-Students from Fauquier, Walter Johnson, Independence, meet today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ ♪♪ And now, the host of "It's Academic," Hilary Howard.

-Hello, everybody.

I'm Hilary Howard.

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.

♪♪ -All right, let's get this going with a Fast Start.

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

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

And contestants in the studio do not see what you see on the screens at home.

Let's do this, guys.

Okay.

I hope you're not squeamish, because these questions are all about blood.

See if you can identify the following people and things all connected in some way to blood.

Here we go.

This blood sucking vampire was created by author Bram Stoker.

Independence -Dracula.

-Yeah.

Leukocytes are this colored blood cells that fight infection.

Fauquier -White.

-Correct.

This 17th century British doctor discovered blood circulation.

Johnson.

-Harvey.

Yeah.

Very good.

This Shakespeare lady kept trying to wash blood off her -- Fauquier -Macbeth.

-Yeah.

Most of your blood consists of this straw-colored liquid.

Yes, Walter Johnson.

-Plasma.

-Correct.

This African American doctor pioneered in setting up blood banks in the 1940s.

Fauquier.

-Charles Drew.

-Correct again.

In the US, Bloody Sunday was the civil rights march from Selma to this Alabama capital city.

Fauquier.

-Montgomery.

Correct.

This half-blood royal person is in the title of a Harry Potter book.

Fauquier.

-Prince.

-You're right.

"The Half-Blood Prince."

And that's it.

Nice round.

Let's hear it for our teams.

[ Applause ] Now it's time for Mix and Match.

But before we do that, we get to meet our teams.

And we begin with Team one, from Fauquier High School, in beautiful Warrenton, Virginia.

Hey, Raeid.

What do we need to know about you?

-I am a senior at Fauquier High School, and I also attend Mountain Vista Governor's School.

I would like to thank my family and my coach, Dr. Croft, for always being really supportive.

-Well, it's great to have you here today.

And it's also good to have you.

Evan.

Tell us about yourself.

-Hi.

I'm Evan.

I am an 18-year-old senior.

I also go to Mountain Vista Governor's School.

And I would like to thank our wonderful coach, Dr. Croft, and Hillary Howard for hosting us.

-Thank you so very much.

And finally.

Hi, Keira.

-Hi.

I'm Keira.

I'm a 17-year-old senior at Fauquier High School.

I would also like to thank our coach, Dr. Croft, my parents, and, of course, the studio for hosting us.

-Okay.

Here are the questions we've got for you.

They are worth 20 points.

No penalties for a wrong answer, so be bold.

Take a chance.

♪♪ And here's your first question "Defer military parade."

Parades are nice, but hidden in this sentence is the last name of what Italian physicist who played an important role in the development of the atomic bomb?

Answer.

-[Indistinct] -Fermi.

Enrico Fermi.

"Cape, spear, fish."

Neptune, the Roman God of the sea is often pictured carrying a trident.

That is which of these?

-Spear -Yes.

"Blank forest," "Blank hills."

What?

Same color will precede each of these words to name a forest in Germany and a range of hills in South Dakota.

Yeah.

And the Black Hills of South Dakota are beautiful, if you haven't been there.

"Islets of Langerhans."

"Lymph nodes."

"Endocrine system."

Which of these phrases identifies a group of pancreatic cells that release insulin into the blood?

-Endocrine system.

-No.

"Islets of Langerhans."

"The body is like a... You must keep it tuned."

to complete this statement from Henry Ward Beecher at what large musical instrument for which Beethoven wrote five concertos.

-Cello.

-The answer is "piano."

Fauquier High School, 190 points.

[ Applause ] All right, Walter Johnson, you are up.

But first, we get to talk to you a little bit.

Hello, Luke.

It's good to see you again.

Hello.

-how have you been?

-I'm good.

How are you?

I'm very well, thank you.

What should we know about you?

-My name is Lucas.

I'm a 16-year-old junior at Walter Johnson.

And I want to thank my teammates for inviting me to be here.

-Well, we're very glad that you are here.

Thank you, teammates.

Naomi, good to see you.

-Hi.

I'm Naomi.

I'm an 18-year-old senior, and I'd like to thank our coaches, Ms. Chen and Mr. Gluska, and Principal Baker, for being here.

-All right.

And Grace.

-Hello.

I'm Grace.

I'm a 17-year-old junior.

And I'd like to thank everyone on our team at home who is not here for supporting us.

-All right.

Very cool.

Here we go.

Questions.

"Rain or thunder."

The sun will come out If you can find here the last name of what English Lord, The prime minister whose policies led to the loss of 13 colonies.

Answer is... Lord Frederick North.

"TV studio," "gothic cathedral, "spaceship."

You would most likely find a gargoyle on which of these structures?

-Gothic.

-Correct.

-Yeah, gothic cathedral.

Yes.

Fill in the blanks with letters other than M, and you'll name what 16th-century Aztec emperor who was captured by Cortés?

-Moctezuma.

-Yeah.

Moctezuma.

-Yes.

-"Bermuda," "Barbados," "Trinidad."

On a Caribbean cruise, you could not visit which of these islands?

because it lies southeast of Cape Hatteras in the Atlantic Ocean.

-Trinidad.

-Trinidad.

-No, Bermuda.

"In a closed mouth, blank does not enter."

You can complete this proverbial warning from Mexico by adding what annoying insects that can be house, horse, or fruit.

-Fly.

-Fly.

-Fly is right.

Walter Johnson, 180 points.

[ Applause ] And now, Independence High School from Brambleton, Virginia in the beautiful Loudoun County.

Ava, tell us something about yourself.

-My name is Ava.

I'm a sophomore at Independence.

And I also like philosophy.

-Very nice.

So you guys need to talk.

Lucas, Ava.

How about you, Kaiden?

-Hi.

My name is Kaiden.

I'm a senior at Independence.

And I'd like to thank Dr. Miller, our coach, Gabby, our alternate, Miss Pick, our vice principal, and all of our parents, who came today.

-Beautiful.

Jack.

-Hi.

I'm Jack.

I'm 17 years old.

And I'm a senior at Independence High School.

And I've been playing games since I was 3 years old.

What kind of games?

-All kinds, really.

I play pretty much every kind of games, minus horror.

I don't do horror well.

-Yeah.

Here we go.

First question.

"Panels on wall."

The answer to this question isn't on a wall, it's within this phrase, where you'll find the hidden name of what English admiral who won the Battle of Trafalgar?

-Nelson.

-Yes.

-"Pen name," "editor," "manuscript."

An author referring to his pseudonym is referring to which of these?

[ Buzzer sounds ] Not a buzz-in, just their individual round.

But good effort, there.

-Pen name.

-Pen name is it.

Add the right letters to "hi", and you'll name what site at Mount Parnassus where there was once a famous oracle?

-Delphi?

-Yeah.

-Delphi?

-Yes.

-Paris, Ghent, Versailles.

September 3, 1983, marked the 200th anniversary of the signing of which of these treaties that ended the American Revolution?

-Versailles.

Versailles.

-Versailles?

-No.

Treaty of Paris.

"If thine enemy wrong thee, buy each of his children a..." You can complete this African proverb by adding what musical instrument that can be bongo or snare?

-Drum.

-Drum.

-Drum it is!

Independence High School.

190 points.

Nice!

And that's it for our Mix and Match round.

We'll have the Picture Perfect round in just a moment.

-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 ] -It's time to decipher some images because this is the Picture Perfect round.

But first, let's recap those scores.

Fauquier High School.

190 points.

Walter Johnson.

180 points.

Independence High School 190 points.

Yay!

[ Applause ] In this round, the first team to buzz in gets to answer.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down, so proceed carefully.

Here's our first question.

Working as a cook to finance her trip south... -[ Beep] -Yes, Fauquier.

-Harriet Tubman.

-Yeah.

Nicely done!

Posing here for their portrait in 1855 are what two German brothers who -- Yes, Independence?

-Grimm.

-Correct.

This 16th-century picture depicts a small boat passing what Pacific Island now a self-governing U.S. territory with a non-voting representative?

And Johnson?

-Puerto Rico?

-No.

Guam.

Because it was a Pacific island.

What is the value of this expression?

-Independence.

-0.009?

-0.003.

-Don't worry about it.

-To complete this family tree from "The Lord of the Rings," you must name what man from Gondor -- -[ Beep ] -Fauquier.

-Boromir.

-Yeah.

Nice.

This is a hunk of what B-initialed mineral that is the main ore of aluminum?

Independence.

-Bauxite.

-Yeah, you've got it.

This Japanese print depicts a bridge in Kyoto, a city located on what Japanese island, the largest and -- [ Beep ] Fauquier.

-Honshu.

-Honshu is right.

And that is the end of the round.

Good job, everybody!

[ Applause ] And now it is halftime, which is a great time to meet all of the coaches.

We're going to start with team one from Fauquier High School.

So, Fauquier, tell us who's with you.

Evan?

-Behind me is our wonderful coach, Dr. Croft.

She's been a main coach for four years.

-Wonderful.

Coach, you have a good team.

Nice to have you here.

-Wonderful.

-Walter Johnson.

Naomi, tell us who's with you.

-This is our wonderful Principal Baker.

-It is really nice to have you with us today.

Thank you so much for coming.

And from Independence High School, Kaiden, who's behind you?

-So, this is our coach, Dr. Miller.

-Uh-huh.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

That's it.

-Dr. Miller, what's your doctorates in?

-Curriculum and instruction.

-Oh, cool.

So you're a good teacher.

-I hope.

-[ Laughs ] You hope.

Is he good, guys?

-He's a very good teacher.

-Alright.

I don't mean to twist any arms here, but, you know, that's the right answer.

Thank you so much for being here supporting your team.

♪♪ In this Packet round, team one will answer questions first.

Walter Johnson, team two, you get to tell me which packet they answer questions from.

-Let's go with three.

-You got it.

Three.

Here we go.

Fauquier, evidence of twitching legs and rapid eye movement during sleep have convinced some researchers that what kind of eight-legged arachnids actually dream?

-Spiders.

-Spiders.

Isn't that cool?

What metallic alloy names the section of an orchestra that contains the trumpets and tubas?

-Brass.

-Brass it is.

The 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments to the Constitution are jointly referred to by what name that describes the 12-year period in the South after the Civil War?

-Reconstruction.

-Yeah.

Nicely done.

Here's your science question.

Calyx, meiosis, conjugation.

Which of these terms refers to the process of division in reproductive cells whereby the chromosome number is made haploid while retaining genetic continuity?

-Meiosis.

-Yeah.

I love how it's always in stereo.

What royal dynasty included the three Russian czars who were named Alexander?

-Romanov.

-Yeah, there you go again.

I like it.

Very musical.

The title character Jean Valjean certainly leads a miserable life in "Les Misérables" by what French author?

-Victor Hugo.

Uh-huh.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression giving your answer as an integer.

-625.

-Yeah, that's nice.

A collector paid more than $75,000 for a medal commemorating the unsuccessful polar expedition by what British explorer who died while returning from the South Pole in 1912?

-Roald Amundsen?

-No, but I know why you said that.

It was Robert Falcon Scott.

You know, Fauquier, awesome job.

390 points.

[ Applause ] Walter Johnson, your turn to play.

Independence, packet one or two?

-One.

-One.

Alright.

And here we go.

Ancient Greeks believed that those who drank from the River Lethe would lose what mental capacity affected by amnesia?

-Memory.

-Yeah.

Memory.

Because Mount Everest gets all the headlines, there was little news coverage in 1954 when Italian climbers made it to the top of what second-highest mountain?

-Is it Kilimanjaro?

-It's K2.

-K2.

-K2 is it.

Nice, Lucas.

I heard that.

Some of the same math principles used in modern computers have been used for centuries in what hand-operated Asian calculators made of beads and wires?

-Abacus.

-Yes, it is.

Here's your science question.

Mesophytes, hydrophytes, xerophytes.

Which of these terms refers to plants such as cattails, bulrushes, and cranberries which grow entirely or partly submerged in water?

-Hydrophytes.

-Hydrophytes.

-Yep.

Despite its dramatic title, The "Domesday Book" is merely a census record dating from the time of what King of England who won the Battle of Hastings?

-William the Conqueror.

-Very nice.

In a short story by De Maupassant, a poor couple goes deeply into debt to replace what lost piece of jewelry?

-Necklace.

-Yeah.

Nice.

The Mississippi River was the burial place of what Spanish explorer who discovered it in 1541?

-Fountain of Youth?

Or -- No, no.

Cortés.

-No, it's de Soto.

And I believe I missed your math question.

Is that correct?

Let's do it.

Perform the indicated operation.

-Is it 45?

-I think it is 45.

-45.

-It is 45.

Nice job.

Walter Johnson.

300 points.

[ Applause ] And now packet number two for Independence.

Here we go.

Cupid was said to carry arrows tipped by what precious gemstone, the hardest on both the Vickers and Mohs scales?

-Diamond.

-Correct.

To scare away aggressive seagulls, a New Jersey beach town once brought in four hawks, two falcons, and what wise bird?

-Owl.

-Owl is right.

What poisonous North American snake has the same name as a kind of Native American footwear made of soft leather?

Answer?

-Um, coppermouth.

-Moccasin.

Here's your science question.

Rutherford, Roentgen, Michelson.

Which of these men established the speed of light as a fundamental constant?

-Roentgen?

-Michelson.

A herring's principal food is what smaller fish which has one eye and is named for what mythical one-eyed giant such as Polyphemus?

-Cyclops.

-You've got it.

In 2013, a North Carolina school board finally reversed its policy and returned to school libraries copies of what classic Ralph Ellison novel?

-"Invisible Man."

-Yeah.

Here's your math question.

What is the average of these three expressions?

-x plus 6.

-Yes.

-Though forced to ditch his work on the Panama Canal, what French engineer had earlier completed the successful canal at Suez in 1869?

-Eiffel?

-No.

Lesseps.

Independence High School.

Nice job.

330 points.

[ Applause ] That is it for the Packet round.

The Grab Bag is up next.

Stay where you are.

♪♪ -Hello.

I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that the chicken is one of the closest descendants of tyrannosaurus rex?

The T-rex measured 40 feet long and weighed about 8 tons.

Ostriches are also descendants.

Thankfully, somewhere in the past 65 million years, those sharp teeth and powerful claws went the way of the dodo bird.

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

-Get ready for the Grab Bag round, but first, let's recap these scores.

Fauquier High School.

390 points.

Walter Johnson.

300 points.

Independence High School.

310 points.

[ Applause ] But you know what?

These teams have an opportunity to rack up many more points because this is the Grab Bag round where absolutely anything can happen.

Here we go.

If you travel to the island of Puka-Puka, you'd be near Bora Bora in what ocean?

Fauquier.

-Pacific.

-Yeah.

Few people remember that "Curtis and the Wonderful Lamp" is an operetta by what march king who also composed "Stars and Stripes Forever"?

Independence.

-Sousa.

-Yeah.

John Philip Sousa.

Although it's not certain that he had children, the ancient Greek Hippocrates is often described as the father of what branch of -- Independence.

-Medicine.

-No.

Well, yes, medicine, absolutely.

On your screens, for 30 points.

This wild goat is a crossword puzzle maker's dream as it has what four-letter name ending with -- Johnson.

-Ibex.

-Yeah, you've got it.

The state of Michigan borders all of the Great Lakes except what Eastern -- Fauquier.

-Lake Ontario.

-You've got it right.

One number is 5 times another, and their sum is 78.

Identify either number.

Answer?

Fauquier.. -20.

-No.

It was 13 or 65.

Good guess.

There was nothing fishy about Andrew Johnson's impeachment trial, even though Salmon was the first name of what presiding Chief Justice?

The answer is Chase.

Salmon Chase.

On your screens, for 30 points.

"Finding the right path in life, more often than not, involves some missteps."

This is a quote from what woman who tries to avoid missteps as current Secretary of the Treasury?

-Johnson.

-Yellen.

-Yep.

That's it.

What name meaning "bird woman" identified the Native American woman who helped guide the Lewis and Clark expedition?

Johnson.

-Pocahontas.

-No.

Sacagawea.

The nucleus of helium-5 contains how many neutrons -- five, three, or -- Johnson?

-Five.

-Three.

Sorry.

A play about a trio of nuns might have had what same title as Chekhov's drama about Olga, Masha, and Irina?

-Fauquier.

-"Three Sisters."

-Yeah.

And 30 points.

Joan of Arc rode into history as a French heroine and saint after being burned at the stake in what French town?

Independence.

-Mont Pierre?

-Rouen was the answer.

And that's the end of the round.

The judges are checking the scores.

We'll be back in a minute with the final result, but first, here's someone you should know about.

-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.

I'm Kevin Cronk.

I go to Wakefield High School.

And with the Boy Scouts, I do something called Scouting for Food, where we work with a local food bank to collect food for the hungry.

And what we do is we go out to various neighborhoods and put stickers on the door with plastic bags.

The stickers explain what we're doing.

And then we come back a week later, and, like, they've put food in the bags and we pick up the food and bring it over to the food bank, and that typically brings in hundreds of pounds of food each year.

So it makes a really big impact on people who need it.

-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.

First, congratulations to Walter Johnson High School from Bethesda, Maryland.

Lucas, Naomi, and Grace.

320 points!

[ Applause ] From Independence High School in Brambleton, Virginia, Ava, Kaiden, Jack.

380 points.

[ Applause ] And, boom, coming back for the semifinal, Fauquier High School from Warrenton, Virginia.

Raeid, Evan, and Keira.

440 points.

Way to bring it, guys.

See you next time.

Bye-bye, guys.

-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.