-Students from George C. Marshall... St.

John's College High School... and South County meet today on "It's Academic."

[Cheers and applause] ♪♪ ♪♪ 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 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.

♪♪ -We are so happy that you have joined us for another edition of "It's Academic."

We begin, as we always do, teams with the Fast Start.

In this round questions are worth 10 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer, and the contestants don't see what you do on the screens at home.

Here we go.

Knock On Wood, we live in an age where many things are made of plastic.

But let's go back to when most things were made of wood.

Please identify the following wood-related objects.

The Greeks defeated the Trojans with this supersized -- St.

John's?

-Trojan horse.

-You are right.

Yes, George C. Marshall?

-Raft?

-No, it's a coffin.

Yeah, George Marshall?

-Nutcracker.

-That's it.

Australian Aborigines through these curved, flat -- South County?

-Boomerangs.

-Boomerangs, it is.

Marshall?

-Log.

-Log it is.

Yeah, Marshall?

-Fence.

Fence, it is.

The fictional Geppetto created this wooden puppet., who -- St.

John's?

-Pinocchio.

-Pinocchio.

Yeah.

Yeah, Marshall?

-Birch?

-No.

Balsa.

Marshall?

-Burnham.

-Yeah.

-Sherwood.

-Sherwood is right, South County.

And that does it for our fast Fast Start.

Let's recap the scores.

George C. Marshall, 120 points.

St.

John's College High School, 120 points.

South County, 120 points.

Good job, guys.

[Applause] It's nice to get that applause right.

Okay, let's meet the teams.

We begin with George C. Marshall from Falls Church, home of the Statesmen.

Tell us a little bit about yourself, Charlotte.

-Hi, I'm Charlotte, I'm a senior, and I'm the president of the mock trial team.

-Wonderful.

Is it fun?

-It is fun.

-Awesome.

Hiya, Tim.

-Um, hi, I'm Tim.

I'm a senior, and I play the cello.

-How long?

-Um, eight years.

-Alright, and finally, we get to say hello to Evan.

Hey.

-Uh, hello.

I'm a senior from George C. Marshall, and I've been playing piano for ten years.

-Favorite type of music to play?

-Classical.

-Alright, of course.

Guys, here we go.

Questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

A Trio Dines Well -- You can eat up 20 points here if you find in this phrase the name of what halogen element.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Iodine.

-Iodine, it is.

Happy, Harmonious, Mournful -- If you were listening to a plaintive song, the song could best be described by which of these adjectives?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Mournful.

-Yeah.

Please fill in the blanks to identify the endocrine gland located in your neck.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Thyroid.

-Yes.

Tin Tenors Occur -- You can sing your way to 20 points if you rearrange the letters here to name what post-Civil War period when the former Confederate states were under federal control.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Reconstruction.

-Reconstruction's right.

Sinai, Gobi, Sahara -- Not all deserts are created equal.

Please list these deserts in terms of land area beginning with the largest.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] Sahara, Gobi, Sinai.

-You've got it.

"It is to food what mink is to clothing."

This astute observation was made about what favorite kind of candy ingredient that made Hershey, Pennsylvania, famous.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Is it an ingredient?

So, cocoa?

-Guys?

-Yeah.

Cocoa.

-Uh, cocoa?

We'll take it.

Yeah, absolutely.

We were going for chocolate, but that's good.

George C. Marshall nicely done.

240 points.

[ Applause ] Now to St.

John's College High School in Washington, D.C., home of the Cadets.

Hello, Caroline.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Tell us something about yourself.

-I've been playing rugby for three years.

-Wow.

You're tough.

-Yeah.

-[ Laughing ] Okay.

Great to have you.

Hiya, Nico.

-Hi, I'm Nico.

I'm a junior, and I play trap and skeet.

-Which do you like the best?

-Trap.

-Trap.

Nice.

And Willfred, hello.

-Hello.

-So tell us about yourself.

-Hi, I'm Willfred, I'm a junior, and I do Speedcubing.

-What is it?

-Speedcubing.

-Oh, like Rubik's cube?

-Yes.

-How fast?

-Seventeen seconds.

-Seventeen seconds.

That is impressive.

Alright, guys, I've got questions for you.

Here we go.

Try Polar Gondolas -- You should also try to find within this sentence the name of what Noble gas with atomic number 18.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Argon.

-Yep.

Unyielding, Unhappy, Unattractive -- A person who is adamant can best be described by which of these adjectives?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Unyielding.

-Yeah.

If you add a few more letters here, you can transform this into what South American country where Buenos Aires is capital.

-Argentina.

-Correct.

Flag Muster -- You can muster 20 points by rearranging the letters in this phrase to name what warm ocean current that flows northeast across the Atlantic.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Gulfstream.

Gulfstream, it is.

Iron Age, Bronze Age, Stone Age -- These terms designate three eras of human development and tool-making.

Please arrange them in chronological order.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Stone, Bronze, Iron.

-You've got it.

"When in doubt, sing loud."

This advice to young singers is from Robert Merrill, an opera star who specialized in roles in what male vocal range between tenor and bass.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Baritone?

Yeah.

-It's baritone.

St.

John's College High School, 240 points.

[ Applause ] And now to South County High School from Lorton, Virginia, in Fairfax County.

Hiya, Maddie.

-Hi.

-So, what should we know about you?

-Um, I'm a technology student association officer at my school and in my region.

-And what does that mean?

-So pretty much we do a bunch of different, like, clubs and activities based in STEM.

-Cool.

Hiya, Will.

-Hi.

Um, I'm Will.

I'm a 17-year-old senior at South County, and I fence.

-Oh, is it fun?

Yeah.

I've always wanted to try just to even say "en garde."

-You should.

-I might.

Miles.

Hello.

-Hi.

I'm Myles Bracey-Hairston.

I'm a senior at South County, and I am the president of the Alexandria Fairfax Kappa League.

-Really?

And what does that league do?

-Uh, the Alexandria, or as the president, I'm in charge of running meetings for our leadership organization.

-Alright, cool.

Guys, here we go.

To Oz One Goes -- Study this phrase, and you'll find what allotrope of oxygen that forms an important layer in our atmosphere.

-Ozone.

-That's it.

Lively, Poor, Exhausted -- Which of these adjectives would best describe someone who is vivacious.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Lively.

-Lively.

Yeah.

Your score will climb by 20 points if you fill in the blanks to name what highest mountain in Africa?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Kilimanjaro.

-Yep.

Ray's Pup -- Rearrange these letters and you'll name what sort of material made from reeds that the ancient Egyptians used instead of paper or parchment.

-Papyrus?

-Yes.

Malcolm X, shot.

Joan of Arc, burned.

John Brown, hanged.

These deadly events took place in different centuries.

Please arrange them in chronological order.

-Joan of Arc, burned, John Brown, hanged, and Malcolm X, shot.

-You've got it.

"An elaborate waste of human intelligence."

This was one writer's description of what board game whose champions include Garry Kasparov and Bobby Fischer?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Chess.

-Yeah.

Not a waste of time.

It just makes you smarter, right?

South County, 240 points.

Nice.

[ Cheers and applause ] [ Applause ] Mix & Match in the books.

Picture Perfect next.

See you in a minute.

♪♪ ♪♪ In 1961, nine high school students walked 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."

[ Applause ] ♪♪ Alright.

We are going to begin the Picture Perfect round.

I've got some pictures and some questions.

They're worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

Here we go.

The Navy was forced to recall over 30 submarines to repair damage caused by these little fellows, who were less than two feet long and are what same kind of fish as Mako and hammerhead?

South County.

-Shark.

-Shark's right.

"Human beings want to be good, but not too good, and not all of the time."

This remark was made by what author whose observations on human nature are revealed in -- -St.

John's?

-Darwin?

-No George Orwell.

Revealed in books like "1984."

This jewelry pictures what ancient Egyptian queen who had a tragic alliance with Mark Antony -- Marshall?

-Cleopatra.

-Correct.

Taking positive roots.

What is two thirds the square root of -- Marshall?

-20.

-Yeah.

This work is by John Kensett, a 19th century artist associated with a school of landscape painters -- Marshall?

-Hudson River School.

-You are right.

And I grew up near there, so I love them.

Cerebrum, Pons, Medulla -- Choice.

Voluntary responses to external stimuli are generally controlled by which of these?

Yes, South County?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Cerebrum.

-Yep.

This flag with its double -- St.

John's.

-Albania.

-Ooh, you're good.

Painted in 1846, This is a view of what Missouri city known as the gateway to -- St.

John's?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Saint Louis.

-Saint Louis is right.

That does it for Picture Perfect.

Let's recap these scores.

George C. Marshall, 300 points, St.

John's College High School, 260 points, and South County, 280 points.

[ Applause ] So these students are good.

We're going to meet their coaches in just a moment.

But first, I have a question for you.

Ready?

Handed a new pen, 97% of people will write what?

We'll have the answer in just a minute.

But now we can meet the coaches, and we begin with George C. Marshall from Falls Church.

Tim, tell us about the couple behind you.

-Um, today we have our club sponsor, Miss Campbell, and our principal, Mr.

Litz.

-It's really nice to have you guys.

Thanks for being here.

Over to St.

John's College high school.

Nico, tell us about the people behind you.

-So today we have our club sponsor, Mr.

Zacher, and our alternate, Nico.

-Great to see you guys.

And finally, South County, Will, the trio behind you?

-So today we have our wonderful coach, Mr.

Greiling, and our two alternates, Tavian and Jonathan.

-Awesome.

Nice to have all of you.

[ Applause ] And now I can deliver the answer to that question.

What most people would write when handed a pen?

The answer is their own name.

Is that what you would write?

Okay, guys, it's time to begin the Packet round.

And you all know how this works.

George C. Marshall, you'll answer questions first.

St.

John's, you get to choose which packet they answer questions from.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -3.

-3.

Here's your first question.

The old television series, "The Young Riders" was a romanticized account of what horseback relay mail system, which began in Saint Joseph, Missouri, in 1860?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Derby?

-No, just the Pony Express.

Even the largest zoos don't have what Mythical horse-like animal with one horn in the middle of its forehead?

-Unicorn?

-Yeah.

When the 5,000-year-old frozen remains of Otzi the Iceman were discovered, he was carrying a knife made of what metallic element whose chemical symbol is Cu?

-Copper.

-Copper, it is.

Here's your science question.

Electrons, Protons, Neutrons -- The photoelectric effect may be easily demonstrated by bombarding cesium with light rays, which will cause it to give off which of these?

-Electrons?

-It is electrons.

Nice.

It's thought that the oldest public building in the United States is the Palace of Governors, built in 1610 in what New Mexico capital city?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Albuquerque.

-Nah, it's Santa Fe.

What Russian author originally gave a happy ending to his novel "War and Peace," but then rewrote it to end on a much more somber note.

-Tolstoy.

-Yeah.

Here's your math question.

Taking positive roots, evaluate this expression for x = 4 giving your answer as an integer.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -22.

-22 is right.

What man had a varied career as a mining engineer and a cabinet secretary before becoming our 31st president.

Answer?

-Harding.

-That was an H. Herbert Hoover.

[Chuckles] So I'd love to give you credit for that.

You were partway there.

George C. Marshall, 400 points.

[ Applause ] You're up St.

John's, South County, 1 or 2?

-They will be getting packet number 1.

-Packet number 1.

The word macaroni not only refers to pasta, it also identifies a species of what flightless birds native to Antarctica?

-Penguin.

-Yeah.

In 1848, the US naval officer named William Lynch became the first person to measure the depth of what Middle Eastern salty sea?

-The Dead Sea.

-Yeah.

Abdul Hamid was one of the last rulers of what Turkish Empire, founded in the 13th century and destroyed by rising Arab nationalism and World War I?

-The Ottoman Empire.

-You've got it.

Here's your science question.

In physics, a black body radiates energy in proportion to which of these?

-Its pressure?

-Nope.

Temperature to the fourth power.

At one point, city leaders with an itch to try something different brought in goats to eat the poison ivy in what Vermont capital city?

-Montpelier.

-Montpelier is correct.

The interaction between humans and robots forms the theme of "I, Robot," a collection of stories by what author?

-Hmm.

-Answer is Isaac Asimov.

Here's your math question.

How long is line AC If line DE is 15 feet and joins the midpoints of AB and BC?

-30.

-Yeah.

A parrot that could squawk "Yankee Doodle" was a favorite pet of what 25th president?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -McKinley.

-McKinley.

Well done St.

John's College High School.

380 points.

[ Applause ] And now... packet number 2 for South County.

When W.E.B.

Du Bois became the subject of a federal investigation, what physicist famous for his theory of relativity volunteered to act as a character witness?

-Einstein?

-Yeah.

The only English king who was succeeded by three of his children was what much married Tudor king?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Henry.

-Yes.

That's it.

King Henry the VIII.

There were only six flights in America's first manned space project named for what Roman messenger god.

-Apollo.

-Mercury.

Science question.

Fistula, Ectoderm, Gastropod -- The skin and nervous system form from which of these embryological layers?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Ectoderm.

-Yeah.

The city of San Diego gets half its water, billions of gallons a year, from what river that in earlier times carved the Grand Canyon?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -The Rio de Janeiro?

-No, the Colorado River.

I've rafted it twice.

I've said that a million times, but I always liked it.

It was such a great trip.

Both of them.

A nameless man had a hard time in "To Build a Fire."

A short story by what author who heated up the literary world with "Call of the Wild"?

[ Whispering indistinctly ] It is... Jack London.

Here's your math question.

Solve for X.

-Four.

-Yep.

It's four.

Before becoming president, what 21st chief executive won a court case leading to the desegregation of public transportation in New York City?

Answer?

-Roosevelt.

-Nah.

Chester A. Arthur.

South County, 360 points.

[ Applause ] That does it for the Packet round.

The Grab Bag round is next.

Stick around.

[ Applause ] Did you know that because he feared the number 13 author Sholem Aleichem always labeled page 13 in his manuscripts as page 12A?

Very creative, just like his work.

So now you know.

♪♪ [ Applause ] Welcome to the Grab Bag round.

I always say this, but truly, anything can happen.

Teams questions are worth 20 points up or down.

Once again, the first team to buzz in gets to answer.

And we're off.

On the Islamic calendar Ramadan is what number month corresponding to September on the Gregorian calendar?

Yep.

South County?

-Nine.

-Yep.

That's it.

It's believed that as early as 2000 BC, mathematicians understood what constant now represented by the 16th -- St.

John's?

-Zero.

-No, pi is what we were looking for.

The University of Utah provides courses in what Native American language that was used to frustrate enemy codebreakers?

-Marshall?

-Navajo.

-Correct.

On your screens.

This galaxy is part of the constellation cluster named for what Mythical Greek hero who killed Medusa?

Yeah, Marshall?

-Perseus.

-Correct.

In 1807, Congress's standing plunged after its passage of what unpopular "E" initialed act halting foreign trade?

It was?

Yes, South County?

-Embargo.

-Correct.

Nice.

Choice -- Which form of radiation, radio waves, infrared light, or X-rays, has the shortest wave -- Yes, Marshall?

-Um.

X-ray?

-Yeah.

It was clear sailing when Connecticut selected as its official state ship what first nuclear submarine?

Anybody?

Yes, St.

John's?

-Constitution?

-No, it was the Nautilus.

On your screens.

"I think 'Hail to the Chief' has a nice ring to it."

When asked his favorite song, this was the response of what man who became our 35th president?

Yup, South County?

-JFK.

-That's it.

Even when there isn't a solar eclipse, darkness comes at what time in the title of an Arthur Kessler novel?

The answer is noon.

A circle is a graph of an equation of what degree?

Yes.

South County?

-360.

-No, two.

-Two?

Oh.

Insomnia is never a problem for what slow moving, "S" initialed animal which will spend -- South County?

-Sloth.

-Sloth is right.

On your screens.

The Rock of Gibraltar is where Europe is closest to what North African -- South County?

-Morocco?

-Yeah.

In 1915, a woman named Lucy Derwent won $25 for designing the state flag of what state where Abraham Lincoln practiced -- St.

John's?

Answer?

-Illinois.

-Illinois.

Yes.

Life had its ups and downs for what mythical king of Corinth condemned to push a rock up a hill forever -- South County.

Answer?

-Sisyphus.

-Yeah.

What number is halfway between 44 and 90?

Anyone.

The answer is 67.

On your screens.

Here, the Union ship Kearsarge is battling what Confederate ship named for a southern state and the subject -- St.

John's.

[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Virginia.

-No.

Alabama.

Gabriel Garcia Márquez drew on elements of his parents' courtship in what novel whose -- Yes, Marshall.

-"Love in the Time of Cholera."

-Yes.

You've got it.

[ Buzzer ] And that does it.

We have completed this game.

Stick around.

We're going to have those scores in just one moment.

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 DC 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... ♪♪ And the scores are now official.

We begin with St.

John's College High School.

Caroline, Nico, Willfred, 340 points.

[ Applause ] And from Lorton, Virginia, South County High School, home of the Stallions, Maddie, Will, Myles, 460 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Nice job in that Grab Bag.

And winning this game, We have George C. Marshall, home of the Statesmen in Falls Church, Charlotte, Tim, Evan, 480 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] That does it for "It's Academic."

We are so happy all of you were here and I gave it away.

But remember, everybody... All: "It's Academic"!

Bye.

See you next time.

[ 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.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪