-Students from Jackson-Reed, Wakefield, KIPP's DC College Prep meet today on "It's Academic".

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

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.

As you know, we begin with a Fast Start, and in this round, questions are worth 10 points up or down.

The first team to buzz in gets to answer, and the students do not see what you do on the screens at home.

Here we go.

A For Effort.

Since this is the first round, let's start with the first letter of the alphabet.

All letters begin with the letter A as in "Action".

This fruit is critical to the stories of -- -Apple.

-Yes.

Very good, Jackson-Reed.

-Wakefield.

-Susan B. Anthony.

-Correct.

-Yes.

-Acrylic?

-No.

Amphoteric.

-Jackson-Reed.

-Maya Angelou.

-Yeah.

-Wakefield.

-Armada.

-Correct.

-Jackson.

-Amphibian.

-Yep.

You are right.

-Jackson.

-Arizona.

-Yeah, you are right again.

This scientist is associated with the number 6.02 times ten to the 23rd -- Wakefield.

-Avogadro.

-You are correct.

And that is the fast beginning to our Fast Start.

Let's recap those scores.

Jackson-Reed -- 130.

Wakefield -- 130.

KIPP's DC College Prep -- 100 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And now that we've gotten through the Fast Start, we get to meet these teams.

And we begin with Jackson-Reed from here in Washington, D.C. Hello, Josh, what's going on with you?

-Hi, I'm Josh, I'm a junior at Jackson-Reed High School.

I'm 16 years old, and I like computer science in general.

-Beautiful.

What are you going to do with it?

-I plan on becoming a software engineer after I go to college.

-Wonderful.

Well, good luck.

-Thank you.

-And, Eddie, hi.

-Hi, I'm Eddie, I'm a 17 year old senior at Jackson-Reed, and I play tennis and violin.

-And what kind of stuff do you play on violin?

-Mostly classical music.

-Alright.

And Elizabeth.

Hello.

-Hi, I'm Elizabeth, I am 16 years old, and I'm a junior, and I'm a musical theater kid.

-Very good.

What kind of plays do you like doing?

What's your favorite?

-My favorite that I probably ever done was "Les Miz", just because the energy on that was super fun.

But my favorite show is probably "Fiddler on the Roof".

-Oh, that's a good one.

Yeah, but "Les Miz" is big in our house, so... Alright, guys, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

Here we go.

On your screens.

Choose one word from each column, and you'll name what ancient road that went from Rome to Brundisium?

-It's probably trails.

-Answer, please.

-Etruscan Trail?

-No.

Appian Way.

-Oh, I'm sorry.

-Preeminent.

Erudite.

Flagrant.

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

-Erudite?

-Yes.

"Rave canal".

Please rearrange the letters in this anagram to name the Florida Cape which has been the launch site for US spacecraft.

-Cape Canaveral.

-Cape Canaveral.

-Yeah.

That's it.

Burundi.

Lithuania.

Andorra.

Which of these countries was part of the former Soviet Union?

-Lithuania.

-Yeah.

"Oh, God, it is all over."

In 1781, this was the cry of British Prime Minister Lord North when he heard the results of what last land battle of the Revolutionary War?

-Battle of Yorktown?

Yeah.

Battle of Yorktown.

-Battle of Yorktown is it.

Nicely done, Jackson-Reed.

You've got a score of 210 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] On we go to Wakefield High School from Arlington, Virginia.

Rakeb.

Hi.

How you doing?

-My name's Rakeb.

I'm a junior at Wakefield, and I'd like to read.

-What kind of stuff do you like to read?

-Historical, mostly.

-A particular period of history that you like -Mm...ancient.

-Ancient?

Yeah.

That's cool.

Well, it's good to have you.

-Thank you.

-Hello, Thomas.

-Hi.

I'm a 17-year-old senior at Wakefield High School, and I'm also the president of the gardening club at Wakefield.

-Of the gardening club?

That's great.

Flowers?

Vegetables?

What do you do?

-Mainly, like, vegetables, and then we donate them to a local food shelter in Arlington.

-Oh, that's beautiful.

I'd love to hear more about that.

Thanks, Thomas.

Hiya, Alex.

-Hello.

My name is Alex.

I am 17 years old.

I'm a senior here at Wakefield, and after high school, I hope to be able to become a video game developer.

-Oh, and everyone will love you, right?

It's like, "Let's try that one."

Okay, guys, here's your first question.

Choose one word from each column to name what insect pest that devastated U.S. cotton production in the early 20th century?

-Boll weevil.

-Correct.

Deify.

Canonize.

Debunk.

20th century writer William Woodward popularized which of these words, meaning to expose inaccurate statements?

-Debunk.

-Yeah.

"Pre-load".

You can load up on 20 points by rearranging these letters to name what sort of large jungle feline that proverbially cannot change its spots?

-Leopard.

-Yes.

Straits of Mackinac.

Bering Strait.

Strait of Magellan.

If you wanted to sail from Lake Huron to Lake Michigan, you would take which one of these waterways?

-Straits of Mackinac.

-Yeah.

-"A Prince of Our Disorder".

These words title a biography not of a prince, but what Englishman, who led Arabs in revolt against the Turks during the First World War?

-T.E.

Lawrence.

-Eh...Lawrence of Arabia.

Yes.

You're right.

Very nicely done, Wakefield.

230 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Took me a minute to process that.

[ Laughs ] Hello, KIPP D.C. College Prep.

How are you doing today?

-Good.

How are you?

-Good.

Joseph, tell us about yourself.

-I'm 14, a freshmen, and I like to do a lot of things, predominantly writing.

-Really?

Fiction?

-Fiction.

Alright.

And you like to act too, I understand.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Are you in the play?

-Mm-hmm.

-That's good.

And that play is being directed by -- ♪ Dun-dun-dun-dun ♪ -- Trinity.

Tell us about yourself.

-Hi, I'm Trinity McMillan.

I'm a 17-year-old at KIPP College Prep, and I really enjoy musical theater as well.

-Beautiful.

Tell us about what you're working on.

-Right now, I'm working on a play from NF Plays to end gun violence, and my play is called "Dead Persons Anonymous", and it just centers around a therapy group around victims of guns, gun violence and gun shootings and things like that.

-Great.

Love to see it.

Let us know when it opens.

-Yes.

-And finally, Dawit, tell us about yourself.

-Thank you, Hillary.

My name is Dawit.

I'm a junior from KIPP DC College Preparatory, and I like to run track and cross country.

-And which do you prefer?

-Track.

-Because you run fast?

-Yes.

-Alright, guys, here we go.

Choose one word from each of these columns to name what effect referring to trapped solar radiation that contributes to global warming?

-Greenhouse?

-Yes.

Outdoors.

Without preparation.

In a whisper.

Which of these phrases would best describe a speech you gave extemporaneously?

-Without preparation?

-Correct.

-"Spray up".

You can rearrange these letters to name what sort of ancient writing material which the Egyptians made from plants?

Answer?

In three, two, one.

It is... -[ Whispering indistinctly ] -Nope.

It is papyrus.

You were very close.

The Steppes.

The Pampas.

The Transvaal.

If you were traveling through South Africa, you could take a photograph of which of these areas?

-The Steppes?

-Nope.

The Transvaal.

"They will cause the lower classes to move about needlessly."

This negative opinion of railroads is attributed to what British Duke, the general who defeated Napoleon at Waterloo?

And the answer is... Wellington.

-I was gonna say Ellington.

-[ Laughs ] Close.

KIPP DC College Prep -- 140 points.

Don't go away, because we have the Picture Perfect round 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.

-This is for you, our viewing audience.

What state has only two -- count them -- two escalators?

The answer is Wyoming.

That's right.

Only two escalators in the entire state.

Now back to the game.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Well, it's Picture Perfect time.

Before we begin the round, let's check those scores.

Jackson-Reed -- 210.

Wakefield -- 230.

KIPP DC College Prep -- 140 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Alright, everybody, in this Picture Perfect round, as you probably know, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

Here we go.

Clues are on your monitors.

This gold coin was minted in 1904 to honor what two explorers who had set out a century earlier?

Jackson-Reed.

-Lewis and Clark.

-Yeah.

"Leave it to Batman".

This proverb, meaning some problems can only be solved by superheroes, comes from what Pacific archipelago country where Manila is capital?

Jackson.

-The Philippines?

-Yes.

This ancient Egyptian vase is made of what mineral that describes American cities in the song "America the Beautiful"?

The answer is...alabaster.

30% of X equals -- Yes, Jackson-Reed?

-54.

-No.

600.

This 15th century Titian painting is titled "Man with..." what type of bird, the mascot of the Air Force Academy?

Yes, Jackson-Reed?

-Falcon.

-Yeah.

The red square on this chart covers what metallic element that can -- Jackson-Reed.

-Lithium.

-Lithium is right.

This ceiling painting depicts the crossing of what German river, home to the mythical Lorelei?

Anybody?

Jackson-Reed.

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -I need an answer.

-The Rhine.

Yes.

The Rhine.

-It is the Rhine.

Nicely done.

And that is the end of our Picture Perfect round.

Let's recap those scores.

290 -- Jackson-Reed, 230 -- Wakefield, and 140 for KIPP DC College Prep.

Now, I always say -- [ Cheers and applause ] I like the applause.

I always say that it takes a team, right, to help the team get here on "It's Academic", so let's meet the coaches that help prepare these students.

We begin with Jackson-Reed.

Eddie, who's with you?

-So we have here today our amazing coach, Mr. Singer, who is also a math teacher at our school, and we'd like to thank him for all the hard work he's put into our team for getting us here.

-Alright.

Beautiful.

Over to Wakefield and Thomas.

-Today, we have Mr. Stewart here.

who's one of the teachers at Wakefield, and he does a great job preparing us for all these competitions.

-Alright.

Awesome.

And KIPP DC.

-We have Mr. Gleditsch, who's an AP teacher at our school, and Mr. Wu, who's a college career counselor at our school.

We just want to thank them for helping us get here.

-Alrighty.

Thanks, Trinity.

Alright, now we can dive into this Packet round.

As you guys know, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

And do this with me.

If you get all the questions right, you get a... -25 points bonus.

-Yeah.

That's it.

Beautiful.

Here we go.

First question for Jackson-Reed, but Wakefield gets to choose which packet they answer questions from.

Packet number 3, packet number 2, or packet number 1.

-Packet 2.

-Packet 2.

Daguerreotype photography was brought to the US by what inventor, who had already given his name to a telegraph code?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Answer?

In three, two, one.

The answer is...Samuel Morse.

According to Norse mythology, spear maidens created the Northern lights, a real phenomenon also known by what two word Latin name?

-Aurora borealis.

-Yeah.

Team effort there.

Here's your science question.

If the temperature of two liters of oxygen gas at constant pressure is raised from 300 to 400 degrees Kelvin, the volume will do which of these?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Stay the same.

-It is increased by one-third.

In her book "Hospital Sketches", Louisa May Alcott included a profile of what Civil War nurse who later founded the American Red Cross?

-Clara Barton.

Clara Barton.

-Clara Barton is right.

You got it.

In the 1950s, two National Book Awards were won by what Mississippi author, whose works include "The Sound and the Fury"?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Answer?

In three, two, one.

The answer is William Faulkner.

Here's your math question.

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

-3.

-3 is right.

Though every president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces, the only one to receive the Medal of Honor was what 26th Chief Executive?

-Theodore Roosevelt.

Theodore Roosevelt is right.

Jackson-Reed -- 370 points.

Alright, now we're on to Wakefield.

Hi, guys.

-Hi.

-KIPP DC, tell me which packet?

3 or 1?

-3.

-3 it is.

Here we go.

At least one study has found that people stay healthier if they avoid making what type of statements that made Pinocchio's nose grow?

-Lies?

-Yes.

Lies.

Among the many documents preserved in the National Archives is what proclamation that Abraham Lincoln issued on January 1st, 1863?

-Emancipation Proclamation.

-You're right.

Here's your science question.

A solution of one-tenth normal hydrochloric acid has a pH value of which of these?

-1.

-Yes.

According to legend, an inkwell was once hurled at the devil by what German leader of the Reformation?

-Martin Luther.

-Martin Luther is right.

Were Alexander Selkirk alive today, he might enjoy reading what Daniel Defoe novel based on Selkirk's experience when shipwrecked on a deserted island?

-"Robinson Crusoe"?

-Yeah, you've got it.

Here's your math question.

Solve for X.

-X equals zero?

-Yes?

-Zero.

-X is zero.

Nicely done.

Lieutenant colonel was the highest army rank achieved by what Virginian who later became commander-in-chief as our fifth president?

In -- come on, guys -- In three, two, one.

It is...James Monroe.

Wakefield -- 350 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And now, we've got packet number 1 for KIPP DC College Prep.

Strange as it seems, our Aleutian island of Attu is farther west than what parts of the vast cold region of Russia, which is called this?

The answer is... -Moscow?

-No.

Siberia.

-Mm.

Among the founders of Amherst College was what man who published the first American dictionary, as well as several best selling spelling books.

The answer is...Noah Webster.

The "Webster Dictionary".

Here's your science question.

Viruses can be visualized routinely in laboratories through use of which of these devices?

-How about... -Cloud chamber?

-Enh.

Electron microscope.

Allegedly founded by Queen Dido, what ancient North African city-state was destroyed by Rome in the Punic Wars?

It is...Carthage.

Long before he became a composer, Richard Wagner wrote a German translation of what ancient Homeric epic that follows "The Iliad"?

It is... "The Odyssey".

Here's your math question.

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

Answer, guys?

-30?

-Yeah.

That's it.

Only one Speaker of the House has been elected president, and he was what 11th chief executive in office during the Mexican-American War?

And that -- -Ulysses Grant?

-Nah, it was James Knox Polk.

KIPP DC College Prep -- 160 points.

Stick around.

We have that Grab Bag Round coming at you in just a minute.

-Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that the Arizona state flag has yellow and red stripes because Arizona had been explored by Spanish conquistadors?

Yellow and red are colors of the Spanish flag.

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

[ Cheers and applause ] -Well, it's now time for the... -Grab Bag round!

-Yes, the Grab Bag round, where questions are worth 20 points up or down.

Here we go.

Of the 15 countries on the UN Security Council, how many are permanent members?

Yes, Jackson?

-Five.

-Yeah.

In George Bernard Shaw's play, "Major Barbara", Shaw poked fun at what charitable army founded by General William Booth?

Yes, Wakefield.

-Salvation Army?

-You've got it.

During World War I, the British built a class of warships sharing what name with a Union ironclad that had fought the Merrimack during the Civil War?

Yeah, Wakefield.

-Monitor?

-Monitor is right.

Down here in Hampton Roads is where it happened.

Check your monitors.

These blue flowers grow near the home of -- Jackson-Reed?

Come on, come on.

The answer is...Toni Morrison.

Near the home of what Nobel Prize winner, author of "The Bluest Eye".

Though Italy doesn't belong to OPEC, there are some oil fields on what largest Italian island?

Yes, Wakefield.

-Sicily.

-Yeah.

Mineral enthusiasts can go to Carroll County, Maryland to find what iron disulfide mineral known as fool's gold?

-Pyrite.

-That's right.

Many early alchemists adopted as their symbol what mythical bird said to arise unharmed from its own ashes?

Jackson.

-Phoenix.

-Yes, it is.

On your monitors.

This financial advice came from what 19th century American writer whose books include "Pudd'nhead Wilson"?

The answer is...Mark Twain.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has promoted efforts to restock the fish in what large lakes separating Vermont and New York, and named for a French explorer?

-Champlain?

-Yeah.

That's right.

Nice, Jackson.

Pi over four radians is equal to how many degrees?

[ Buzzer ] And.

Ooh.

-90.

-No.

45.

[ Laughs ] And that does it for the Grab Bag round.

Judges are going over the scores, and we will let you know how they shook out next.

-I'm David Rubenstein, 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 Jude Hassan.

I am a senior at Seneca Valley High School, and over the summer, me and my friends started a book drive.

We first started with advertising to our community, and then when the book drive was held, we got over 550 books.

These books were distributed towards low income children, teachers who needed books for their classroom, and libraries in Africa that did not have enough books.

This is a cause that is very important to me, because I am a very big reader and I understand the importance of having a good education, and I don't believe that these students should be deprived of that because their school or they cannot afford certain materials.

-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.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Alright, the scores are now official, and we begin with KIPP DC College Prep.

Joseph, Trinity, Dawit -- 160 points.

Thanks for playing, guys.

[ Cheers and applause ] And from Arlington, Virginia, Wakefield High School.

Rakeb, Thomas, Alex -- 410 points.

Nicely done.

[ Cheers and applause ] And coming back for the playoffs with a corrected score, Jackson-Reed from Washington, D.C. Josh, Eddie, Elizabeth -- 430 points.

They buzzed in after the buzzer sounded, so they get credit.

They keep their score, and we see you for the playoffs.

So we're really excited about having you back here.

Alright, we're very excited about our game, and we're excited to see you again in just one 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.

-Thank you to our teams, and thank you, our incredible viewers.

I'm Hillary Howard.

See you next time.

Bye, guys.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪