosemite.

-Yeah, Yosemite sounds great.

-Yeah.

Final answer -- Yosemite.

-Yes.

Art experts have identified the bridge in the background of what da Vinci portrait whose subject is famous for her smile?

-Mona Lisa.

-Mona Lisa.

-Final answer -- Mona Lisa.

-It's Mona Lisa.

Here's your science question.

Zero degrees Celsius, zero degrees Fahrenheit, zero degrees absolute.

Lord Kelvin hypothesized that all molecular motion would cease at which of these temperatures?

-Conferring.

Zero degrees absolute.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Absolute zero.

-Zero degrees absolute.

-You've got it.

In 2008, a tourist was fined $17,000 for chipping an ear lobe off a giant stone head on what Pacific Island named for a spring holiday?

-Conferring.

Easter Island.

Final answer -- Easter Island.

-Yeah.

In addition to his plays, Shakespeare excelled in what other literary form consisting of 14-line poems?

-Sonnet.

-Sonnet.

-Sonnet.

Final answer -- sonnet.

-Yes.

Here's your math question.

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

Can you see that okay?

-Conferring.

9.

-Yes.

-Final answer -- 9.

-It's 9.

Yeah.

The construction of Mexico City's great cathedral was ordered by what Spanish king, who also sunk a lot of money into the Armada?

-Conferring.

Philip II?

-I believe so.

That sounds right.

-Sounds right.

-Final answer --- Philip II.

-You've got yourself a 25-point bonus, Fauquier High School, with a score of 385 points!

Nice.

[ Laughs ] Alright, Sherwood High School, you are up.

But before we do some questions, let's learn more about these students.

Elizabeth.

Hey.

What are you up to these days?

-Hi.

So, these days, if I'm not in school and studying or practicing for "It's Academic," I'm volunteering at a field hockey clinic right by my house to grow the sport in Olney, Maryland, so that we have bigger and better teams in the years to come.

-Beautiful.

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

And, Noah, tell us what you're into these days.

-Right now, I like playing the trumpet for my school band.

-And what kind of stuff do you like to play?

Just marching music?

Or do you like to do other things with the trumpet?

-I like playing a lot of classic rock songs.

-Oh, nice.

Alright.

Your parents are probably happy with that.

They know that music.

And finally, Ella.

Hiya, Ella.

Tell us about yourself.

-Hi.

When I'm not doing my homework, I'm usually at Starbucks working.

-Okay.

Now let's meet the folks supporting you over there at Sherwood High School.

Who do you have with you, Elizabeth?

-So, today we have Mr. King with us.

He is one half of our amazing sponsors.

Mr. Allen couldn't be with us today, but Mr. King is just as amazing all by himself.

He's a fantastic coach and, like, our biggest supporter in "It's Academic" and our local league.

-Beautiful.

Quite an endorsement there, Mr. King.

Thanks for being with us again.

Really appreciate it.

And now, of course, we can get to the questions.

Sherwood, are you ready?

Yes.

Okay.

Here's the first one.

The Spooner Act of 1902 did not concern spoons, but allowed the U.S. to scoop up the authority to build what Central American waterway?

-Conferring.

The Panama Canal.

-I agree.

-I'm going to agree.

-Panama Canal, final answer.

-Yes.

Developers of a three-ounce flying robot named it for what flying mammals whose flight patterns it imitated?

-Conferring.

-Conferring.

Could be bats, could be anything.

-Let's go with that.

I like that answer.

-Well, I'm glad you do.

It's a good answer.

Here's your science question.

Chitin, lymph, arcella.

In anthropology, the hard outer exoskeleton is formed by which of these?

-I know this.

-Conferring.

-I know this one, and I think it's chitin.

-Yeah, it's chitin.

-I think it's the first one.

-Chitin, final answer.

-It is chitin.

Very good.

Early African-American leaders established a civil rights organization known as the Niagara Movement, which in 1906 met in what West Virginia town, the site of John Brown's famous raid?

-Conferring.

Harpers Ferry?

-I agree.

-Yes.

-Okay, Harpers Ferry, final answer.

-Harpers Ferry is it.

The Kreutzer Sonata is both a musical piece by Beethoven and a literary work by what Russian author of "War and Peace"?

-Conferring.

-It was Leo Tolstoy wrote "Karenina," "Anna Karenina," but he did some other stuff.

-Do we want to go with Tolstoy?

-I need an answer.

-I would go with it.

-Tolstoy, final answer.

-Yeah.

Glad you went with it.

It is, in fact, Leo Tolstoy.

Here's your math question.

If the base angles of an isosceles triangle are each 70 degrees, how many degrees are there in the vertex angle?

-Conferring.

Noah, would that be 40 degrees?

-Yeah, 40 degrees.

-Yes.

-Okay, 40 degrees, final answer.

-Yes.

At Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Theodore Roosevelt negotiated the peace settlement of what Far Eastern war named for its two participants?

-Far Eastern?

Would that be... -Could it be -- -Need an answer, guys.

In 3... -Theodore Roosevelt?

-...2, 1.

And the answer is the Russo-Japanese War.

Nicely done, Sherwood.

You've got 320 points.

So now we've reached the "Packet Round," La Plata, But before we do the questions, let's learn a little more about you.

Will, you're the captain of this team.

Tell us about yourself.

-My name is Will Alcorn.

I go to La Plata, obviously.

I am a junior and this is my third year doing "It's Academic," and it's my first year being captain.

-Wonderful.

Isaiah, tell us what's going on with you.

-My name is Isaiah.

I'm a sophomore and I have been in "It's Academic" for two years.

-And finally, last but not least, hello, Christopher.

What should we know about you?

-My name is Christopher Burtch.

I'm a freshman this year in "It's Academic."

-So now that we've met you guys, Will, introduce us to your coach.

-We have our coach, Coach Panzarella.

We love him.

It's his first year of teaching at LPHS, and everyone loves him.

Haven't heard a single bad thing about him.

And then we have our principal, Mr. Dolan, who we all love.

And we really thank them for their support for the club and for us as students.

-That's awesome.

And we thank you guys for being here, supporting your team and supporting "It's Academic."

Speaking of which, how about we do some questions, gentlemen?

First question in the "Packet Round."

William McKinley was the first president to use in his election campaign what 1876 invention that now has cellular and landline varieties?

-Conferring.

The telephone?

-Is that it?

Yeah.

It's the telephone.

Arizona Saguaro National Park is named for and has some of the tallest examples of what prickly desert plant?

-Conferring.

Cactus.

-Exactly.

Yup.

-It's cactus.

Here's your science question.

Assimilation, mitosis, excretion.

In an animal cell, the centrosome aids in which of these?

-Conferring.

Mitosis.

-Yes.

-Mitosis is right.

The largest dirigible built before World War II was what German zeppelin that exploded in New Jersey in 1937?

-Conferring.

The Hindenburg.

-The Hindenburg.

-Yeah, it's the Hindenburg.

Though he didn't have an iPhone, what author made the right call when he published the sci-fi novel "I, Robot"?

Answer?

In 3, 2, 1.

Isaac Asimov.

Here's your math question.

Solve for X.

-Conferring.

4.

X equals 4.

-X equals 4.

His greed and ambition were extreme, said one historian, about what Spanish conquistador who conquered the Incas of Peru?

-Conferring.

Pizarro.

-The answer is Pizarro.

Very nice, team.

You've got 360 points, La Plata.

Hey, we're turning up the temperature a bit as the clock ticks down, entering the "Lightning Round."

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

They're worth 20 points up or down.

Nothing off if you pass.

Fauquier, you're up in the lightning round.

All your answers must begin with the letter W and end with the letter N, as in "win."

Ready?

In 3, 2, 1.

The 19th Amendment guaranteed voting rights to this group.

-Women.

-Yes.

This is Britain's annual tennis Grand Slam tournament.

-Wimbledon.

-Yes.

This Chief Justice wrote the 1954 -- -Warren.

-Yes.

This is the U.S.

Dairy State.

-Wisconsin.

-Yes.

This American poet wrote "Leaves of Grass."

-Whitman.

-Yeah.

This educator founded the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

-Pass.

-Washington.

This is the largest city in Delaware.

-Wilmington.

-Yeah.

He was our 28th president.

-Wilson.

-Yeah.

This British Duke defeated Napoleon at Waterloo.

-Wellington?

-Yes.

He and Francis Crick studied the double helix structure of DNA.

-Watson.

[ Buzzer ] -Yes, it's Watson.

And that is the buzzer, Fauquier.

You did a fabulous job with a very impressive score of 565 points.

Alright.

It's lightning round time, Sherwood.

All your answers must begin with the letter T and end with the letter N, as in "town."

In 3, 2, 1.

He wrote "The Lord of the Rings."

-Tolkien.

-Yes.

This is the square root of 139.

-13.

-Yes.

The capital of this country is Ashgabat.

-Turkmenistan?

-Yes.

Hawaii's Ironman is this type of athletic competition.

-Triathlon.

-Yes.

Pete Buttigieg is secretary of this cabinet department.

-Transportation.

-Yes.

This is the capital of New Jersey.

-Trenton.

-Yes.

This is the pen name of Samuel Clemens.

-Samuel Clemens?

Twain.

-Yes.

This is the only crime named in the Constitution.

-Treason.

-Yes.

This chemical element has the symbol W. [ Buzzer ] -Tin.

-Oh, yeah, the buzzer started, but the answer is tungsten.

Well done, Sherwood.

You've got 480 points.

Lightning is about to strike for the third time, La Plata High School.

All your answers must begin with the letter P, as in Paul and end in the letter N like the word "plan."

In 3, 2, 1.

These black and white birds are found in Antarctica.

-Penguin.

-Yes.

This ancient Greek temple was built on the Acropolis.

-Pantheon.

-Parthenon.

Sorry.

This 1883 act reformed the Civil Service.

-Skip.

-Skip?

Pendleton Act.

Alexander Fleming discovered this antibiotic.

-Penicillin.

-Yes.

This country's capital is Islamabad.

-Pakistan.

-Yes.

This was the subject of the 18th Amendment.

-Prohibition.

-Yes.

This Greek god of the forest had the -- [ Buzzer ] Oh, there's the buzzer.

This Greek god of the forest had the legs and horns of a goat.

The answer is Pan.

Nice job there, La Plata.

You've got 420 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.

-I am John Corso and I'm a senior at Gonzaga College High School in Washington, D.C., and I am the founder of the 365th Project.

The 365th Project seeks to effect positive change in the world through encouraging tangible action.

We coordinate the 1/365 challenge.

It challenges as many people as possible to commit 24 hours, which is 1/365th of their year, to the service of others.

We are trying to help as many people as possible make 2023 their year of service.

You can begin the challenge by going to our website 365thproject.org.

In addition, on our website, you'll find a directory of service opportunities near you, and if you don't find anything near you or you'd like some other ideas, you can find a list of service ideas there as well.

We believe that service is important for one simple reason.

Love ought to show itself in deed more than word.

-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 our team from La Plata High School in Charles County.

Will, Isaiah, and Christopher, 420 points.

And congratulations to Sherwood High School from Sandy Spring, Maryland.

Elizabeth, Noah, and Ella, 480 points.

And coming back for the playoffs, Fauquier High School from Warrenton, Virginia, Evan, Keira, and Raeid, 565 points.

Let's hear it for our incredible teams and you, our incredible viewers.

So happy you could join us today and match wits with some of these impressive students.

-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.

-And please join us next time for "It's Academic."

I'm Hillary Howard.

See you then.

Bye.

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