-From the KC Studio at WETA, students from Osbourn Park... Blake... and National Cathedral meet today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ ♪♪ Hello, everybody, and welcome to "It's Academic," the world's longest-running TV quiz show, now in its 65th season, produced by Altman Productions and the great WETA.

-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 ] -Hello, everybody.

We are so glad that you are here for another match on "It's Academic."

We're looking forward to a good game.

And, guys, we begin with the Fast Start.

As you know, questions are worth 10 points up or down.

The first team to buzz in gets to answer.

And you guys probably know this by now -- The students don't see what you do on the screens at home.

Let's begin.

Oh, we start with onomatopoeia.

Quack, quack.

You can't duck these questions because they're all about ducks real and fictional and all things related to ducks.

National Cathedral -Marx.

-Yeah!

Nice.

Blake.

-Anaheim.

-Uh-huh.

-Blake -Andersen.

-Yes.

Blake.

-Um... -"Peter and the Wolf."

-That's it.

Anybody?

The answer is McCloskey.

Yes.

Blake.

-Tennessee.

-Tennessee is right.

Blake.

-Ibsen.

Ibsen is right.

Author of "The Wild Duck."

-Blake.

-Uh, Scrooge.

-No.

Donald Duck.

Osbourn Park.

-Plata... -Answer?

-Platypus.

-Platypus!

Yeah.

Yeah.

National Cathedral.

-Saskatchewan.

-Yeah!

Very well done!

And that does it for our Fast Start.

Let's recap the scores.

Osbourn Park -- 110 points.

Blake -- 140 points.

National Cathedral -- 120 points.

[ Applause ] All right.

Let's learn a little bit about these students.

We begin with Osbourn Park from Manassas, Virginia.

Hey, Joseph.

What should we know about you?

-I'm Joseph.

I am a 17-year-old senior.

It's my first time on the show, and I play the cello.

-Oh, very nice.

And we're so happy to have you.

How are you doing, Jocelyn?

-Hi.

I'm Jocelyn.

I'm a senior.

It's my second time on the show, and I'm really happy to be here.

-And we're very, very happy to have you.

Hiya, Jack.

-Hi.

I'm Jack.

I'm a 17-year-old senior.

This is my second time on the show.

I do a cross-country, robotics, and I'm the president of the Christian Faith Club.

-Wonderful, guys.

Here are your questions.

They're worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

They Amaze Us.

You can amaze us if you find in this phrase the name of what chief Greek god associated with the Roman Jupiter.

-Zeus.

-Yep.

That's it.

Social Security, Medicare, Homestead Act -- These three legislative landmarks are important in US history.

Please arrange them in correct chronological order.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Homestead, Social Security, Medicare.

-You've got it.

Kaaba to Kosovo.

You look in this volume of an old encyclopedia if you wanted information on what renal organs of the body?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Kidney.

-Yep.

That's it.

The blank of America.

To complete the title of this book by historian Jon Meacham, add what spiritual part of a person -- something the fictional Faust sold to the devil.

-Soul.

-Soul.

-Soul.

Yeah.

NATO, Security Council, Commonwealth of States -- Which of these organizations is part of the United Nations?

-Security Council.

-That's it.

"Schoolmaster to a Nation" -- This is the description one author gave to what New England man who published the first American dictionary in 1828?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Webster.

-It was Noah Webster.

Well done, Osbourn Park.

Home of the Yellow Jackets.

230 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Over to Blake High School from Silver Spring, Maryland, home of the Bengals.

How you doing, Ayden?

-Hi.

I'm on my school's varsity soccer team, and I would like to thank our alternate Krisha and our teammate Tulsi for being here with us today.

-All righty.

Good to have you.

Hiya, Luke.

-Hi.

I'm a 17-year-old senior.

This is my fourth year on "It's Academic."

And I'm also the primary Blake mascot.

-Yeah?

-Mm-hmm.

-That's great.

And I love Benny sitting there -- Benny the Bengal.

Always love to see Benny.

Part of the team, right?

-Oh, yeah.

-And Sam.

Hi.

-Hi, Hillary.

I'm a 17-year-old senior here at Blake.

And I run our school's National Honor Society for Social Studies.

I'd like to thank our teammate Alaric for helping us prepare today.

-All right, guys.

I've got some questions for you.

Put Lira in Bowls.

We'll put 20 points on your scoreboard if you find in this phrase the word for what colorful arc sometimes seen in the sky after a shower.

-Rainbow.

-Yeah.

Microwave oven, movie camera, sewing machine -- Listed here are three important inventions.

Please arrange them in chronological order.

-Three, two, one.

-Correct.

Sewing machine, movie camera, microwave.

Fan to Folio.

This volume of an old encyclopedia would provide information on what long bone of the upper leg?

-Femur.

-Femur is right.

Color: Why the World Isn't blank.

You can complete the title of a book by Hazel Rossotti by placing in the blank what shade that's a blend of black and white?

-Gray.

-Yep.

Gray it is.

Anthropoda, Chordata, Annelida -- As a human being, you belong to the species Homo sapiens, but which of these would be your phylum?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Mm.

-[ Laughs ] -The second one.

-The second one is right.

Chordata.

Well done.

This observation comes from what 19th-century English naturalist who looked for and originated the theory of evolution?

-Darwin.

-Darwin is right.

Nice, Blake.

260 points.

[ Applause ] To National Cathedral School here in Washington, home of the Eagles.

Hello, Jane.

-Hi!

I'm Jane.

I'm a junior, and I do theater and dance.

-Awesome.

Good to have you here.

Chloe, hello.

-Hi.

-I'm Chloe.

I'm a senior.

And I play the violin and viola and also field hockey.

-Wonderful.

Hello, Babiha.

-Hi.

I'm Babiha.

I'm a senior at NCS.

I love to kayak, and I'm also on the quest to find the perfect matcha right now.

-[ Laughs ] -Have you gotten close?

-I think we're getting there.

-All right!

Here we go, guys.

Taste Elegance.

You can taste 20 points if you find here the name of what strong metallic alloy made from primarily iron and carbon.

-Steel.

-Yeah.

That's it.

Shaka, Tamerlane, Nero -- Here you have three of history's most important and ruthless rulers.

Please arrange them in chronological order.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Three, two, one.

-Yep.

That's it.

Nero, Tamerlane, Shaka.

Hague to Husk.

You'd check this volume of an old encyclopedia for information on what group of elements that includes chlorine and bromine?

-Halogens.

-Halogens is right.

"The more successful the blank, the more successful the picture."

To complete this quote from a film director, add what V-initialed word that refers to the bad guy in a movie?

-Villain.

-Villain.

Yeah.

My great-great-uncle was a silent-film villain, believe it or not.

-What?

-8th Amendment, 18th Amendment, 20th Amendment -- Which of these constitutional amendments is only 16 words long and bars excessive bail and cruel and unusual punishment?

-8th.

-8th is right.

"Nothing in this world is certain but death and taxes."

This familiar saying was voiced by what early American statesmen who collected a lot of wise sayings in Poor Richard's Almanack?

-Benjamin Franklin.

-Benjamin Franklin.

-The great Benjamin Franklin.

Yeah.

Well done, National Cathedral.

240 points!

That's it for Mix & Match.

We've got some Picture Perfect next.

-In 1961, nine high school students walked into a TV studio in Washington, DC, 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."

-That is Benny the Bengal from Blake High School.

[ Laughs ] Yeah.

Benny conducting the audience for that applause.

Nice!

Well, we are so happy you are still here for the Picture Perfect round.

Guys, you know how this works.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

Rubens collaborated with another 17th-century artist on this painting that depicts the crowning of what classical goddess of the hunt?

Yeah.

Blake.

[ Indistinct whispering ] Answer?

Three, two -- -Demeter.

-No.

Artemis or Diana.

This proverb comes from what West Asian country where Yerevan is -- Blake.

-Armenia.

-Yep.

That's it.

This music is from one of the few Italian operas set on what largest Italian -- Blake.

-Sicily.

-Sicily is correct.

Evaluate this expression, giving your answer -- Osbourn Park.

[ Indistinct whispering ] Answer?

-4.

-No.

It's 6.

John Trumbull's painting "The Battle of Bunker Hill" was so named, even though the battle really took place on what neighboring -- Yes, Blake.

-Boston.

-No.

Breed's Hill.

These 1996 fireworks marked Iowa's sesquicentennial, meaning that it had been a state for -- Blake.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Answer?

Three, two -- -100.

-Nope.

150 years.

Electric power, electric energy, electric current -- A kilowatt-hour is a measure of which of these?

Yep.

Osbourn Park.

-Power.

-No.

It's electric energy.

This is a view of what winding river that carved out the Grand Canyon?

-Blake.

-Colorado.

The Colorado River.

Yeah!

Okeydokey.

Let's check these scores.

Osbourn Park -- 190 points.

Blake -- 300 points.

National Cathedral -- 240 points.

All right.

You know these students don't do this alone.

They've got all these folks behind them cheering them on and preparing them for "It's Academic."

Let's meet them.

We begin with Osbourn Park.

Who's behind you, Jocelyn?

-So, this is our sponsor, Mr.

Barber.

He's an English teacher, and he's been with us for as long as we've been here.

We also want to thank our alternate Kate, who came today, and all of our family that came.

-Wonderful.

Really good to see you.

Glad that you're here.

Over to Blake.

And who's the team behind you, Luke?

-We have Mr.

Adelekan.

I'd love to thank him for everything he does.

He's incredible in all departments of our school.

Mr.

Caulfield, right behind me, he helps us prepare so much.

He has so many resources for us.

And we have Mr.

Kalina over here.

An incredible coach.

He's so helpful.

I'd also like to thank our alternate Nico for being here today.

-Awesome.

Hey, Mr.

Caulfield, how many years have you been doing this?

-Uh, 26 on the show, 28 total.

-[ Laughs ] All right.

Over to National Cathedral.

Hey, Chloe.

Who's behind you?

-Here with us today is our amazing coach, Mr.

White.

He's one of our math teachers at our school, and he's just amazing.

He's always so supportive.

And we also want to thank our alternate Siena for also coming out today.

We're so grateful for the two of them for coming out and supporting us.

-All right.

Let's give these guys a round of applause.

[ Applause ] So now we can begin the packet round.

I know that you know how this works.

Osbourn Park, you get to answer questions for Blake.

You get to choose which packet they're going to answer a question from -- 1, 2, or 3.

-Packet 1, please.

-Packet 1.

Guys, you know questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

And if you get all the questions right, there is a... -25-point bonus!

-Whoo!

Yeah, that's it.

Thank you for the enthusiasm.

Here we go.

Only about five bicycles remain of the 300 bikes built in the Dayton, Ohio, shop owned by what brothers who were better known as aircraft pioneers?

-The Wright brothers.

-That is right.

Many of the ancient Mayans built their homes in what geometric shape that now identifies the White House office of the president?

-Oval.

-Oval it is.

There was a lot of commotion at Harpers Ferry on October 16, 1859, when what abolitionist led an attack on the arsenal there?

-John Brown.

-John Brown is right.

Here's your science question.

Which of these is the correct formula for sulfuric acid?

-The second one.

-That's right -- H2SO4.

According to myth, one of the rivers of Hades consists of what phenomenon that had been given to man by Prometheus?

-Fire.

-Fire is right.

People talk about pie in the sky, but what other food is in the sun in the title of a play by Lorraine Hansberry?

-Raisin.

-Raisin's right.

Here's your math question.

Solve this pair of equations for Y. Answer?

-6.

-Nah.

It's 3.

What 18th- to 19th-century British economist predicted widespread hunger when he postulated that population would increase faster than the food supply?

-Malthus.

-Malthus is right.

Nicely done, Osbourn Park.

330 points.

[ Applause ] Blake, you're up.

National Cathedral, 2 or 3?

-2.

-2.

Here we go, guys.

In the year 2000, salvagers succeeded in raising the H.L.

Hunley, a Confederate ship that was what type of vessel similar to the later German U-boat?

-Submarine.

-That's right.

One way in which Polish general Kosciuszko helped us in the Revolutionary War was by planning the Hudson River fortification that became what US military academy?

-West Point.

-West Point.

Yes.

You'd say "oops" if you bumped into Ops, the wife of the Roman god whose name was given to what planet sixth from the sun?

-Saturn.

-Saturn is right.

Here's your science question.

Which of these gases is given off when an acid reacts with most active metals?

-The second one.

-That's right.

Hydrogen.

In 2015, seven years before she died, England's Queen Elizabeth surpassed what great-great-grandmother of hers to become Britain's longest-reigning monarch?

-Victoria.

-Victoria is correct.

Herman Melville dedicated his novel "Moby-Dick" to what friend whose own writings included "The Scarlet Letter"?

-Hawthorne.

-Hawthorne is it.

Here's your math question.

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

-9.

-9 is right.

An opponent of slavery, what first chief justice of the US Supreme Court purchased a few slaves in order to free them?

-John Jay.

-John Jay is right.

And with that, Blake, you've got a 25-point bonus!

Yeah.

[ Applause ] National Cathedral.

[ Clicks tongue ] Packet number 3.

Saudi Arabia may export oil, but it imports large amounts of what sweet substance beloved by Winnie the Pooh?

-Honey.

-[ Laughing ] Yeah.

Honey.

The first commercial jet service in the US began in 1958 with flights between New York and what largest city in southern Florida?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Miami.

-Yeah!

It's Miami.

During the Civil War, Northerners who supported the Confederacy were called what name that identifies a poisonous snake?

[ Indistinct whispering ] Answer?

-Copperhead.

-Yep.

It's copperhead.

Good.

Here's your science question.

Which of these organs is the largest and comprises 1/40th of the body weight?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Liver.

-It is liver.

If you went out for crew at the University of Rome, you could have your races on what river that flows through the city?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Tiber.

-It's the Tiber River.

Well done.

What Homeric hero filled his crew's ears with wax so they couldn't hear and be tempted by the songs of the legendary sirens?

-Odysseus.

-Yeah.

That's right.

And those islands, by the way, the legendary islands are off the coast of Amalfi in Italy, if you were curious.

The subject of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book "Summer for the Gods" was what Tennessee teacher placed on trial for teaching evolution?

-Oh.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -It's John Scopes.

And here's your math question.

Which of these numbers is evenly divisible by 7?

-The second one.

-Nah.

It's the first one.

National Cathedral, good job.

360 points!

[ Applause ] That does it for the packet round.

And you know what's next.

It's the Grab Bag.

See you in a minute.

-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 weta.org/wetaplus.

[ Applause ] We have reached the Grab Bag round.

Yay!

So, in this round, as you know, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

What simple pronoun takes on greater significance as the first word of the preamble to the US -- -Blake.

-"We."

-"We."

The powerful word "we."

Burdened by debts, Thomas Jefferson once tried to raffle off what beautiful home of his near Charlottesville -- Osbourn Park.

-Monticello.

-Monticello is correct.

Because he refused to bow to Austrian rule, what Swiss patriot was ordered to shoot -- Blake.

-William Tell.

-William Tell is correct.

On your screens.

This 19th-century mask was created by a Yoruba artist from what West African country?

National Cathedral.

-Nigeria.

-Nigeria is right.

Yeah.

8-year-old James Phipps made medical history in -- Blake.

-Smallpox.

-Smallpox is correct.

Given that the earth turns 360 degrees on its axis in 24 hours, how many degrees... -1.

-No.

...does it take to spin for 10?

150.

Poet William Wordsworth wrote that he was cheered up when he saw a field of what yellow -- Blake.

-Dandelions.

-No!

Daffodils!

On your screens.

Winston Churchill used this phrase in 1941 to praise what US legislative act that provided Britain -- Blake.

Answer?

Three, two -- -Lend-Lease.

-Lend-Lease is right.

You can invite over 1,000 people to your next birthday party if you rent the Hockey Hall of Fame in what largest Canadian -- Blake.

-Um... -Answer.

Three, two, one.

-Toronto.

-Toronto.

Ooh.

You just got it.

The philosophically inclined Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote an essay about what Greek philosopher, the author of "The Republic"?

Blake.

-Plato.

-Yes.

Choice -- What is the maximum number of electrons that can occupy the M energy -- Blake.

-18.

-18 is correct.

On your screens.

This is a painting of what New England Lake, named for the mythical Greek nymph who pined away -- Blake.

-Echo.

-Echo.

Yes!

-Ancient tourists marveled at the Hanging Gardens of Babylon built to -- National Cathedral.

-Uh... -[ Laughs ] -Nebuchadnezzar.

-Yes, it is!

Well done.

Afghan author Khaled Hosseini reached literary heights with a novel whose title identifies -- Blake.

-Answer.

Three -- -"A Thousand Splendid Suns."

-No.

We're looking for "kite."

"The Kite Runner."

The US gunboat Panay was sunk by the Japanese in 19-- Blake.

-Yangtze.

We're looking for the month.

It was December.

On your screens.

Because copper bornite has a colorful appearance, it's been given the name of what colorful bird sacred to the goddess Juno?

Yes.

National Cathedral.

-Peacock.

-Peacock it is.

What's the supplement of 110 degrees?

Yes.

National Cathedral.

-70.

-70 is right.

During the Spanish Civil War, a bombing raid on a small Spanish village inspired -- Blake.

Answer?

-"Guernica."

-"Guernica" is right.

The letter T stood for Taliaferro, the middle name of what African American educator who established the Tuskegee -- -Blake.

-Washington.

-Yeah.

That's right.

Lucy Bakewell learned to -- [ Buzzer sounds ] And that does it.

That is the end of the game.

Stick around.

We're going to have these scores for you in just a minute.

"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 ] All right.

Before I do the scores, I want to say that all of these teams are wonderful.

Osbourn Park, you came so close to that 25-point bonus.

I am so proud to have all of them here.

But, Blake, man, they wouldn't take their finger off the buzzer.

Let's do these scores.

Osbourn Park from Manassas, Virginia -- Joseph, Jocelyn, Jack -- 350 points!

[ Applause ] From National Cathedral School in Washington, Jane, Chloe, Babiha -- 440 points!

Nice job.

[ Applause ] And taking the game, Blake from Silver Spring, home of the Bengals -- Ayden, Luke, Sam -- 565 points!

[ Applause ] That does it for today's "It's Academic."

We are so happy that you've joined us.

Can't wait to see you next time.

And remember, everybody -- I just gave it away -- -It's academic!

-It's academic!

Bye.

See you.

[ 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.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪