This program brought you, in part, by the Erika Lewis Endowment Fund.

-Coming up, it's Team Naylor... [cheers and applause] ...taking on Team Tannenbaum!

[cheers and applause] This is the Varsity Quiz Silver League All-Star Match!

[crashing sound] ♪♪ [cheers and applause] Hello.

Welcome once again to the 56th season of Varsity Quiz.

We've got the best and the brightest high school students matching wits in this unique academic competition.

It's an honor to be your host, Nathan Tannenbaum.

So this is our All-Star match.

We're saluting the young men and women of the Silver League with this year's All-Star match featuring superstars from some of the 18 Silver League schools that competed this year in three different divisions.

Let's meet our first round players, starting with Team Naylor.

Aaron, introduce yourself.

Tell us your name, your grade, and what school you go to.

-Hey, so I'm Aaron.

I'm in 12th grade, and I go to Silverado High School.

-Hi.

I'm Ethan, and I'm in 12th grade at Green Valley High School.

-Good day.

I am Alan.

I am a senior at Bonanza High School.

-I'm Kit.

I'm in 11th grade, and I go to Canyon Springs High School.

-That's the starters for Team Naylor!

[applause] All right.

Let's meet our starters from Team Tannenbaum.

We'll start with Logan.

-I'm Logan, and I'm a senior at Bishop Gorman.

-Hi.

I'm Keval, and I'm a sophomore at Bishop Gorman.

-What's up?

I'm Samay.

I'm a sophomore from Coronado.

-I'm Evangeline.

I'm a senior from Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.

-Ladies and gentlemen, Team Tannenbaum!

[applause] -You guys ready?

Let's play Varsity Quiz.

What do you call a person who eats fish but not meat?

That's Team Naylor, Aaron: pescatarian -Yeah.

No need to lean in.

We got you.

Thank you much.

Next question.

Team Naylor on the board.

Next question.

This opera by Mozart also features the famous "Queen of the Knight" aria.

Team Tannenbaum, Samay: Ninth Symphony -Incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] Nobody?

That's The Magic Flute.

You got to brush up on your Mozart.

Next question.

What's the beat called that's played by the percussion during a parade that keeps the pace?

Team Tannenbaum, Evangeline: the drum line -No.

You're on the right track.

[buzzer sound] [bell chimes] Did he get in in time?

We'll try Team Naylor, Alan: tempo -No.

It's a neighborhood in Henderson, cadence.

-Ah.

-Thank you so much.

Next question.

A group of girls, led by Abigail Williams, accuse other people of witchcraft in this play by Arthur Miller.

Team Naylor, Alan: The Crucible -That's right.

More points for Team Naylor.

Next question.

Which team has won the most NBA championships?

Team Naylor, Ethan: the Boston Celtics -That's right.

Next question.

Mali built a "great" one of these institutions at Djenne.

Minarets are built outside what Islamic religious institutions?

Team Tannenbaum, Evangeline: mosque -That's right.

Team Tannenbaum is on the board!

Let's keep going.

What was the first high school ever to open in Clark County in 1905?

Team Tannenbaum, Logan: Las Vegas High School -Right.

Now it's known as Las Vegas Academy.

More points.

Okay, let's go.

Which disability and women's rights activist was known for being the first deaf, blind person to write a book and earn a bachelor's degree?

Team Tannenbaum, Samay: Helen Keller -That's right.

We're moving on.

In Beauty and the Beast, what household object is Lumière?

Team Tannenbaum, Evangeline: candelabra -Can we take that?

Yes, that's exactly right.

Let's go.

The North Rim of the Grand Canyon is located in which state?

Team Tannenbaum, Keval: Arizona -Incorrect.

Team Naylor, Aaron: Utah -That's right.

Are we having fun yet?

We're not done.

Let's keep going.

Which treaty ended the Revolutionary War?

Team Tannenbaum, Samay: Treaty of Paris -That's right.

Premiering on PBS in 1969, what's the name of the children's program that features ethnically diverse characters and positive social messages?

Team Naylor, Aaron: Sesame Street -Can you tell me how to get there, Aaron?

-I have no clue.

I couldn't tell you.

-No, never mind.

Which of the Seven Wonders of the Industrial World brought a large number of young workers to Las Vegas and the surrounding areas?

Team Tannenbaum, Keval: Hoover Dam -Yes.

Boy, if we didn't get that one... Oh, hey, this body part has a total of 27 bones.

Team Tannenbaum, Evangeline: the hand -That's exactly right.

Okay.

What are the three main ingredients between slices of bread in a BLT?

Team Naylor, Aaron: bacon, lettuce, tomato -Woohoo!

Let's go!

I need one right now, Aaron.

You got one?

-Maybe after this.

We'll see.

-We'll talk.

Name the first American state.

Team Tannenbaum, Samay: Delaware -That's exactly right.

Okay.

Simone Biles, the most decorated athlete in what sport?

Team Naylor, Ethan: gymnastics -That's right.

Okay.

Name the economic system where private individuals, rather than the state, own and control property and businesses.

Team Tannenbaum, Keval: capitalism -Sure.

Okay.

Who sang the words, "I love you, you love me, we're a happy family"?

Team Tannenbaum, Evangeline: Barney the purple dinosaur -Yes.

That's so beautiful.

What's the proper term for your funny bone?

Team Tannenbaum, Samay: humorous -Yes.

It's not so humorous.

Here we go.

Oh, darn!

We're out of time.

Okay, we'll be back.

The score going into Round 2 of this All-Star match: Team Naylor, 35 points; Team Tannenbaum, 55 points.

Let's meet our players for Round 2, starting with Team Naylor.

Maryiam.

-Hi, my name is Maryiam.

I am a junior from Coronado High School.

-Hi, my name is Grant.

I'm a freshman from Northwest Tech.

-Hello.

My name is Belen, and I'm a senior at Northwest Career and Technical Academy.

-Hi.

My name is Kaia, and I'm a freshman at Palo Verde High School.

-That's Round 2 Team Naylor.

[cheers and applause] All right.

Let's meet the Round 2 players for Team Tannenbaum.

We'll start with Callum.

-Callum, senior, the Advanced Technologies Academy.

[laughter] -That's great.

-Carlo, senior, Advanced Technologies Academy.

-Okay.

-Hey.

Hi, I'm Theo.

I'm a junior at Clark High School.

-I'm Pana.

I'm a 9th grader at West Career and Technical Academy.

-That's Team Tannenbaum.

All right.

[applause] So here we go with Round 2. Who is the world's youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: Malala Yousafzai -That is exactly right.

More points for Team Naylor.

Let's move on.

Who is the author of I Know Why the Caged Birds Sing?

Team Tannenbaum, Carlo: Maya Angelou -That's right.

Have more confidence, Carlo.

You got this.

Next question.

Which former Spice Girl launched her own fashion line in 2004?

Team Naylor, Grant: Victoria Beckham, Posh Spice -Grant, congratulations on even knowing who that is.

[laughter] Next question.

Which university is older, UNR or UNLV?

Team Tannenbaum, Pana: UNLV [vocalizing buzzer sound] -Jeez, I wonder what the answer might be, Team Naylor.

Maryiam?

-UNR.

-That's exactly right.

They've been around a little longer.

That's okay.

Let's keep moving.

Where did Martin Luther King, Jr., deliver the famous "I Have a Dream" speech?

Team Tannenbaum, Callum: in front of the Lincoln Memorial -That's right.

We keep moving on.

What cyber security company sent a botched update to a lot of Windows computers that resulted in disruptions to flights and hospitals?

Team Naylor, Grant: Microsoft -Incorrect.

Team Tannenbaum, Carlo: CrowdStrike -Yeah.

You were really intense on that one, Carlo.

-The buzzer wasn't working.

-Yeah, you kicked it up.

Here we go.

What's the most expensive spice in the world by weight?

Team Tannenbaum, Callum: saffron -That is right, dude.

Okay.

Who was the youngest player to ever win the Masters Golf Tournament?

Team Tannenbaum, Callum: Tiger Woods -Yes.

What's the musical term for gradually getting louder!

Team Tannenbaum, Pana: crescendo -Yes.

That was my best crescendo.

What Roman numerals will represent the 2026 Super Bowl?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: LX -That's right.

It's going to be the 60th one of those.

Can you believe it?

Because I know you guys were around for the first one.

Not!

Next question.

How many elements are there on the periodic table?

Team Tannenbaum, Callum: 118 -Yes.

I believe that was probably a thumb match on the buzzers.

Okay.

What's the capital city of Nevada?

Team Naylor, Belen: Carson City -Yes.

If no one got that one, we'd be starting all over again.

With what unit is electrical current measured?

Team Tannenbaum, Pana: watts -No.

Team Naylor, Kaia: jules -No.

It's amperes.

You knew that.

Next question.

What character originated in children's fiction as the imaginary author of a collection of French fairy tales and later English nursery rhymes?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: Mother Goose -Yeah.

That was a long way to go for that one.

In this Christmastime story, Della sells her hair to buy a watch chain, while Jim sells his watch in order to buy her hair combs.

Team Tannenbaum, Theo: "Gift of the Magi" -Yep.

What kind of professional sport do the Las Vegas Desert Dogs play?

Team Naylor, Grant: lacrosse -Yeah.

I haven't been to a game.

Have you?

-I have.

They're fun.

-Yeah, I can't wait.

They moved this year.

-Yeah.

-They were at old Michelob Ultra.

Now they're down at Lee's Family Forum.

All right.

Keep going.

Who had the most Grammy wins in 2025?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: Kendrick Lamar -Yeah.

This event will occur "not with a bang, but with a whimper."

That's according to the poem "The Hollow Men."

Team Tannenbaum, Theo: the end of the world -Yeah, exactly.

We'll see.

Or not.

What name does the character of Woody from Toy Story have written on the bottom of his foot?

Team Naylor, Grant: Andy -Yeah.

That's a great movie.

Which US state has the least amount of rainfall in a year?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: Nevada -Yeah.

Pretty sad state of affairs.

-We're dry.

-But we're going to keep working on it.

Hey, we want you to meet the coaches for the All-Star teams.

Team Naylor's coach is Johnny Nguyen from A-Tech.

[cheers and applause] And the coach for Team Tannenbaum, Matt Aberman from Coronado.

[cheers and applause] Round 3 next.

The score going into Round 3 of the 2025 Varsity Quiz Silver League All Stars: Team Naylor has 85 points.

Team Tannenbaum has 100.

Let's meet our players, starting with Team Naylor.

Jackson, start us out.

-Hi.

I'm Jackson, and I'm an 11th grader at Arbor View High School.

-Okay.

-My name is Kenya, and I'm a senior at Canyon Springs High School.

-Nice to have you.

-My name is Thomas.

I am a senior at Liberty High School.

-Hey, Thomas.

-I'm Crystal.

I'm a senior at Bonanza High School.

-There you go.

That's Team Naylor for Round 3.

[applause] Team Tannenbaum for Round 3, we start with T.C.

-Hi, I'm T.C.

I'm a senior at Green Valley High School.

-Hello.

My name is Hunter.

I am a senior, and I go to Silverado High School.

-Hi.

My name is Philipos, and I am a senior at Southwest Tech.

-Hi, I'm Jaxon.

I'm a senior at the Arbor View High School.

-There you go.

That's Team Tannenbaum for Round 3.

[applause] Let's see where we go.

Here we go.

What trait's namesake "quotient" is abbreviated IQ?

Team Tannenbaum, T.C.

: intelligence quotient -Yeah, you'd hope so.

Hey, what's the name of a Condé Nast fashion magazine currently edited by Anna Wintour?

Team Naylor, Jackson: Vogue -Yeah.

You're all about the Vogue, aren't you, Jackson?

Shah!

Hey, who were the National Hockey League 2024 Stanley Cup champions?

Team Tannenbaum, Jaxon: the Florida Panthers -Yeah.

Who's going to be the 2025 champions?

-The Vegas Golden Knights.

-Yeah!

We hope.

Which American author of the children's book Horton Hears a Who!

said, "A person's a person, no matter how small"?

Team Naylor, Jackson: Dr. Seuss -That's one of my favorite books.

You guys remember that one?

Yeah.

Okay.

The first person in space came back to Earth hundreds of miles off course, landing in a potato field.

Name this Russian space traveler.

Team Tannenbaum, Philipos: Yuri Gagarin -That's right.

You got your history.

Good job.

Okay.

This fabric and craft store recently announced it's going to be closing all of its stores in 2025.

Team Naylor, Jackson: Hobby Lobby -Incorrect.

Team Tannenbaum, Hunter: JOANN -Yeah.

So Hunter knows his fabrics.

Are they going to have closeout sales?

I mean, let's go.

-I don't know.

-All right.

Name the game where a spinner tells players where they have to put their hand or their foot.

Team Tannenbaum, Philipos: Twister -Yeah.

Do they still play that game?

-I haven't played it in a while.

-Yeah.

It's a weird game.

Let's keep moving.

Although appearing to the unaided eye as one point of light, which celestial body is actually a triple star?

[bell chimes, time expires] No junior astronomy buddies?

We would have accepted Polaris or North Star.

No points, but we move on.

Name the English-born American motion picture director known for suspenseful films like Psycho and The Birds.

Team Naylor, Jackson: Alfred Hitchcock -Those are amazing movies.

You guys seen those?

You got to check them out.

Woo!

What tool is used to measure atmospheric pressure?

Team Tannenbaum, T.C.

: barometer -Yes.

We have a junior weather buddy.

High five to T.C.

Here we go.

In 2023, which warehouse-style retailer sold about 10 times more hot dogs in its food courts than all 30 Major League Baseball stadiums combined?

Team Naylor, Thomas: Costco -Let's go!

The $1.50 dog, am I right?

Or the pizza is pretty good, too.

Okay.

Moving on.

During World War II, Steinway built what specialty compact instruments that could be parachuted onto the front lines to increase troop morale?

Team Tannenbaum, T.C.

: radios -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] Oh, Steinway pianos.

Imagine that.

So you learned something today.

We move on.

The Hound of the Baskervilles is a story involving which famous British sleuth?

Team Naylor, Jackson: Sherlock Holmes -Elementary, my dear Holmes!

Yes.

Created by Mattel in 1964, who is Barbie's little sister?

Team Naylor, Crystal: Kelly -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] No Barbie people here?

Anybody?

Just shout it out.

-Chelsea?

-Skipper.

[laughter] -Well, it's a good-- now we learned even more today.

Which Florida Native American tribe is the mascot for Florida State University?

Team Tannenbaum, Jaxon: the Seminoles -That's exactly right.

Val Kilmer and Kurt Russell got top billing for this epic cowboy adventure.

[bell chimes, time expires] Movie fans, check out Tombstone.

It's an awesome movie.

Oh, we're out of time.

Hey, don't go anywhere, because it's time to meet the Varsity Quiz Coach of the Year.

Let me tell you a little bit about this person.

Not new to Varsity Quiz, been coaching for 17 years.

His passion for trivia, his encouraging of students to succeed is what drives this man.

We applaud his enthusiastic support of Varsity Quiz, and we appreciate his role in mentoring other coaches.

Ladies and gentlemen, the 2025 Varsity Quiz Coach of the Year, Matt Aberman!

[applause] Now it's time to introduce you to the newest inductee into the Varsity Quiz Hall of Fame.

To be inducted into the Varsity Quiz Hall of Fame, an individual must have contributed to the program in meaningful ways and be instrumental in its success and longevity.

Our 2025 inductee is Tom Sarno.

Tommy worked here at Vegas PBS as an audio engineer for a very long time until his retirement in 2014, but he came back as an independent contractor, even working on Varsity Quiz last season.

As part of the Vegas PBS team, he made us sound great and always wanted to positively contribute to each broadcast.

He welcomed coworkers, staff, and students with a smile and kind words.

Unfortunately, we lost Tommy last month.

We want to honor his memory with this induction to the 2025 Varsity Quiz Hall of Fame.

The score going into the final round of the Varsity Quiz 2025 Silver League All Star has been adjusted.

Team Naylor has 115 points to Team Tannenbaum's 135 because the internet spoke, Barbie had multiple sisters.

Okay, players, introduce yourself.

We'll start with Team Naylor, Maryiam.

-I'm still Maryiam.

I'm still a junior, and I'm still from Coronado.

-I like it.

-I'm Belen, and I'm a 12th grader at Northwest.

-I'm Alan.

I'm a 12th-- I'm a 12th grader from Bonanza.

-Of course you are.

-I'm Aaron.

I'm a sophomore at Clark.

-Very good.

Let's meet our players from Team Tannenbaum.

-Hi, I'm Theo.

I'm still a junior from Clark.

-Good.

-I'm Logan, still a senior at Bishop Gorman.

-I like it.

-I'm John.

I'm a junior from Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.

-Welcome.

-Hi, I'm Addy.

I'm a junior at Foothill.

-All right, welcome.

Here we go with Round 4.

This will determine our winner for the bragging rights.

This question: What's the name of the largest moon of Mars?

And that's Team Naylor, Maryiam: Phoboes -You got it.

Sullivan County, New York, had large rolling fields that were perfect for what August 1969 event?

Team Tannenbaum, Logan: Woodstock -Yes.

I'm trying to find my voice.

You know Marty the zebra from Madagascar movies is voiced by which comedian?

Maryiam wants this one bad.

-Chris Rock.

You are crackalackin!

Next question.

In Greek mythology, name the monstrous creature that resides at the center of the labyrinth?

Team Tannenbaum, Logan: the Minotaur -Yep.

Which Chinese-based social media platform has a Chinese version called Douyin?

Team Naylor, Alan: TikTok -Yep.

This Canadian province is also the name of a popular dog.

Team Naylor, Aaron: Labrador -Yeah.

Get it?

See, that's how clever we are, and you saw right through it.

Moving on.

Name this device through which the lens aperture of a camera is opened to admit light, thus exposing the film.

Team Tannenbaum, Logan: the shutter -Yes.

And I'm trying to unshut my voice.

Who was the Roman god of the sea?

Team Naylor, Alan: Mercury -Nope.

Watch out.

Team Tannenbaum, Logan: Neptune -Yep.

Yeah, you knew.

What is the term for precipitation that evaporates before reaching the ground?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: transpiration -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] Oh, no junior weather buddies?

It's virga.

So that's the scientific name.

I call it "evap-o-rain."

I want that to be published in a dictionary.

What country's hosting the 2026 Winter Olympic Games?

Team Naylor, Belen: Italy -That's right.

Due to inflated costs, a lot of restaurants have been adding a surcharge for this popular breakfast food.

Team Naylor, Belen: eggs -Yeah, they're super expensive.

What film won the Best Picture at the 2025 Oscars?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: Anora -Yeah.

I haven't seen it yet.

It supposedly is really weird.

In Greek mythology, Prometheus faced eternal punishment for stealing what from the gods?

Team Tannenbaum, Theo: fire -Everybody wanted to answer that one.

[laughter] What New York Times word game requires the player to group words into four categories?

Team Naylor, Alan: Unlimited -No.

Team Tannenbaum, Theo: Connections -Yeah.

Do you play?

-Yeah.

-Is it hard?

-No.

-Okay.

[laughter] Oh!

Who is the new Las Vegas Raiders coach?

Team Tannenbaum, Logan: Pete Carroll -That's right.

Also a favorite word of magicians, what is the one-word title of the newest Lady Gaga song?

Multiple thumbs going down.

It's Team Tannenbaum, Theo: "Abracadabra" -Yeah, I haven't heard it.

-It's really good.

-Classic Gaga?

Classic Gaga?

-It's really good.

-Okay.

In the United Kingdom, what's the holiday called that occurs the day after Christmas?

Team Naylor, Aaron: Boxing Day -Yeah.

That means you return stuff, basically.

Name one of the three zodiac signs considered water signs.

Team Naylor, Belen: Aquarius -No.

Team Tannenbaum, Logan: Pisces -Yes or Cancer or Scorpio.

Belen, you'll be all right.

Yeah.

I mean, it's the horoscopes in the newspaper.

Yeah, okay.

What's the result of sunlight refracting and reflecting water droplets in the air?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: a rainbow -That's right.

Before her solo career, what pop group did Beyonce belong to?

Team Naylor, Maryiam: Destiny's Child -Okay.

So we're about to find out the winner of this All-Star match by tallying up the scores, but we're also about to meet the winner of this year's Howard Naylor Scholarship.

So Phil Colosimo is with us, the president of the Kiwanis Club.

Phil, thank you so much for being with us.

Before we announce the name of our scholarship winner, we want to give a shout-out to the Kiwanis Club for you guys supporting Varsity Quiz for 56 years.

That's quite an accomplishment.

We can't thank you enough.

(Phil Colosimo) And you're so welcome.

-So the Kiwanis Club is a service club in the city of Las Vegas, been doing it for many years.

-It has.

This Howard Naylor award is from a person who has served his country and the community of Las Vegas for many years.

And also Hawaii, I should add.

And he's a very dedicated, methodical, thoughtful man.

-Howard's a great guy.

Now it's time to find out who the winner of the scholarship is.

Phil, who is it?

-It is Thomas Dune.

-All right.

[applause] So we had six very well-qualified applicants, six finalists for the Howard Naylor Scholarship.

So Howard goes over all of these names, and they are incredible.

Each and every one of them is so well deserving.

Thomas, come on over here.

Congratulations!

Do you have anything to say?

-I'm so happy I had the opportunity to do Varsity Quiz all these years, and I'm-- I mean, it's, I can't, I can't describe it.

I'm so happy.

-So you're ready to move on to college after high school, you know where you're going?

-Yeah.

I'm going to UNR, a question from earlier.

-That's right.

I believe we have a letter for you.

-We do.

And for all four years of your Varsity Quiz, thank you for your dedication.

I hope you had fun doing it.

-I had a lot of fun.

-Good luck at UNR.

-Thank you.

-All right.

Let's find out who won the All-Star match.

Again, congrats to our scholarship winner.

Now the final score for the All-Star match: Team Naylor, 165 points; Team Tannenbaum, 180.

Congrats to Team Tannenbaum, champions of the Silver League All Stars of 2025.

[applause] This wraps up the 56th season of high school Varsity Quiz, but hang on.

Keep an eye out for middle and junior high school students.

They are amazing too.

They'll be competing in Junior Varsity Quiz in the weeks to come.

Thank you for watching Varsity Quiz on Vegas PBS.