>> Join us tonight as Ludlow High School goes up against Holyoke High School.

The historic 65th season of Western New England's award winning high school quiz show continues tonight as schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA, a diverse union of education workers committed to the public schools and colleges.

Our communities deserve.

>> You can see the difference from the first couple of minutes that you walk onto this campus.

You realize that it's not just a campus.

It's a community.

>> Good evening and welcome to As Schools Match Wits coming to you from the campus of Westfield State University.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Once again high schools from throughout our region are going head to head in qualifying matches to see who can score enough points to finish in the top eight and compete in this season's championship tournament.

In tonight's matchup, we have Ludlow High School going up against Holyoke High School.

Let's meet the teams, starting with Holyoke, coached by Mark Todd and Kevin Bouchard.

>> Hi, I'm Samantha Rodriguez, and I'm a senior from Holyoke High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Adrian Gutierrez Martinez.

I am a junior at Holyoke High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Kylie Dohrmann, and I'm a senior at Holyoke High.

Okay.

>> Hi.

My name is Addison Rodriguez, a sophomore at Holyoke High School.

And I'd like to acknowledge our alternates.

Ray Potter and Patrick Smith O'Connor.

>> And for Ludlow High School, coached by Gerald Martin.

>> Hi.

I'm Natalia Houlihan, a senior from Bethel High School.

>> Hi.

I'm Larissa Ray, a senior from Ludlow High School.

>> Hi, I'm Brady Fisher, a senior from Ludlow High School.

>> Hi, I'm Faith Kerouac, and I'm a senior from Ludlow High School.

I'd like to acknowledge our alternate Beatrice cello.

>> We start off each match with the challenge round.

Both teams will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for ten points each.

All right, let's begin with the first question of the evening.

Here we go.

Good luck to both teams.

In what Western hemisphere see, will you find the islands of Cozumel, Aruba and the Cayman Islands?

>> Ludlow, Caribbean?

>> Yes.

Caribbean is correct.

In what system of the human body is the liver a part of?

Ludlow.

>> Oh, am I supposed to get that digestive?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Nice.

Spell the name of the New England state that only has five letters in it.

>> Holyoke m a I n e.

>> Yes you're right.

Which of the following laws of thermodynamics states that the total entropy of an isolated system can only.

>> Ludlow matter cannot be created or destroyed.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

Can only increase or remain constant in a reversible process.

Is it the first, second or third law?

All right.

Holyoke, because Ludlow did not get the answer correct, you have the opportunity to answer second.

Yes, that is right.

Which 1898 war involving the United States began?

Ludlow.

>> Spanish-American War.

>> Didn't have to finish that one.

Yes, that is correct.

The Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets are Ludlow, Harry Potter.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

And Chamber of Secrets.

They are parts of the titles of two of the seven books in the Harry Potter series.

Written by what author is what we're looking for.

All right.

Holyoke, can you answer J.K.

Rowling?

Yes, that is correct.

Think fast.

What is 90% of 80?

Holyoke.

>> 72?

>> Yes, 72 is correct.

Tokyo is to Japan.

As what city is to the Philippines?

Ludlow.

>> Manila.

>> In NCAA softball, what is the distance in feet between home plate and first base?

>> Holyoke 60.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Which lunar phase immediately follows a full moon.

Is it waxing?

Crescent?

Ludlow.

>> Waning gibbous.

>> When texting the letters TT.

Why?

Holyoke.

>> Talk to you later.

>> Talk to you later.

Yes.

That's what they stand for.

If you had Edam in your house spelled Edam, would you drink it?

Eat it or hang it on your walls?

Holyoke.

>> Hang it on your walls.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right, Ludlow, can you answer?

>> Eat it.

>> Yes, you'd eat it.

It's cheese.

What is the base ten?

Equivalent to the binary number 10001.

>> Ludlow 64.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Holyoke.

Can you answer my question?

>> Uh, ten.

>> Time is up.

Correct answer.

There is 17.

Which of the following African countries does not border Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco or Chad?

Ludlow.

>> Chad.

>> Listen to this literary line.

On the 15th of May, in the jungle of Nool.

In the heat of the day.

In the cool of the pool.

It is the opening line of Horton.

>> Holyoke, the Lorax.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

It is the opening line of Horton Hears a who?

By what?

Author?

All right, Ludlow, can you answer doctor?

>> Seuss.

>> Yes, doctor.

Seuss.

Theodor Geisel is correct.

This board game takes you and your fellow adventurers on a quest through the jungle, solving riddles and completing Ludlow.

>> Jumanji.

>> Jumanji is correct.

Listen to this sentence an ICU is a specialized hospital department providing round the clock care for critically ill patients who require constant monitoring and life support.

What are the letters ICU, an abbreviation for Ludlow.

>> Intensive Care Unit.

>> Yes, that is correct.

Ohm's law states that the electric current flowing through a conductor is directly proportional to the voltage across it, and inversely proportional to the resistance of the conductor was Ohm's law, introduced in the 1700s, 1800s or 1900s.

>> Ludlow 1800s.

>> 1827.

Yes.

Name the capital city of the State of South Dakota.

Ludlow.

>> Pierre.

>> Pierre is right.

An inverse function is a reflection of an original function.

Over what line of Ludlow.

>> Y equals x.

>> What line of symmetry?

Yes, that is correct.

Listen to this sentence.

The candidate's plan was to disseminate his ideas across towns several weeks before the election.

Spell the word disseminate, Ludlow.

>> I don't think so.

D I e m I n t e.

>> Yes.

You're correct.

Try this one.

The first Woodstock rock festival and the Apollo 11 moon landing both occurred.

During which of the following.

Ludlow.

>> 1960s.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

It occurred during both occurred during which of the following years 1968, 1969 or 1970?

All right.

Holyoke, can you answer 1969?

Yes, that is correct.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

Let's take a moment now to meet the team from Holyoke High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Holyoke High.

Would you rather have no homework or no tests?

>> I'd rather not have homework because it would save me just so much more time in my day.

>> I would rather have no homework because I can just, like, go home and not worry about anything and just sleep and just, you know, move on with my life.

>> I would rather not have tests because it would save me a lot of stress.

And homework is also much easier than tests are.

>> I would rather not have tests because they cause me unnecessary stress.

>> Let's move on now to the first lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz in and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, your team loses five points.

Well, if you have your head in the clouds, you'll do well in this round.

The answers to these clues are all meteorological terms.

You have 90s starting right now.

Tool for measuring atmospheric pressure.

>> Holyoke barometer.

>> Cool.

Temperature for air to cause condensation.

Holyoke.

>> Uh.

>> 50 degrees.

>> Dew point is the right answer.

Their measure of hotness or coldness on a thermometer.

Ludlow.

>> Temperature.

>> Yes.

Temperature is right.

The Fujita scale measures the strength of tornadoes.

Abnormally dry weather in a region over an extended period.

Holyoke.

Drought.

Drought is correct.

Atmospheric air flow that generally moves west to East Holyoke.

>> Coriolis effect.

>> Jet stream is the right answer there.

The quantity of water vapor in the air.

Ludlow.

>> Humidity.

>> Humidity is correct.

The predominant temperature scale used in the US.

Holyoke.

>> Fahrenheit.

>> Fahrenheit is correct.

Common radar system in weather forecasting.

Ludlow.

>> Doppler.

>> Doppler is correct.

Ocean current flowing up the east coast of the US.

Ludlow.

>> Gulfstream.

>> Gulf stream is right device used to measure the speed of wind.

Ludlow.

>> It's it's an.

>> Anemometer is the right answer there.

Typical weather trends over many years.

Holyoke.

Average climate is the right answer.

The boundary that defines two separate air masses.

That would be a front.

Layers of gases surrounding the Earth atmosphere.

Atmosphere is correct.

Severe weather with heavy snow falling and blowing.

>> Holyoke Blizzard.

>> Blizzard is correct.

Are at bell marks the end of our first lightning round.

Let's continue with the capitalization round.

That's where teams get the chance to pick a category and a point value.

They'll need to answer a qualifying question first before they can continue on for points.

Now, if they fail to answer that qualifying question correctly, their opponents will have the opportunity to capitalize and get those points at the moment.

I said at the moment, Holyoke, you are behind.

You also get the first opportunity, that is, to pick a category and a point value.

What's it going to be?

>> General knowledge for 25.

>> General knowledge for 25.

Here's your qualifying question.

You want to grab your pens and paper for this one.

Take a look at your screens.

What is the next number in this sequence?

One eight 2764 125 blank.

>> 136 136.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Ludlow.

Can you capitalize?

216 216 yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

In this category, sticking with familiar sequences, tell me the next term in each of these sequences for five points each, take a look at your screen.

Here's the first one zero, 13, 26, 39, 52, 65.

>> Blank 7878.

>> Yes that's right.

How about this Six, nine, 13, 18, 24.

>> Blank plus two plus three plus four plus five plus six plus seven.

>> 31, 31 is correct.

Here's the next one.

One.

Five.

Eight.

Nine.

>> The numbers that show the plural of 18.

>> Close.

19 is the right answer.

How about this one?

Five, ten.

20.

40, 81, 63?

20.

Blank 646 40 is correct.

And finally, let's try this 11236 11 2037.

>> Blank 123.

>> 6468.

>> Is the right answer.

Close.

All right.

Ludlow, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Social studies for 30.

>> Social studies for 30.

Here's a qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

Tell me the name of this African country whose capital is Khartoum.

>> Sudan.

>> Sudan.

>> Just in time.

Yes, that is correct.

Let's see if you can identify some other African countries based on their outline and capital cities.

These are for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

First name this country whose capital is Nairobi.

>> Kenya.

>> Yes, Kenya is correct.

Name this country whose capital is Rabat.

>> Malawi.

>> Morocco is the right answer.

And finally, name this country whose capital is Tripoli.

>> Libya.

>> All right.

Holyoke, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> World events for 30.

>> World events for 30 to qualify.

Take a look at your screens.

This National Interstate and Defense Highway Act became official when US President Dwight Eisenhower signed the bill into law on June 29th of what year was it?

1946, 1951 or 1956?

>> 56.

>> 56.

>> Yes.

1956.

Nice job.

In this category, the Highway Act of 1956 eventually resulted in the construction of some 40,000 miles of Interstate highway, including some that you've probably ridden on for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

The entire 290 mile length of Interstate 91 is located within three New England states.

Name all three states.

>> Vermont.

Massachusetts.

Connecticut.

>> Yes, that's right.

At more than 3000 miles in length, Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate highway in the United States.

You probably know that the eastern terminus of I-90 is Boston, Massachusetts.

What northwestern state capital city is the road's western terminus?

>> Albany.

>> That would be Seattle, Washington.

All right, let's move on.

Finally, in this category, I-95, the main interstate highway servicing the East Coast of the United States, passes through three US state capitals.

Name any one of those state capitals.

>> Hartford, Connecticut.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

It would be Augusta, Maine.

Providence, Rhode Island, or Richmond, Virginia.

Let's move on with Ludlow.

Once again, your turn to pick a category and a point.

>> Value general knowledge for 30.

>> General knowledge for 30.

Qualifying question.

Name the well known trail, which stretches 2200 miles from Georgia to Maine.

>> Georgia to Maine.

Got something?

>> Say something.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

All right.

Holyoke, can you capitalize?

>> Appalachian.

Yes.

>> The Appalachian Trail look very surprised that they got one.

That one.

That's a good job on that.

All right, let's move on to this category.

More about the Appalachian Trail for ten points each.

First, the Appalachian Trail passes through 14 states.

Which of the following states does the trail not pass through new Jersey, Maryland or Delaware?

>> Delaware.

>> The trail runs through five of the six New England states.

Which state does the trail not run through?

>> Maine.

>> Rhode Island is the right answer there.

Finally, try this one.

The trail's northern terminus is on what mountain in Maine?

Mount Katahdin is the right answer.

Okay, Holyoke.

Once again, your turn.

>> Arts and.

>> Entertainment for.

>> 30.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30 to qualify.

Take a look at your screen once again.

This rock band formed in Seattle in 1990, fronted by lead singer Eddie Vedder.

Their hits include Evenflo, Jeremy, and Better Man.

Name the band Pink Floyd, Pink Floyd I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

Right.

Ludlow High School, can you capitalize Pearl jam?

Pearl Jam yes.

That's right.

Let's move on in this category.

I'll give you some more current band members.

You tell me the name of the bands they belong to.

For ten points each, take a look at your screen first.

Dave Grohl, Nate Mendel, Pat smear, Chris Shiflett, Rami Jaffee, and Ilan Rubin.

Foo Fighters Foo Fighters is correct.

Here's the next one Dan Reynolds, Wayne Sermon and Ben McKee.

>> Dragons.

>> Imagine Dragons.

>> Yes, that's correct.

And finally, Mike Shinoda, Brad Delson, Dave Farrell, Emily Armstrong and Colin Britton.

>> Guess something.

>> Linkin Park is the right answer.

All right, Ludlow, once again, please pick a category and a point.

>> Value literature for 30.

>> Literature for 30.

Qualifying question.

Oh, we have a video qualifier for this one.

Please take a look at your screen.

>> Hi, I'm Alice Bauer, a member of the Schools Match Wits student production crew from 2009 to 2011 with your video qualifier.

Listen carefully to this ending line from one of America's greatest poems, The Road Not Taken.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by.

And that has made all the difference.

To qualify.

Name the author of the poem.

>> Robert Frost.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

More words from Robert Frost for ten points each.

First complete this Frost title.

Stopping by woods on a snowy.

>> What is it?

Day.

>> Correct answer is stopping by woods on a snowy evening.

Here's the next one.

Stopping by woods on a snowy evening.

Ends with these lines.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.

But I have promises to keep.

And miles to go before I.

>> What sleep.

>> Sleep is right.

And finally complete this line from Frost's poem called Mending Wall.

Good fences make good.

What?

>> Neighbors.

>> Social studies for 25.

>> Social studies for 25 to qualify.

Which of the following US states does not border the state of Kansas, Wyoming, Missouri.

Colorado or Oklahoma?

>> Wyoming.

>> Let's use the state of Illinois as our next point of reference.

I'll name some other US states, and you tell me if they lie east or west of Illinois.

These are for five points each.

First Indiana.

>> East.

>> Correct.

How about Iowa.

>> East?

>> Correct answer.

There is west.

Try Ohio.

>> And how?

Yes, that is correct.

How about Missouri?

>> That's correct.

And finally Nebraska.

>> West.

>> West.

Yes.

That's right.

All right, Ludlow, your turn once again.

>> World events for 25.

>> World events for 25.

Here's your qualifying question.

William Henry Harrison, who took the oath of office on March 4th, 1841, was the first US president to be a member of what political party?

>> Whig.

>> Yes, the Whigs is correct.

More with presidential political parties.

I'll name a US president.

You tell me his party affiliation for ten points each.

First, John Adams.

>> Federalist.

>> Federalist?

Yes.

Next, Zachary Taylor.

>> Republican or Democrat?

Democratic-Republican.

>> He was actually Whig.

Party affiliation.

And finally, this one's for five points Benjamin Harrison.

>> Democratic.

Republican.

>> Strictly Republican on that one.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a minute now to meet the team from Ludlow High School.

>> I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Ludlow, what school rule would you change?

>> I would change the start time of school.

>> I would allow for a small amount of mental health days so that students can reset without the stigma.

>> I would change it so that if you have a first period like study period, you can show up late instead of having to show up for that.

>> I would probably liquidate the presence of hall passes to make moving from class to class for extracurriculars easier.

>> Moving on now to the final lightning round of the match, each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

You know how this works.

Buzz in and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, your team loses five points.

We'll try not to let this round scare you.

All of the answers end with the letters a, r you have 90s starting right now.

An animal similar to a rabbit fair.

Ludlow Hare is correct.

The programs on your computer Holyoke software.

Software?

Yes.

That's right.

A blaze of light used to attract attention.

Ludlow.

>> Flare.

>> Flare is correct.

A description of clothing that's very worn.

Holyoke.

>> Uh.

>> Threadbare is the right answer.

The product of a number multiplied by itself.

Square, Holyoke.

Yes.

Square is correct.

The financial and medical assistance of an older person.

Holyoke.

>> Medicare.

>> Elder care is the right answer there.

Allowing others to use your toys.

Ludlow.

>> Share.

>> Share is correct.

Music played to announce that someone is arriving.

Holyoke.

>> Fanfare.

>> Fanfare is correct.

Another term for knives, forks and spoons.

Ludlow.

>> Silverware.

>> Silverware is right to stare angrily at someone.

Holyoke.

>> Glare.

>> Glare is correct.

How you might want your steak grilled.

Rare is right.

Software that doesn't cost anything to download.

Freeware is the right answer there to make something ready beforehand.

Holyoke.

>> Prepare.

>> Prepare is correct.

U.S.

Government Health program.

Ludlow.

>> Medicare.

>> Medicare.

Yes, that is correct.

The extra tire under your car.

Under your car.

What a babysitter provides for you, Ludlow.

>> Child care.

>> Child care is correct.

A unit of area equal to 10,000m didn't quite get there on time.

The correct answer there is hectare.

However, that bell marks the end of our second lightning round.

It marks the end also of our match tonight.

We want to congratulate Ludlow tonight.

Job well done.

Congratulations to you.

We want to thank both teams for a really fun match up tonight to see this season's roster.

And for more information, be sure to log on to our web page at npr.org.

Or you can look for us on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm your host, Beth Ward, and we would like to invite you next week to join us for a very special look back at 65 years of as schools match Wits as we present a documentary retrospective of the history of our beloved program.

And then please join us on February 7th for the next regular match of this historic season.

Good night, and be sure to tune in again next time as schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA, a diverse union of education workers committed to the public schools and colleges.

Our communities deserve.

>> To excel is to recognize that you want to continue to grow and transform and evolve into a better person.

Westfield State is a fit for me because it's a campus that's big enough to host a community in which I can get to know different kinds of people.

>> The impact I want to leave at Westfield State is to be a leader, to get involved.

Each person has their own excellence.

>> Hold up.

Drop this beat like.

Drop like that.

>> Do you want to see when your school's match is scheduled?

Want to know who the past ASM champions are?

Have a question you'd like to see us ask?

Then log on to the As Schools Match Wits web page at npr.org.

You can see this season's roster, a listing of past ASM champions, and even submit a question of your own, which may be used in a future episode.

It's all just a mouse click away.