-Students from Georgetown Day, La Plata, Watkins Mill meet today on "It's Academic".

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Hello, everyone.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Welcome to "It's Academic", the world's longest running TV quiz show, 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.

-What happens when the right people connect?

Diversity challenges convention, mentors inspire greatness, and passions drive innovation.

From health to transportation and national security, cyber and AI to space and back, MITRE connects the power of government, academia, and industry to meet our nation's challenges.

Together, MITRE connects.

-Well, hello, everybody.

It's time for the Fast Start round.

In this round, as you know, questions are 10 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

The contestants don't see what you do on the screens at home.

Let's begin, teams.

All your answers here are words or names that contain a double C. That's two C's together.

Yes, Georgetown Day.

-Buccaneers.

Yeah.

La Plata.

-Malacca?

-Correct.

In physics, this is the rate of change of -- Acceleration.

-Yes.

Very nice, Watkins Mill.

Yep, Georgetown.

-Soccer.

Soccer, it is.

This North African country has its capital -- -Morocco.

-Morocco is right.

This North American mammal is distinguished by its bushy ringed tail and Black mask -- La Plata.

-Raccoon.

-Raccoon, it is.

-Piccolo.

-Yes, Watkins Mill.

-Coccyx.

-Coccyx is right.

Yep, Watkins Mill.

-Puccini.

-Puccini, it is.

Georgetown.

-Tobacco.

-Tobacco's right.

And that is the very fast beginning with our Fast Start.

[ Applause ] Let's recap those scores.

Georgetown Day -- 140.

La Plata -- 130.

Watkins Mill -- 130 points.

[ Applause ] These teams are fast.

Let's meet them.

We begin with Georgetown Day from DC.

Isaac, what should we know about you?

-Hi, I'm Isaac.

I'm a high school junior.

I play tennis, and in my free time, I also play music and enjoy watching football and baseball.

-What kind of music do you like?

-I play classical music, but I also play jazz.

-Nice.

Yeah, I love jazz.

Really, I do.

And what football team is your favorite?

-The Miami Dolphins.

-Not the Commanders?

-No.

-[ Laughs ] Okay.

Sorry, Commanders.

Ben, tell us about yourself.

-Hi, I'm Ben.

I'm a junior in high school, captain of the team.

I do policy debate, play piano in the jazz band, and play for the school's baseball team.

-Oh, that's fabulous.

And what inspired you to play jazz?

-I mean, I've played piano for a while, took lessons, and I mean, it's a really great program here.

I started doing it freshman year, liked it ever since.

-Beautiful.

And Haughton, tell us about yourself.

-I'm Haughton.

I'm a freshman at Georgetown Day School, and outside of "It's Ac", I really enjoy History Bowl and Quizbowl.

-What's your favorite period of history?

-I really like ancient history, specifically.

-Why is that?

-I just find it really fascinating, plus, like, the battles are so different than in modern times, and it's just really fun.

-Very cool.

Alright.

Well, I'm sure we have lots of history questions for you today.

Here is the first question of the day.

Hidden inside this question is the scientifically correct name for what part of the body more casually referred to as the belly?

-Abdomen.

-Yeah.

If you saw a movie that was overtly sentimental, you could best describe the film with which of these adjectives.

-Maudlin.

Maudlin, yeah.

Maudlin.

-That's right.

Only about 100 people still speak this language, which originated in what vast, cold region of Russia?

-Siberia.

Siberia.

-Yes.

I love the stereo.

Was there a word for three stereo?

Tri-stereo?

[ Laughs ] Which of these is the only one spelled out in an amendment to the Constitution?

-Voting age.

Voting age.

-Correct.

Office holders should remember these wise words from what ancient Greek slave who taught moral lessons through a series of fables?

-Aesop.

-Aesop.

-That is right.

Nicely done, Georgetown Day.

240 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And now to the team from La Plata High School in Charles County, Maryland.

Isaiah, what should we know about you?

-My name is Isaiah Leonard.

I'm in 11th grade, and I'm involved in all the music programs in La Plata.

-All of them?

So how many are there?

-I mean, we add one every year.

So, like, five now, I think.

-That's really cool.

And is there a reason you love music?

Why does it speak to you?

-Music definitely is something important in my life.

I think music is something that you feel in the soul, and, like, you really enjoy it.

So... -Yeah.

Well, great.

Nice to have you, Isaiah.

Hello, Will.

-Hello.

My name's Will, as you just said.

I do unified track and tennis, and I like to watch college football.

Favorite team?

-O.H.

-[ Laughs ] Okay.

Good to have you, Will.

And hello, Anne.

-Hello.

My name is Anne.

I'm a junior at La Plata High School.

I am in the school's band.

I'm also on the math team.

-And math -- what is it about math that really excites you?

-I don't know.

It's like a puzzle to solve.

-Yeah.

I always used to tell my kid it's the perfect language, right?

It explains everything where words fail.

Okay, here we go.

Hidden in this phrase is the name of what long bone of the upper arm?

-Humerus.

Humerus?

-Humerus.

Yeah.

A person who is very well educated could best be described by which of these adjectives?

-Erudite?

-Yep.

This is the polite way to say thank you in the language of what N initial Native American group, the largest in the United States?

-Navajo?

-Cherokee.

-Wait.

Oh, yeah.

Cherokee.

-Answer...is Navajo.

Sorry.

Which of these three islands covers more than 300,000 square miles and is the second largest island in the world?

-New Guinea.

-Yeah.

The poet Dante Rossetti used this phrase to describe what specific form of poetry consisting of 14 lines?

-Sonnet.

-That is it.

Nice, La Plata.

210 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And now to Team three, Watkins Mill High School from Gaithersburg, Maryland.

Olivier, what should we know about you?

-My name's Olivier.

I'm a 17-year-old senior at Watkins Mill, and I play tennis and do sports photography.

-Sports photography.

How long have you been doing that?

-Two years.

-Yeah.

Are you good?

-Yeah.

The best.

-The best.

I like that.

No modesty needed.

Tell us what you're looking for.

I mean, how do you find the action, stay with it, and catch that shot?

-Just know the sport and see when something big's gonna happen.

Just read the play like the players do.

-Oh, very good.

That's great advice.

Well, it's nice to have you, Olivier.

Aaron, what are you up to?

-My name is Aaron.

I'm a senior at Watkins Mill High School, and in my free time, I like to play guitar.

-What kind of guitar?

-Both electric and acoustic, depends on the vibe, the mood.

-Are you doing rock or what?

-Yeah, rock.

-Do your parents like the music you play?

-Uh, If I close the bedroom door, they don't care.

-Okay.

Very nice.

Hiya, Sonia.

-Hi.

I'm Sonia.

I'm a 16-year-old senior at Watkins Mill.

In my free time, I participate in drama club, I am in every band we have, and I play soccer.

-Tell me about drama club.

Are you guys working on a play right now?

-Yeah.

So, I'm the president.

We just finished a play called "She Kills Monsters", where I got to swing around a four foot sword.

-[ Laughs ] Well, that's fun.

All right, guys.

Here's your first question.

We'll donate 20 points to your score if you can find in this phrase what element, a noble gas with atomic number 86?

-Radon?

-Radon.

-Radon.

-Radon is right.

If you received an e-mail that was puzzling and mysterious, you might appropriately describe it with which of these adjectives?

-Enigmatic?

-That is it.

The last speaker of this language, which had 81 consonants, died in 1992, in what Eurasian country whose capital is Ankara?

-Turkey?

Yep, Turkey.

-Yes, it is.

Which one of these words names the Athenian hill on which the Parthenon stands?

-The Acropolis?

-Acropolis.

-Yeah, it's the Acropolis.

This was the philosophy of what macho American author who wrote "A Farewell to Arms" and "The Old Man and the Sea"?

-Hemingway, is it?

Hemingway.

-Hemingway, it is.

Watkins Mill, nicely done.

230 points.

That does it for the Mix & Match round.

Picture Perfect round coming at you 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've got some pictures for everybody in this Picture Perfect round.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

And before we dive in, how about we recap these scores, huh?

Georgetown Day -- 240.

La Plata -- 210.

Watkins Mill -- 230 points.

[ Applause ] And now, ladies and gentlemen, I have some questions for you.

Nebraska's Chimney Rock, which is visible from 30 miles away, was a major landmark for pioneers on what trail?

Georgetown.

-Oregon Trail.

-Oregon Trail is right.

"The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be."

This observation comes from what American essayist, known as the Sage of Concord?

Anybody?

It is... Ralph Waldo Emerson.

-Oh.

-This type of orchid, sometimes called a lady slipper, is also named for what sort of soft leather shoes traditionally worn by Native Americans?

Yep, Georgetown.

-Moccasins?

-It's moccasins.

Yes.

Which of the angles here has a tangent of 1?

Georgetown.

-This should be, I believe, 225.

-That's right.

Bryce Canyon is a popular tourist attraction in what Western -- Yes, La Plata?

-Utah.

-Yeah.

An alpha particle represented by this symbol is identical to a nucleus -- -Helium?

Or -- Yeah.

-Yep, helium.

Very nice, Watkins Mill.

This jaguar is resting peacefully in what Central American country where Belmopan is the capital?

Georgetown.

-Belize.

-Belize.

Yes.

The ship in this painting is the Argo, on which what mythical leader -- Georgetown.

-It's Jason.

-Jason is right.

Built about 4,500 years ago, this stone temple can be found on what Mediterranean island country, whose capital is -- La Plata?

-Malta?

-Yes.

Whose capital is Valletta.

Very nicely done.

Van Gogh aimed his paint brush here at what Mediterranean trees, whose branches are -- Georgetown.

-Cyprus?

-No, olive.

Whose branches are a symbol of peace.

And that is the end of the Picture Perfect round.

[ Applause ] So, I want to tell you, we all know these students are great.

I also want to tell you the people who support them are pretty great as well.

Let's meet them.

We go to Georgetown first.

Ben, tell us who's backing you up.

-So with us today, we have our coaches, Sean and Sue, the principal of the school, Yam, our alternates, Henry and Samuel, as well as all of our families.

-Uh-huh.

Beautiful.

And Sue Ackenberry, shout out.

How long have you been a coach?

-About 37 years.

-37 years.

That's dedication.

Awesome.

Well, it's great to have everybody here, and over to La Plata and Will.

-Oh.

We'd like to thank all the different teammates of ours for supporting us, especially our alternate, Chris.

We'd like to thank our coach, Mr. Panzarella, and our principal, Mr. Dolan, for being here today.

And we'd also like to thank our families and friends for supporting us.

-I think there's one very notable person you've left out.

You know who?

-Oh, yes.

I'm sorry, Connor, the Warrior.

Thank you for showing up here today.

-We love when the mascots show up.

Awesome.

And to Watkins Mill.

Aaron.

Hi.

-Hi.

We would like to thank our coach, Mr. Miller, for supporting us in these past few weeks.

We would especially like to thank Ciro, our alternate, for coming out and supporting us despite not being here right now.

And we would like to thank all the friends and family who have supported us along the way.

-Alright, guys, well, we do have some more questions for you in this Packet round.

We have, count them, one, two, three packets, one for each team.

In this round, as you know, Georgetown goes first.

La Plata, you get to choose which packet they will answer questions from.

-Three.

-Three.

Questions are worth 20 points in this round.

Nothing off for a wrong answer, and, help me out, if you get all the answers right, there's a... -25 point bonus!

-Yes.

Okay.

To symbolize happiness, Renaissance painters sometimes include in their portraits what precious green stone, which also names the capital city in the land of Oz?

-Emerald.

Emerald.

-Yes.

The Post Office put its official stamp on the space program when it issued a 1991 stamp picturing the Viking orbiter as it approached what planet, fourth from the sun?

-It's Mars.

Mars.

-Mars is right.

There was tight security in November of 1943 when top allied leaders of World War II held a meeting in what capital city of Egypt?

-Cairo.

Cairo.

-Cairo is right.

Here's your science question.

The first recorded observation of radioactivity was the result of an accidental discovery by what French scientist who was studying phosphorescence?

-Becquerel.

Becquerel.

-You've got it.

Had you been a member of Erfurt University's class of 1505, your classmates would have included what man who started the Protestant Reformation with his 95 Theses?

-Martin Luther.

-Yeah.

A total of 156 fairy tales and stories were written by what 19th century Danish author who wrote "The Emperor's New Clothes"?

-Hans Christian Andersen.

-You've got it.

Here's your math question.

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

-That's 3 times 3 times 9.

That's 81.

-Yes, it is.

During the reign of England's King William IV, the American envoy to Britain was what New Yorker who later became the eighth US president?

-That's Van Buren.

Martin Van Buren.

-And with that answer, Georgetown Day, you've got a 25 point bonus.

Nicely done.

[ Applause ] Alright, La Plata, it's your chance to play.

Packet one or two, Watkins Mill?

-Two.

-Two.

The practice of giving diamond engagement rings first became popular during the Renaissance in what Italian city with canals and gondolas?

-Venice.

-Yeah.

One of the best places on Earth for astronomical research are the Maunakea Observatories, located in what last state to join the Union?

-Hawaii.

-Hawaii is right.

One of Malaysia's chief exports is what Latex substance, for which Charles Goodyear developed the vulcanization process?

-Rubber.

-Rubber, it is.

Here's your science question.

Most varieties of steel will be found to contain which of these elements?

-Carbon.

-Yes.

Many Southerners were denied the vote during what 12 year period following the Civil War when the South was occupied by federal troops?

-Reconstruction.

-Correct again.

Public anger forced Congress to revise inspection rules after the 1906 publication of what Upton Sinclair novel about the horrors of the meat packing industry?

-"The Jungle".

-Yeah.

I was just laughing because you guys wanted to jump.

You knew it.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression, given your answer as an integer.

-20.

-Yes.

Among the soldiers at the battle of Antietam was what 19-year-old sergeant who would later become our 25th president?

-Rutherford B. Hayes.

-No.

McKinley.

But you did an awesome job, La Plata.

390 points.

[ Applause ] And now, packet number one for Watkins Mill.

In the 1840s, the failure of what vegetable crop caused widespread famine in Ireland and led almost 1 million people to emigrate to America?

-Potatoes?

-Yeah.

"Look, but don't touch" might have been good advice for someone meeting what mythical king who turned everything he touched to gold?

-Midas.

-Yeah.

The first American killed in the American Revolution is sometimes said to be Crispus Attucks, a runaway slave shot during what 1770 clash between colonists and British soldiers?

-The Boston Massacre?

-You are right.

Here's your science question.

For short periods following a chemical reaction in which oxygen is released, single oxygen atoms can be found.

Which of these terms refers to oxygen in this state?

-Is it ozonic?

-I guess.

Ozonic?

-No, it's nascent.

"Tall as a steeple" is the way contemporaries described what hero of San Jacinto who later became the first president of Texas?

The answer is...Sam Houston.

-Oh.

-Though it remains a dream for the future, it was in 1516 that Sir Thomas Moore wrote what famous book about the perfect society?

-"Utopia"?

-Yes, you're right.

We now know it was not the assassin's bullet, but the subsequent care by his doctors that killed what 20th US president in 1881?

-Uh...No.

Wait.

Am I allowed to ask for a repeat of the -- which President number?

-20th US president.

-Is that one Garfield?

-Yes, it is.

And here's your math question.

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

-2 plus 4 minus 4 is 2.

-2 is right.

Good job, Watkins Mill.

370 points.

That does it for the Packet round.

You know what's next.

It's the Grab Bag.

Stick around.

-Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know Suffragette leader Susan B. Anthony was convicted of illegally voting in the 1872 election?

She was fined $100, said she wouldn't pay, and she never did.

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

♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -Hey, everybody, it is time for -- -The Grab Bag round!

-A little louder.

-The Grab Bag round!

-Yes!

I love that so much.

Okay.

In this round, the questions are worth 20 points up or down.

Let's recap the scores before we dive in.

Georgetown Day -- 505 points.

La Plata -- 390 points.

Watkins Mill -- 370 points.

And now, the questions.

Which of our states, the first to grant women's suffrage, comes -- Georgetown Day.

-Yeah, Wyoming.

-Wyoming is right.

Honey has antiseptic qualities, because when applied to wounds, it releases what compound whose formula is H2O2?

Yep, Georgetown.

-Hydrogen peroxide.

-Yes.

You're right.

It wasn't until after the Bolshevik Revolution that Russians switched from the ancient Julian system to -- Georgetown?

-The Gregorian.

-Yes, you're right.

Gregorian calendar.

On your monitors.

Archaeologists believe that this cup dates back to the ancient Minoan civilization that flourished on what largest -- Georgetown.

-Crete.

-Crete is correct.

What title character of a Samuel Beckett play never arrives on stage?

Georgetown.

-Godot.

-Godot is correct.

In a regular octagon, each interior angle has what number degrees?

Georgetown.

-Okay.

Interior angle.

That's -- -Need an answer.

-144.

-135.

Missed that one.

On September 17, 1987, many members of Congress traveled to what city to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the signing of the US Constitution?

Georgetown.

-Philadelphia.

-Yeah.

On your monitors.

What American physicist -- Yes, La Plata?

-J. Robert Oppenheimer.

-You are correct.

In the 1980s, the nation of Gambia tried to form a confederation with what other African country that surrounds the Gambia -- Georgetown.

-Senegal.

-Senegal is right.

An early James Thurber story takes its title from what 1895 discovery by Wilhelm Rontgen?

The answer is X-rays.

Author Washington Irving wrote a biography of what English poet, author of "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner"?

Georgetown.

-Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

-Yeah.

On your monitors.

When he signed the Declaration of Independence, George Read was a delegate from what colony that would later be the first state -- Watkins Mill.

-It's Delaware, right?

-Delaware is right.

What color, named in the title of George Gershwin's famous rhapsody -- Georgetown?

-It's blue.

-It is blue.

How many dollars would you have if you had 10,000 pennies?

[ Buzzer ] -100.

-It is 100.

I think it was after the buzzer, but that does it for the Grab Bag round.

We'll have the scores in just a minute.

-I'm David Rubinstein, and I believe giving back is something we all can do.

Many students are getting involved in their communities in important ways.

I've asked them to share with us how they're making a difference.

-Hello.

My name is Clara Marks, and I'm a senior at McLean High School.

One of the community service activities that I participate in is voter outreach.

So, I send letters and postcards every year to voters in states where there are elections occurring.

These are not in support of specific candidates, but they're just to ask people to go out and cast their ballot on election day.

I think voting is a very important political process, but I'm ineligible to vote because I'm too young, so this is a way that I can still influence the outcomes of those elections, and I think it's vital that everybody in the US who is eligible casts a ballot on election day.

-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, and we begin with Watkins Mill High School from Gaithersburg.

Olivier, Aaron, Sonia -- 390 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] From La Plata, Maryland in Charles County, Isaiah, Will, Anne -- 410 points.

Nice, guys.

And coming back for the semifinals, not wanting anybody else to get any answers in, was Georgetown Day, Isaac, Ben, Haughton -- 665 points.

Well done, guys.

We'll be back in just a minute.

-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.

-What happens when the right people connect?

Diversity challenges convention, mentors inspire greatness, and passions drive innovation.

From health to transportation and national security, cyber and AI to space and back, MITRE connects the power of government, academia and industry to meet our nation's challenges.

Together, MITRE connects.

-We are so happy that you were with us today watching "It's Academic".

Can't wait to see you next time.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Bye.

Say bye, everybody.

Bye!

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪