-From the KC studio at WETA, Students from Langley... ...Edison... ...and La Plata meet today on... "It's Academic."

[ Applause ] ♪♪ [ Applause ] Hello, everybody.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Welcome to "It's Academic," the world's longest-running TV quiz show, now in its 65th year.

Produced by Altman Productions and the great WETA.

[ 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.

♪♪ [ Applause ] Hi, we're so happy that you've joined us for another "It's Academic."

We've got some good teams and are looking forward to this competition.

Guys, we begin with the Fast Start as we always do.

Questions are worth ten points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer and the students don't see what you do on your screens.

Here we go.

All your answers must end in the letter "A" as in Asia.

Langley.

[Indistinct whispering ] -Chihuahua.

-Chihuahua is right.

N-H-3 is the formula for this common -- Yes, Edison.

-Ammonia.

-Yeah.

Edison.

-Zeta.

-Uh, no.

Omega.

Mogadishu is the capital of this -- Yes, Langley.

-Somalia.

-Yes.

Anybody?

La Plata.

-Never mind.

-[ Laughs ] Never mind.

It's galena.

Edison.

-Tarantula.

-Yes.

Yep.

Langley.

[Indistinct whispering ] -Medulla.

-Answer.

Yes.

Yes.

Langley.

-Buddha.

-Yeah.

-Edison.

Indiana.

-Yeah.

La Plata.

-Wikipedia.

-You've got it.

And that does it for our Fast Start.

Let's recap the scores.

Langley, home of the Saxons, 140 points.

Edison, home of the Eagles, 120 points.

La Plata, home of the Warriors, 100 points.

♪♪ [ Applause ] All right, let's meet the teams.

We begin with Langley from Fairfax County.

Hello, Jessie.

How are you doing?

-Hi.

I'm doing good.

How about you?

-I'm very well, thank you.

Tell us about yourself.

-So I'm a sophomore in Langley, and in my free time, I like to read.

-Very good.

We all love to read here on "It's Academic."

Hiya, Jamie.

-I'm doing good.

How about you?

-I'm good.

Tell us something about yourself.

-I'm a 15-year-old sophomore at Langley, and in my free time, I like watching soccer.

And go Arsenal!

-Alrighty.

And, Leo.

Hey.

-Hi.

I'm, uh, I'm Leo.

I'm a freshman at Langley.

And in my free time, I like to read and do math.

-Alright, well, I'm sure they'll both help you in this game today.

Guys, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

Spider Webs Terrorizes -- You won't be terrorized if you can find hidden in this phrase, the last name of what man who compiled the first American dictionary.

-Webster.

-Yeah.

Meaningless, Endless, Harmless -- If a politician gave a speech that was "interminable," the speech could best be described by which of these words?

-Endless.

-Yes.

It stops a car.

To smash.

Here you have clues to what two words that sound alike but are spelled differently.

-Break.

-Brake.

-Yes.

-Nice.

-Blank line.

The blank Machine.

What same word would you place in the blanks to complete titles by Michael Crichton and H.G.

Wells.

-All: Time.

-Time is right.

Persian Gulf War, World War II, Vietnam War.

American troops fought in all three of these wars, but not in this order.

Please arrange them chronologically.

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -World War II, Vietnam, Gulf.

-Yes.

-"Don't fight a lion with a stick."

This proverb comes from what African country where Abuja and Lagos are major cities?

-Both: Nigeria.

-Nigeria is right.

Nicely done.

Langley.

260 points.

[ Applause ] [ Applause ] Now over to Edison, also from Fairfax County.

Hiya, drew.

-Hi, my name is drew.

I'm now an 18-year-old senior at Edison, and I really like watching obscure sports such as korfball.

-[ Laughs ] Obscure sports like what?

-Korfball.

-Korfball.

Nice.

I'll have to look that one up.

Hello, Josie.

-Hi, I'm Josie, I'm a 17-year-old senior, and I like playing Dungeons and Dragons.

And these are some of my best friends.

-[ Laughs ] My kid always says I would love it, but I just don't have the time.

It's a time suck, right?

Hi, Quentin.

-Hi.

I'm Quentin.

I'm a 17-year-old senior at Edison High School, and I really like to go on long walks.

-Very nice.

Me, too.

Here we go, guys.

Plays Her Mandolin -- Play with this phrase and see if you can find the last name of what Union general who marched through Georgia in 1864.

-Sherman.

-Yeah.

Careless, Careful, Carefree -- A person who is meticulous is best described with which of these words?

-Careful.

-Yeah.

Deepest male vocal range.

It turns litmus paper blue.

Here are clues to what pair of homonyms?

Two words that have different meanings but sound alike.

-Base.

-That's it.

Once upon a blank dreary.

Frost At blank.

What same word referring to a late hour would you add here to get a line by Edgar Allan Poe and the title of a poem by Samuel Taylor Coleridge?

-Midnight.

-Yeah, midnight.

"Once upon a midnight dreary."

John Glenn, Eric the Red, Vasco Balboa -- These three adventurers all ventured into new regions.

Please place them in chronological order, beginning with the earliest.

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Eric the Red, Vasco Balboa, and John Glenn.

-Yeah.

-'New brooms sweep clean, but old brooms know the corners."

This is a proverb from what Caribbean country where Kingston is the capital?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Jamaica.

-Yeah.

-And that does it.

Nice!

Edison, 240 points.

[ Applause ] [ Applause ] And now to La Plata, home of the Warriors from Charles County.

Dylan, tell us something about yourself.

-Hey, I'm Dylan Shafer.

I'm a 16-year-old junior.

And in my free time, I like to go swimming with these two.

-[ Chuckles ] Very nice.

So you're all swimmers.

You too, Christopher?

-Mm-hmm.

What else should we know about you?

-I'm also a part of our mock trial team at our school.

I'm a senior and the team captain this year.

-Alright.

Hi, Sofia.

-Hi.

-I'm Sofia, a 15-year-old junior, and I'm in 11 clubs, including "It's Academic."

-Wow, that's a lot.

So we don't have time to list them all.

[ Laughter ] But very impressive, may I say.

Okay, here are your questions.

A Jumbo Error -- You won't make an error if you find here the name of what war that Britain fought in South Africa from 1899 to 1902.

The answer is the Boer War.

Prolong it, Deny it, End it -- If you'd like to "perpetuate" a relationship, you would take which of these actions?

-Prolong it.

-Yeah.

Sandy area by the ocean.

Type of tree.

What two words that sound alike but are spelled differently fit these definitions?

-Beach.

-Beech is right.

Return of the... and, Blank Son.

To complete titles by Thomas Hardy and Richard Wright place what same word in the blank spaces.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -King.

-No, Native.

Transportation, Interior, State -- Here are three cabinet departments.

Please arrange them in chronological order according to the dates they were created.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -State, Interior, Transportation.

-Yeah.

You've got it.

"The camel driver has his plans.

The camel has his."

This proverb comes from what North African country where Rabat is the capital?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Algeria?

-Nah, Morocco.

Nice job though, La Plata, 160 points.

[ Applause ] [ Applause ] And that does it for Mix & Match.

We have Picture Perfect next.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ 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 ] Eddie the Eagle from Edison High School.

Yeah, Eddie!

Yeah, Eddie!

Played by Chloe in there.

Whew!

[ Laughs ] Like the dance!

[ Applause continue ] Got some good moves, Eddie.

[ Applause continue ] Alright, now that we've had the Eagle dance, we can begin the Picture Perfect round.

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

Once again, the first team that buzzes in gets to answer.

Though native to the Western Hemisphere, these black and white butterflies are named for what wild equine animal found -- -Edison.

-Zebra.

-Zebra's right.

"There is nothing new in art except talent."

This is a quotation from what talented Russian playwright who wrote "Uncle Vanya" and the -- Edison.

-Chekhov.

-Yeah.

A school of whales is referred to by what term?

Edison.

-Pod.

-Pod is right.

What is the greatest divisor for this group of -- -Langley.

-49.

-Yep.

You're right.

Emperor Haile Selassie appealed in vain to the League of Nations in the 1930s when Italy invaded what country?

Langley.

-Ethiopia.

-You're right again.

Spin projection, Rest mass, Principal quantum number -- Choice.

In the ground state of the helium atom the two electrons differ from each other in which of these choices?

Anybody?

Any takers?

The answer is spin projection.

This is what tragic character from "Hamlet"?

The young woman who went mad.

Edison.

-Ophelia.

-Ophelia is right.

This is artist Paul Signac's, 1905 depiction of the Grand Canal in what Italian -- Yes, Langley.

-Venice.

-Venice is right.

And that does it for Picture Perfect.

Let's recap the scores.

Langley, 320 points.

Edison, 320 points.

La Plata, 160 points.

[ Applause ] [ Applause ] The coaches who work with these students are so important.

We love to shine a little light on them.

Let's begin with Langley.

Who is with you, Jamie.

-So today I'd like to thank our coaches, Miss Dornemann and Miss Banker.

And I'd also like to thank our principal, who unfortunately cannot be here today, Mr.

Stroud.

-Alright.

It's wonderful to see you guys.

[ Applause ] Over to Edison.

Who is behind you, Josie?

-This is our coach, Mr.

Pandin.

And I'd also like to do a shout out to our alternate Jasper, who's here with us today, and our mascot.

-Alright.

Beautiful.

Very good to see you as well, always.

[ Applause ] And to La Plata.

Christopher, who's the gentleman behind you?

-With us we have our coach, Mr.

Panzarella.

And I'd like to thank our principal, Mr.

Dolan, for coming out to support us.

-We are so glad that all of you guys are here.

Thank you very, very much.

♪♪ So we have reached the Packet round.

We have these lovely packets.

Langley, you get to answer questions first.

Edison you get to choose which packet they answer questions from.

-Packet two.

-Packet two.

Alright.

Langley, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

And if you get every one of these eight questions correct, there is a... -All: 25-point bonus.

-Yes, there is!

Here we go.

Traditionally, women in Japan were forbidden to compete professionally in what type of wrestling reserved for very heavy men?

-Sumo?

-Yes.

Though he sometimes sailed for the Dutch, what explorer was sailing under the English flag when he discovered and named Canada's largest bay?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Hudson.

-Yep.

That's it.

Since most of the German mercenaries hired to fight in the American Revolution came from a particular principality, the colonists gave them what name?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Hessians.

-Yeah.

It's Hessians.

Nice!

Here's your science question.

Doppler Effect, Tyndall Effect, Random Motion - Which of these is responsible for the perceived change in pitch of a siren as it approaches and then recedes?

-Doppler Effect.

-Yeah.

What mythical inventor built the labyrinth but lost his son Icarus when the boy flew too close to the sun?

-Daedalus.

-Yeah.

Daedalus.

"One Catch" is the catchy title of a biography of what author who caught the public's attention with his novel "Catch 22"?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Heller.

-Yeah.

-Here's your math question.

Evaluate for a=2.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -21.

-21's right.

To ride on the oldest roller coaster in Europe you've got to visit the Tivoli Gardens in what Danish capital city?

-Copenhagen.

-Copenhagen is right.

25-point bonus for Langley.

Nice job.

[ Applause ] [ Applause ] Edison's up.

La Plata pack at one or three?

-We'll go with one.

-Go with one.

Okay.

Reserving three for yourselves.

-Yeah.

-Okay, here we go.

The first U.S.

Supreme Court in 1789 had what total number of Justices?

Four fewer than the present number of seats on the court.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Five.

-Yes.

There are many precious stones in the British Museum, but none more precious than what stone that gave us the key to ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics?

-The Rosetta Stone.

-You're right.

The River of Heaven is one description of what sacred river in India, where the faithful come to bathe at Varanasi and be cleansed of sin?

-Ganges.

-Yeah, I've been there.

It's an amazing place.

Here's your science question.

Small lungs, Larger kidneys, More red blood cells -- People who live at very high altitudes have adapted and now show which of these traits?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -More red blood cells.

-You're right.

Sicily is the largest island in the Mediterranean, followed in size by what other S-initialed Italian island?

-Sardinia.

-Yeah.

The Chicago Public Library reported that one of the books most often checked out and not returned is what J.D.

Salinger novel about Holden Caulfield.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -"Catcher in the Rye."

-Yes.

That's it.

Here's your math question.

What is the area of this parallelogram?

Need an answer.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -40?

-Nah.

It's 60.

The skull of a 7-million-year-old ancestor of modern humans was named Toumai, meaning "hope of life," after being found in what African country whose capital is N'Djamena?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Chad.

-Yeah, it's Chad.

Nice job, Edison, 460 points.

[ Applause ] [ Applause ] And here it is La Plata, packet number three.

Some medieval mapmakers wrote the words "here be lions" on the space set aside for what North African desert?

The largest on the continent.

-Sahara.

Yeah.

-Several years ago, scientists identified a form of magnetic bacteria in what valley?

The lowest geographical point in the United States.

-Death Valley.

-You've got it again.

In spite of its importance, fewer than a dozen people were present when Abraham Lincoln signed what proclamation on January 1st, 1863?

-The Emancipation Proclamation.

-Yes.

Here's your science question.

Neptunium, Pitchblende, Barium -- Which of these was the first artificially produced transuranium element?

-Neptunium.

-Yeah.

That's it.

The camu camu fruit that grows wild in the Amazon basin is a great source of what vitamin associated with citrus fruits?

-Vitamin C.

-Yeah.

-Lewis Carroll wrote what sequel to "Alice in Wonderland" with a reflective title?

-"Alice Through The Looking Glass."

-Yeah.

-Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression giving your answer as an integer.

-28.

You're right.

The only nation on the South American mainland whose official language is English is what Former British colony where Georgetown is the capital?

-Guyana.

-You have a 25-point bonus, La Plata, nice!

[ Applause ] [ Applause ] That was a great round, huh?

These teams are good.

We have the Grab Bag next.

Stick around.

♪♪ "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 DC 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.

♪♪ [ Applause ] It is time for the Grab Bag round.

Teams, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

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

Ready?

Historians have cataloged over 14,000 letters written by what physicist best known for his equation, E = MC -- Edison.

-Albert Einstein.

-Yes.

a tasseled grass named Teosinte may have been the ancestor of what major crop the Indians call maize?

-Yep.

Langley.

-Corn.

-Corn is right.

The bathyscaphe Trieste was the first manned vessel to reach the bottom of the Challenger Deep in what pacific ocean?

Yes, La Plata.

-Mariana Trench.

-You're right.

On your screens.

To be specific, you would identify the author of these words as what English poet whose verses include "Tyger!

Tyger!

Burning bright."

Yes, Langley.

-Blake.

-Yes.

Writer E.Z.

Judson created an easy-going frontier legend when he gave what two-word nickname to cavalry scout and showman William F. Cody.

Yeah, Langley.

-Buffalo Bill.

-Yes, it was Buffalo Bill.

What is your answer when you divide 20 factorial by 19 factorial.

Langley.

-20.

-20 is right.

In 1900, Karl Buck became the first U.S.

professor of what ancient Hindu language in which sacred texts are -- Edison.

-Sanskrit?

-Yeah.

On your screens.

Salamis to Syllogism -- You'd consult this volume of an old encyclopedia for information about what Russian engineer noted for designing and developing the helicopter?

The answer is Sikorsky.

Gamblers talk about Lady Luck, but luck is a baby in a Bret Harte story about what mining camp named in the story's title?

Yep, Langley.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -"The Luck of Roaring Camp."

-Yes, you're right.

Choice.

One liter of water has a mass of roughly 1 kilogram, 3 kilograms, or 5 -- Edison.

-1 kilogram.

-You're right.

Since many Floridians think their state is heavenly, it's appropriate that Florida's oldest city is named after what saint who wrote -- Langley.

-Saint Augustine.

Saint Augustine is correct.

On your screens.

In the center of these lawyers celebrating the 1954 Brown decision is what man?

Yes, Edison.

-Thurgood Marshall.

-You're right.

Nice job.

Of the four individuals described in Lytton Strachey's book, "Eminent Victorians," the only woman is what Crimean War nurse?

Yep.

Langley.

-Nightingale.

-You're right.

Two numbers have an average of 50.

One of them is 2.

What is -- Langley?

-98.

-98 is right.

The Greek historian Thucydides wrote a clear and accurate account of what ancient war between Athens and Sparta?

Langley.

-Peloponnesian.

-Yeah, that's it.

On your screens.

This elaborate mask comes from what African country whose largest cities include Abidjan and Yamoussoukro?

-Langley.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Yeah, Cote d'Ivoire.

-Yes, you are right.

Andrew Johnson violated the Tenure of Office Act, giving Congress -- [ Buzzer ] Alright, Langley.

You buzzed on the buzzer.

Do you have an answer?

-Stanton.

-You got it.

It's Stanton.

Well done.

That is the end of the game, everybody.

We're going to have the scores in just a moment.

Stay with us.

[ Applause ] ♪♪ 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... ♪♪ [ Applause ] [ Applause ] That was a good game with some fabulous teams.

And we begin with La Plata High School, home of the Warriors taking that 25-point bonus.

Dylan, Christopher, Sofia, 365 points.

[ Applause ] From Edison in Fairfax County, home of the Eagles.

Drew, Josie, Quentin, 540 points.

Nice!

[ Applause ] And taking the game pretty handily.

Langley, home of the Saxons.

Jessie, Jamie, Leo, 725 points.

[ Applause ] And all of you were great.

We are so happy that you joined us today.

I'm Hillary Howard.

We'll see you next time.

Remember everybody... All: "It's Academic"!

Bye.

See you.

[ Theme music plays ] -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.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪