-From the KC Studio at WETA, students from Gaithersburg... Woodgrove... and Sidwell Friends 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, produced by Altman Productions and the great 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.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ -Hello, everybody.

Welcome to "It's Academic."

We are so glad to know that you are with us for this show starring some awesome teams.

Let's begin, guys, and we start with a Fast Start.

Questions are worth 10 points up or down.

The first team to buzz in gets to answer.

And the students don't see what you do on your screens at home.

Students, Pros and Cons.

It's always good to analyze the pros and cons before making a decision, but for this Fast Start round, we're just concentrating on answers beginning with the three letters C-O-N, as in "conquest."

Sidwell.

-Connecticut.

-Yeah.

Woodgrove.

-Continent.

-Correct.

Anybody?

It's Conakry.

No biology folks?

Contractile.

Yes, Woodgrove.

-The Constitution.

-You've got it.

Nice.

Yep, Gaithersburg.

-Concord?

-Yeah.

That's it.

It was Joseph Conrad.

You're gonna know it when I say it.

Conestoga.

And it was converter.

Yes, Woodgrove.

-Constantinople.

-Yes.

Constantinople.

Nice.

That does it for the Fast Start.

Let's recap the scores.

Gaithersburg -- 110... Woodgrove -- 130... Sidwell Friends -- 110 points.

♪♪ It is time to meet the teams.

We begin with Gaithersburg High School from Gaithersburg, Maryland, home of the Trojans.

Hello, Justin.

What should we know about you?

-Hello.

I'm Justin.

I'm a senior at Gaithersburg.

And I like to skateboard and play volleyball.

-Nice!

Hi, Jaylon.

-Hello.

I'm also a senior at Gaithersburg, and I am an artist of many mediums.

-Very nice.

And Aidan.

-I'm also an artist and a senior and from Gaithersburg.

-You guys share a lot in common.

Alright, here we go.

Questions in this round are worth 20 points, but nothing off for a wrong answer.

A cab is on time.

You'll be on time if you can find here what other name for the buffalo that once roamed the American plains in vast numbers.

-Bison.

-Bison it is.

They're so amazing.

Publicly.

Awkwardly.

Sneakily.

If you do something in a surreptitious manner, you would be doing it in which of these ways?

-Sneakily.

-Yes.

-Carbon.

Oxygen.

Aluminum.

Combine the chemical symbols of these elements and you'll name what fuel that can be bituminous or anthracite.

-Coal?

-Coal.

Yeah.

A trigonometric function.

A section of the zodiac.

These clues point to what two words in mathematics and astrology that are pronounced the same but spelled differently?

-You know anything?

Arc?

-No, sign.

And I'm a Scorpio, just so you know.

Omar Bradley.

Douglas MacArthur.

George Patton.

Which of these World War II generals was later removed from his command during the Korean War?

Answer.

-MacArthur?

-Yes.

"I came in with blank's Comet in 1835, and I expect to go out with it."

To complete this quote from Mark Twain, who was born in 1835, add what comet that reappeared in 1910, the same year he died?

-Halley's.

-Halley's Comet.

That is it.

Nice, Gaithersburg.

210 points.

Over to Woodgrove High School from beautiful Purcellville, Virginia.

Let's talk to Kent.

Hey, Kent.

-Hi.

I'm Kent.

I'm a junior at Woodgrove High School, and this is my first year on the show.

-Well, it's really wonderful to have you.

Hey, Kate, how are you?

-Hi.

I'm a senior and I really enjoy working on my car.

-That's awesome.

I like that.

Madeleine, hey.

-Hi.

I'm a junior from Woodgrove and I play softball and I run track for my high school.

-Alright, you ready for some questions?

Here we go.

An ox for dinner.

Before sitting down to dinner, see if you can find in this phrase the name of what English university founded in the 12th century?

-Oxford.

-Oxford is right.

Wordy.

Terse.

Apologetic.

If you gave a succinct answer to someone's question, your reply could best be described with which of these adjectives?

-Terse.

-Yes.

Hydrogen.

Uranium.

Lanthanum.

Combine the chemical symbols for these three elements, and you'll name what dance that's native to Hawaii?

-Hula.

-Hula it is.

Genuine.

Device on a fishing rod.

Here, you have definitions for what two words that have the same pronunciation but different spellings?

-Real.

-Yeah.

Yellowstone River.

Missouri River.

Columbia River.

Of these three rivers, which one flows into the Pacific Ocean?

-Yellowstone.

-The Yellowstone?

-Nope.

It's the Columbia River.

"A group that takes minutes and loses..." You can complete this definition of a committee by adding what units of time that have 3,600 seconds?

-Hours.

-Yeah, that's it.

Nice, Woodgrove.

230 points.

And, finally, the gentlemen from Sidwell Friends in Washington, D.C.

Hey, Alexander.

-Hi.

I'm Alexander.

I'm a sophomore at Sidwell and I run and I like to play tennis.

-Alright.

Joao.

-Hi.

I'm a junior and I'd like to play chess.

-Oh, nice, as well.

I wish I were good at it.

And, finally, we get to say hello to Justin.

-Hello.

My name is Justin Manley.

I'm a sophomore at Sidwell and I also like to play tennis.

-Alright, guys.

Let's see how you volley through these questions.

A level kitchen.

I know.

Sorry.

That was a bad kind of half-joke.

Please study this phrase and see if you can find hidden here the name of what large animal, a member of the deer family?

-Elk.

-Yeah, it's elk.

Laziness.

Greed.

Vulgarity.

No one would want to be accused of avarice, since avarice is a synonym for which of these?

-Laziness.

-No, it's greed.

Tin.

Oxygen.

Tungsten.

Combine the chemical symbols for these three elements and you'll get what type of precipitation?

-Snow.

-Yes, it is snow.

Beautiful snow.

A collar for oxen.

Part of an egg.

Can you identify them?

-Yoke.

-Yoke it is.

Costa Rica.

Mexico.

Chile.

The Marine Corps hymn refers to the Halls of Montezuma, which is a reference to which of these countries?

-Mexico.

-Yeah.

That's it.

"A blank never sees its own hump."

To complete this African proverb, fill in the blank with what desert animal that comes in Bactrian and dromedary species?

-Camel.

-Yes, that's it.

Nice, Sidwell Friends.

210 points.

That does it for Mix & Match.

Hang around.

We have "Picture Perfect" next.

In 1961, nine high-school students walked into a TV studio in Washington, D.C., 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.

So, we've been collecting pictures here on "It's Academic," and we'll use some of them in this "Picture Perfect" round.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down once again.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

Teams, in the 1860s, this building became the new U.S.

Mint in what mile-high Colorado city?

Yep, Sidwell.

-Denver.

-That's it.

This proverb is from what small African country where Kigali is capital?

Yep.

Sidwell.

-Uganda?

-Nah.

It's Rwanda.

Not too far.

These flowers form part of the landscape in what Central American country that won its independence from Colombia in 1903?

Yes, Sidwell.

-Panama.

-Yes, that's right.

This expression is equal to 10 to what power?

Yep, Woodgrove.

-6.

No, it's the 10th.

Here, Paul Cézanne painted what close friend, the French writer who came to the defense of Alfred Dreyfus with his newspaper article "J'Accuse...!"?

Anybody?

Emile Zola.

The Civil War Battle of Lookout Mountain was part of the 1863 campaign to capture what Tennessee city that was a vital railroad center?

Chattanooga.

There's a famous song "Chattanooga Choo Choo."

This is the flag of what British Overseas Territory located in the Atlantic and popular with tourists?

Yep.

Gaithersburg.

-Virgin Islands?

-No, it's Bermuda.

The Hope Diamond was supposedly cut from a larger stone that disappeared during what violent upheaval that began in 1789 and included the Reign of Terror?

Yep.

Sidwell.

-French Revolution.

It was the French Revolution.

Nice.

That does it for "Picture Perfect."

And these are the scores.

Gaithersburg -- 190 points... Woodgrove 210 -- points... Sidwell Friends -- 250 points.

So, we've already met the students.

Now it's time to meet the people who help prepare them for "It's Academic."

And we begin with Gaithersburg, home of the Trojans.

Jaylon, who's standing behind you?

-The person is standing behind me is our coach, Mr.

Richter.

He is the A.P.

biology teacher at our school.

And we want to thank him for encouraging us to get here.

This is our first time even being in the club, and he's just been very helpful.

Always had his door open in case we ever need a practice.

I'd also like to thank our alternate, Faith, and the people who came to support us during our match.

-Yeah.

That's awesome.

We're so glad to have you guys joining "It's Academic."

That's wonderful.

Over to Woodgrove, home of the Wolverines.

Kate, who's standing behind you?

-These are our coaches, Ms.

Barrett and Mr.

Spears.

And we're also here with our friends and family that came to support us and our teammate, Mayer.

-Wonderful.

Do you like your coaches?

-Yeah.

They're awesome.

-Good, good, good.

And to Sidwell Friends, home of the Quakers.

Joao, who's with you?

-This is Ms.

Jordan.

She's our amazing coach and history teacher.

And I would also like to thank Sevak, who is our alternate in the audience.

-Alright, great.

It's really good to see you.

Thanks, everybody.

Alright, now that we've met everybody, we can dive into this Packet Round.

Gaithersburg, you get to answer questions first from one of these packets.

Woodgrove, will they answer questions from packet number one, packet number two, or packet number three?

-Three.

-Three.

Alright, guys.

If you get all the questions right, there's a 25-point bonus.

Questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

A wall covered in chewing gum became a tourist attraction in what largest city in Washington state?

-Seattle.

-Seattle.

-Yes.

I've seen it.

It's kind of cool and gross at the same time.

It wasn't until 1928 that the Olympics allowed women to participate in what sport that involves using a balance beam and uneven bars?

-Gymnastics.

-Yeah.

People are not the only ones who get depressed.

So do what scale-covered creatures that are the focus of ichthyologists?

-Lizards?

-No.

Close.

Fish.

But who knew?

Here's your science question.

If you leave a dark room and go out into bright sunlight, the pupils of your eyes will do which of these?

-Dilate?

-No.

Contract.

It was the finches, not the tortoises, on the Galapagos Islands that intrigued what English scientist who arrived there on the HMS Beagle in 1835?

-Darwin.

-Yeah, you've got that one.

In 1865, after reading what he considered this man's immoral poetry, the Secretary of the Interior fired what clerk who had written "Leaves of Grass"?

Answer is?

Well, it's another high school in Montgomery County.

Walt Whitman.

Here's your math question.

Solve for "X" if "Y" equals 5.

-[ Whispering indistinctly ] Ans... -Um, 49?

-Yeah, that's it.

In 2016, Barack Obama became the first sitting president to visit what Asian country where Vientiane is capital?

Answer.

Give me somethin'.

-Vietnam?

-Not too far.

Laos.

Gaithersburg -- 270 points.

Now, Woodgrove, it's your chance to play.

Sidwell, packet one or two?

-One.

-One.

Okay.

Armadillos are particularly numerous in what Lone Star State, where Amarillo is a favorite city?

-Texas.

-Yeah.

On August 1, 1944, what young Jewish girl made the last entry in her diary before the Nazis found her and her family hiding in an Amsterdam attic?

-Anne Frank.

-Yeah.

A new state emerged during the Civil War with the 1863 creation of what Appalachian Mountain state, whose capital is Charleston?

-West Virginia.

-Correct.

Here's your science question.

Ozone.

Methane.

Carbon monoxide.

Sometimes called "marsh gas," which of these, an organic compound, is the main component of natural gas?

-Methane.

-Yep, it's methane.

Although the German prince of Anhalt-Zerbst was of minor importance himself, he was the brother of what woman, the 18th century Russian tsarina known as "The Great"?

-Catherine?

-Yes, it's Catherine the Great.

"The Crack-Up" might have been written by an auto racer, but it was actually a collection of essays by what author of "The Great Gatsby"?

-Fitzgerald.

Fitzgerald.

-Answer.

-Fitzgerald.

-Yeah.

F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Here's your math question.

What is the value of this expression?

-1/16.

-You've got it.

The sound of a whoop-gobble rather than a honk-bark, characterizes one species of monkey in what African country whose capitals are Dar es Salaam and Dodoma?

-It's a country.

Country.

-Answer.

-Nigeria?

-Nah, Tanzania.

But nicely done, Woodgrove.

350 points.

And that leaves packet number two for Sidwell.

A blacksmith's workplace also identifies what Pennsylvania Valley where George Washington's troops spent a very cold winter in 1777 and '78?

-Forge.

-Yep, you're right.

Valley Forge.

Medieval writers claimed that the demon Beelzebub existed to tempt humans to what sin linked with prejudice in the title of a Jane Austen novel?

-Pride.

-Yeah.

Since his name is shared by a type of falcon, it's fitting that what legendary wizard watched like a hawk over the young King Arthur?

-Merlin.

-Yeah, it's Merlin.

Here's your science question.

Which of these terms refers to a swelling caused by abnormal amounts of fluid in intercellular-tissue space?

-Edema?

Edema?

-Yep, it's edema.

Operation Detachment was the code name for the 1945 U.S.

attack on what Pacific island that includes Mount Suribachi?

-Iwo Jima?

-Yes, it is Iwo Jima.

Nicely done.

An oil lamp eternally illuminates the grave of what medieval Italian poet who wrote the "Divine Comedy"?

-Dante.

-Yes, again.

Here's your math question.

Solve for "X."

-15.

-15.

-15.

-15 it is.

Marco Polo used the phrase "splendid island" to describe what Indian Ocean country whose modern capital is Colombo?

-Sri Lanka.

-It is.

I've been there.

It's beautiful.

And you know what else is beautiful?

A 25-point bonus!

Nicely done, Sidwell Friends.

435 points.

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

I'm Hillary Howard, host of "It's Academic."

And I've got a question for you.

The answer is WETA+.

That's right.

WETA+ is a free and easy-to-use streaming service created specifically for D.C.-area viewers like you.

With WETA+, you can watch local shows like "It's Academic" or PBS hits like "Masterpiece," wherever and wherever you want on your TV or on the go.

WETA+ is free and available to download on all major streaming devices and smart TVs.

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

♪♪ The time has come.

We've reached the Grab Bag.

Anything can happen.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

The first team to buzz in gets to answer.

Most archaeologists have assigned an age of about 4,500 years to what mysterious crouching statue near the Great Pyramid in Egypt?

Yep, Woodgrove.

-The Sphinx.

-The Sphinx it is.

In 1568, a geographer published a map drawn with parallels and meridians at right angles and created what projection?

-Mercator.

-Yeah, Mercator is right, Sidwell.

Described by T.S.

Eliot as "the cruelest month," what spring month witnessed both the opening and closing guns of the Civil War?

Yep.

-March?

-No.

April, Woodgrove.

Close.

On your screens.

Vasily Kandinsky, who created this work, once taught art in what city whose name identifies the German republic that preceded the Hitler regime?

Yep, Sidwell.

-Weimar.

-Weimar is right.

After having his first novel banned for indecency, what American author regained literary respectability with the "Red Badge of Courage"?

Nobody knows this anymore.

Stephen Crane.

Choice.

In the electrolysis of water, does oxygen collect on the positive terminal, the negative terminal, or on the triode?

The answer is positive terminal.

Though American citizens don't worship ancient Roman gods, there is a statue of Vulcan in what most-populated Alabama city?

Yep, Woodgrove.

-Montgomery?

-No, Birmingham.

On your screens.

This was the belief of what African-American woman whose own writings include "Their Eyes Were Watching God"?

-Zora Neale Hurston.

-Very nicely done, Sidwell.

Unusual natural formations are often considered a sign of good luck, as is the four-leafed variety of what small -- Yes, Sidwell.

-Clover.

-Clover is right.

If you can walk a mile in 15 minutes, how far can you walk in three-and-one-half hours, provided you keep up the pace?

Anybody?

Yeah, Woodgrove.

-14 miles.

-Yeah, 14.

Nice.

Very good.

A major French newspaper shares what same name with the fictional character who was the Barber of Seville?

The answer is... ♪ Figaro ♪ On your screens.

This is Dr.

Selman Waksman who discovered streptomycin along with what British scientist who had discovered penicillin?

Anybody?

It is... Sir Alexander Fleming.

A volunteer firefighter named Alexander Cartwright is remembered for drawing up the rules for what sport whose Hall of fame is at Cooperstown, New York?

Yes, Sidwell.

-Baseball?

-Yeah.

It's nice up in Cooperstown, too.

During the American Revolution, what British Army major was hanged as a spy for conspiring with Benedict Arnold to turn over West -- Yes.

Woodgrove.

-John André.

-Yeah, you've got it.

In addition to the Globe Theatre, Shakespeare's acting troupe used a theater named for what -- [ Buzzer ] And that's it.

That is the end of the game.

We're going to have the scores for you in just a minute, so stay where you are.

"It's Academic" has been on the air for 65 years, and over the decades, we've showcased thousands of high-school students from all over the D.C.

area.

Today, "It's Academic" continues to celebrate education and remains a critical part of WETA's mission-focused programming.

With the recent loss of federal funding for public media, we need your help now more than ever to support "It's Academic."

Please make a donation and become a friend of "It's Academic" today and help keep "It's Academic" on the air and streaming for our students and their futures.

The scores are now official.

We begin with Gaithersburg High School from Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Justin, Jaylon, Aidan -- 270 points.

[ Applause ] From Woodgrove High School in Purcellville, Virginia, Kent, Kate, Madeleine -- 370 points.

[ Applause ] And racking up the points, Sidwell Friends, from here in D.C.

Alexander, Joao, and Justin -- 535 points.

Well done, guys.

With a 25-point bonus.

[ Applause ] That does it for us.

We are so happy that you joined us today.

I'm Hillary Howard.

See you next time.

And remember, everybody... -It's academic!

Bye-bye.

See you.

-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.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪