JOE HANSON: Major funding for "High School Quiz Show" is provided by Safety Insurance.

Coming up, it's Andover High School... (cheers and applause) ...taking on The Academy at Charlemont.

(cheers and applause) That's next on "High School Quiz Show"!

(cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ (cheers and applause) Hi, everybody, and welcome to "High School Quiz Show."

I'm Joe Hanson, your host.

As always, we start with the toss-up round.

All answers are worth ten points.

There are no point deductions for wrong answers.

And players, you may confer.

All right, teams.

If you're ready, good luck.

Here we go.

In 2025, what French president called for the European Union to adopt a social media ban for children under 15?

Cam.

- Macron.

HANSON: That's correct.

The deepest place on Earth, at nearly seven miles, the Mariana Trench is located in which ocean?

Ishaan.

- Pacific.

HANSON: Pacific Ocean is right.

The hit song "Golden" is from what 2025 animated musical that is the most watched film in Netflix history, with over 500 million views to date?

Fallon.

- "KPop Demon Hunters."

HANSON: Correct.

In 2024, French athlete Anouk Garnier set a new world record by climbing a rope 361 feet from the ground to the second floor of what Paris landmark?

Cam.

- The Eiffel Tower.

HANSON: Yes.

For our next question, take a look at your monitors.

Home to the world's most powerful digital camera, the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, seen here, takes time-lapse pictures of the night sky from its location in what South American country?

Ivan.

- Chile.

HANSON: Chile is right.

Famous for upsets, buzzer beaters, and office bracket pools, "March Madness" refers to the NCAA Division I Men's and Women's College Basketball Tournaments.

What is the standard number of teams in a bracket?

Cam.

- 64.

HANSON: No.

Charlemont, you do have a chance here.

Lucas.

- 32.

HANSON: No, there's actually 68 teams now.

Perhaps surprising, given its size, which planet in the solar system has the shortest day, about ten hours?

Fallon.

- Saturn.

HANSON: No.

Andover, you have a chance to buzz.

Ishaan.

- Mercury.

HANSON: No, we are looking for Jupiter.

The Oscar-winning film "Dunkirk" is about the 400,000 Allied soldiers evacuated from the beaches of France during which war?

Ivan.

- World War II.

HANSON: Yes.

Latin for "little brain," which part of the brain controls balance and coordination?

Solomon.

- Cerebellum.

HANSON: Yes.

Our next question comes from a special guest.

Take a look at your monitors.

- Hi, I'm Julie Lammers.

I'm the president and C.E.O.

of Britebound, where we inspire young people to explore their passions, experiment with potential careers, and navigate a path to a meaningful and rewarding future.

Here's my question: according to the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, about one in five jobs in Massachusetts is linked to healthcare and what other sector?

Is it finance, education, or tourism?

HANSON: Fallon.

- Education.

HANSON: Education is right.

Though many people speak Spanish, Creole, and Mayan languages, English is the official language of what Central American country?

Ivan.

- Belize.

HANSON: That's right.

What science fiction novel by Octavia E. Butler follows Dana, a modern Black woman pulled back in time to the antebellum South: "Kindred," "Dawn," or "Wild Seed"?

Lucas.

- "Kindred."

HANSON: "Kindred" is right.

Used to describe anything bleak or oppressive, especially in a political situation, what nine-letter adjective is named after the author of the dystopian novel "1984"?

Jackson.

- Orwellian.

HANSON: Orwellian is right.

What 1896 Supreme Court decision upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the doctrine of "separate but equal"?

Cam.

- Plessy v. Ferguson.

HANSON: That's right.

In an address titled "Democracy at a Crossroads," in 2025, what California governor denounced the deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid unrest over immigration raids?

Cam.

- Newsom.

HANSON: Gavin Newsom is right.

We are off to a fantastic start.

Let's take a moment to thank the folks who make this show possible.

Major funding for "High School Quiz Show" is provided by Safety Insurance.

- Welcome to another edition of New England Survivalists, the game we all get to play.

You can ask an independent agent about Safety Insurance and learn more at the resource center at SafetyInsurance.com.

♪ ♪ HANSON: Additional funding is provided by the Museum of Science.

- Curiosity runs wild at the Museum of Science, Boston.

Feel the power of indoor lightning, see robots dance and navigate obstacles, and meet Cliff, a 65-million-year-old Triceratops.

Unleash your curiosity.

Tickets available at mos.org/fun.

(cheers and applause) HANSON: Welcome back.

The score is Andover with 60 points.

Charlemont with 70.

Let's get back to the game.

Brian Wilson passed away in 2025 at age 82.

He was the leader and chief songwriter of what band known for hits like "Good Vibrations" and "Surfin' U.S.A."?

Jackson.

- Beach Boys.

HANSON: Beach Boys is right.

Known as the "Father of Nuclear Chemistry," what German scientist won a Nobel Prize in 1944 for the discovery of nuclear fission?

Jackson.

- Fermi.

HANSON: No.

Charlemont, you do have a chance here.

(team whispering) (buzzer sounds) We're looking for Otto Hahn.

The first steel-framed skyscraper was the Home Insurance Building.

It was completed in 1885 in what city widely regarded as the architecture capital of the United States: New York, Chicago, or Miami?

Ishaan.

- Chicago.

HANSON: Chicago's right.

Often cited as an example of selfless leadership and humility, what Roman dictator stepped down from his post after just 16 days and returned to his farm in the countryside?

(buzzer sounds) That would be Cincinnatus.

"Beat It" and "Billie Jean" are tracks from what Michael Jackson album, the best-selling album globally of all time?

Ishaan.

- "Thriller."

HANSON: That's correct.

What present-day country occupies the largest share of territory that once made up the Holy Roman Empire?

Ivan.

- Germany.

HANSON: Yes.

The main setting of the animated sitcom "Family Guy" is Quahog, a fictional town in which New England state?

Ishaan.

- Rhode Island.

HANSON: Yes.

"Song of Myself" and "I Sing the Body Electric" are notable works in what landmark poetry collection by Walt Whitman?

Ivan.

- "Leaves of Grass."

HANSON: Yes.

Which country in Southeast Asia is an archipelago of over 7,000 islands, including Luzon and Mindanao: the Philippines, Malaysia, or Cambodia?

Lucas.

- Philippines.

HANSON: Yes.

Located between the troposphere and the mesosphere, which layer of the atmosphere contains about 90% of the Earth's ozone?

Ishaan.

- Stratosphere.

HANSON: That's right.

What musical follows the noble, principled Jean Valjean, imprisoned for nearly two decades for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister's starving family?

Jackson.

- "Les Miz."

HANSON: Yes, "Les Misérables."

"Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" begins in the fictional town of St.

Petersburg, Missouri, which is based on what real-life hometown of Mark Twain?

(buzzer sounds) That would be Hannibal.

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a massive sculpture being carved from Thunderhead Mountain, in the Black Hills of which U.S.

state?

Ivan.

- South Dakota.

HANSON: That's correct.

The Pantone color Minion Yellow was inspired by characters who first appeared in what 2010 animated film?

Jackson.

- "Despicable Me."

HANSON: That is correct.

(bell ringing) That is the end of the round.

The score is Andover with 130 points.

Charlemont has 110 points.

Let's hear it for both teams.

(cheers and applause) Last week, Natick beat Waltham to advance to the quarterfinals.

In today's match, Andover High School and The Academy at Charlemont are both hoping to advance.

The head-to-head round is next, but first, we're gonna do one of my favorite things, take a minute to get to know the players a little better.

Andover, start with you.

Kian, are you a soccer player?

- Yes.

HANSON: How many times can you juggle a soccer ball?

- A lot-- around 200.

I used to be better, much better back when I was a kid, but now much less, but it's one of my favorite activities.

HANSON: 200.

- Yes.

HANSON: Did you just stop at 200?

- Well, I was too tired to continue.

(chuckling): So it felt like a nice number... HANSON: That is a lot of work.

Are you gonna go for beating your own record at some point?

- Maybe, yeah-- I'll try my best.

HANSON: There's still hope-- there's still time.

You could get there.

- Yeah.

(chuckles) HANSON: Ishaan, you've traveled to several countries, 14 countries.

- Yeah.

Most of them are in Europe, but, like, in Asia, for example, I've been to India, and then also, like, here, just the United States and Mexico, as well.

HANSON: Do you get any interesting perspective or anything you've learned from visiting these other places, other cultures?

- They're not as different from us as it seems.

Like, we may be able to talk about them as, like, the other often, but usually, they're very... The people there are very similar to us.

HANSON: I like that.

Okay.

Cam, you're a fan of travel, as well.

- Yes.

HANSON: Now, do you have a favorite place in, in the U.S.

that you've, you've tasted something, some food you really like?

- Louisiana definitely has some very good food.

HANSON: What's your favorite thing down there?

- I had some, some alligator chips down there.

HANSON: Alligator chips.

I didn't know you could make chips out of an alligator.

- It's, it's not really chips, but it's, it's, like, cut-up alligator meats in, like, sauce and stuff like that.

HANSON: Okay-- I have to ask, does it taste like chicken?

(laughter) - Yes, it does.

HANSON: Okay.

Jackson, you have an interesting collection related to money?

- Yes, I do, I have several coins from around the world, and a lot of two-dollar bills, 50 of them, from my grandfather.

HANSON: 50 two-dollar bills.

Now, I'm not great at math, but why not just get one $100 bill?

(laughter) - Well, two-dollar bills are kind of rare.

HANSON: No extra credit, but who's on the two-dollar bill?

- Nope.

(laughter) HANSON: Well, no penalties for wrong answers in this round, either.

(laughter) It's Thomas Jefferson.

Also on the Andover team, we have alternate Harshil and coach Alan Hibino.

(cheers and applause) Now over to Charlemont.

Ivan, you're designing a board game.

- That's right.

HANSON: What's the theme of the game?

- I'm setting it in the medieval Indian Ocean, which I think is a really fascinating and underlooked area.

HANSON: Now, were you inspired by any of your favorite games to do that?

- I've taken aspects from a few of them.

HANSON: You want to give us any hints?

- Like, Terraforming Mars was one of them.

HANSON: That's fun.

Well, if you ever get that together, maybe we can get a little "High School Quiz Show" game night and check it out.

You'd probably win, though.

(laughter) Fallon, you work at your local library.

- I do, yeah.

HANSON: What's the most interesting question someone's asked you at the library?

- Most of the time people just go to the internet now, which is sad.

But I get a lot of questions about local business hours and bus stops.

HANSON: So you're a human Google-- this is great.

- (chuckling): Yeah, that's the hope.

HANSON: Do you have any favorite genre of books that you'd like to recommend people if they're just walking in, they don't know what they want?

- Yeah, I'm a big sci-fi person.

So Octavia E. Butler is actually an author I recommend a lot.

HANSON: All right.

Lucas-- rollercoaster fan?

- Yeah.

HANSON: How many you been on?

- 193.

(audience murmuring) HANSON: I, I didn't know there were that many rollercoasters, to be honest.

(laughter) So is this a goal you set for yourself?

You gonna... - No-- I want maybe, like, a couple hundred more.

HANSON: Do you get desensitized to this, or are they all still exciting?

- Oh, oh, yeah.

By, by maybe the hundredth, you're, like, "I've seen this before."

And you start to, to recognize the types.

HANSON: What's the best rollercoaster you've been on?

- It's Iron Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa in Florida.

HANSON: Okay, I'll put it on the list.

- You should.

HANSON: Solomon, you've built a boat?

- Yes, yeah.

HANSON: Now, was it one of those little ones or was it one you could fit in and actually, you know, get in the water?

- It's a 12-foot sailing dinghy.

HANSON: Have you taken it anywhere?

- Yeah, in Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, and there are some lakes near my house.

HANSON: Now, is it made out of wood?

- Plywood core with epoxy and fiberglass.

HANSON: Every good boat needs a name.

What's the name of your boat?

- It's Flying Fur.

HANSON: Flying Fur.

I'm sure there's a story behind that.

I'll ask you after the match.

(laughter) Filling out the Charlemont team is alternate Saul and coach Neale Gay.

Let's hear it for both teams.

(cheers and applause) Okay, it's time for the head-to-head round.

In this round, correct answers add ten points to the team total, and wrong answers result in a ten-point deduction.

The clock is set at 90 seconds.

How about a friendly handshake before we start?

Okay, good luck-- here we go.

Which president was assassinated during a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre?

- Lincoln.

HANSON: Yes.

What 4-foot-8-inch powerhouse is the most decorated gymnast of all time... - Simone Biles.

HANSON: Yes.

In 2024, deadly flash floods struck Valencia, a region in which Europe... - Spain.

HANSON: Yes.

"Catching Fire" is the second title... - "The Hunger Games."

HANSON: Yes.

What military leader crowned himself emperor of France in 180... - Napoleon.

HANSON: Yes.

The mayflower is the official flower of which U.S.... - Massachusetts.

HANSON: Yes.

Photolysis divides water molecules into oxygen and what other element?

- Hydrogen.

HANSON: Yes.

The Anne Frank House is a museum in which European city?

(buzzer sounds) Amsterdam.

The superior and inferior vena cava veins are located on the right side of which organ in the human body?

- The heart.

HANSON: Yes.

What 2025 live-action remake is about a lonely Hawaiian girl and a... - "Lilo & Stitch."

HANSON: Yes.

The Bolshoi is a famous theater in what capital city of Russia?

- Moscow.

HANSON: Yes.

The Gila River begins in New Mexico and flows westward to Yuma, in which U.S.

state?

(buzzer sounds) Arizona.

In 1613, a fire burned to the ground what London theater, where Shakespeare was a part... - The Globe.

HANSON: Yes.

In electronics, what does the abbreviation DC stand for?

- Direct current.

HANSON: Yes.

Stockholm is the capital and largest city of... (bell ringing) Did we make it?

No.

We were looking for Sweden there.

That's the end of the round.

Let's take a look at the score.

Andover has 180 points.

Charlemont has 180 points.

We've got a tie.

Let's give it up for both teams.

(cheers and applause) All right, it's time for the category round.

Today's categories are: Toe the Line, Heavy Metal, I Call Fowl, Thank You for Your Submission, He Shoots, He Scores!, and Avenue Q. All categories have five questions with increasing point value.

Teams will choose two categories each and have the option to toss one question per category to the other team that the other team must answer.

Players, you are able to confer.

All right, Andover, who's your spokesperson?

Ishaan?

All right.

And Charlemont?

Ivan.

Well, since the score is tied, the first team to choose a category was determined by coin toss, which Charlemont won.

What's it gonna be?

- We'll take Avenue Q. HANSON: Avenue Q. All answers in this category begin with the letter Q. For ten points: built between 1930 and 1939, what reservoir is the largest inland body of water in Massachusetts?

- The Quabbin.

HANSON: That's right.

For 15 points: several Pennsylvania colleges, including Swarthmore, Haverford, and Bryn Mawr, were founded by members of what Christian sect also known as the Society of Friends?

- Quakers.

HANSON: Correct.

For 20 points: famed for its sparkling beaches, the Gold Coast is a region and city in what state in Northeastern Australia?

- (whispers): Queensland.

- (whispers): Queensland.

- (whispers): Queensland.

- (aloud): Queensland.

HANSON: Yes.

For 25 points in Avenue Q: what highly nutritious, protein-packed food is known as "the miracle grain of the Andes"?

- Quinoa.

HANSON: Yes.

And for 30 points: related to kangaroos and wallabies, what small marsupial is known as "the happiest animal in the world" because of its adorable smile and friendly disposition?

- (whispers): Toss it?

Want to toss?

(team whispering) - We'll toss.

HANSON: All right, Andover, this question goes to you.

- (whispers): Quokka?

Quokka?

- (whispers): Yeah-- yeah, yeah.

- (aloud): Quokka.

HANSON: Quokka is right.

Andover, your first category.

- (whispers): Heavy Metal.

- (aloud): Heavy Metal.

HANSON: Heavy Metal.

These are questions about metallic elements.

For ten points: rust is formed by the oxidation of what metallic element?

- (softly): Iron?

- (whispers): Iron, iron, iron.

- (aloud): Iron.

HANSON: Iron's right.

For 15 points: what is the only metal that is liquid at normal room temperatures?

- (whispers): Mercury-- mercury.

- (whispers): Mercury-- mercury.

- (softly): Mercury?

(aloud): Mercury.

HANSON: That's right.

For 20 points: the Romans invaded Britain largely for its metals, especially what metal that mixes with copper to make bronze?

- (softly): Tin.

- (whispers): Tin.

- (aloud): Tin.

HANSON: Correct.

For 25 points in Heavy Metal: galvanized steel has been coated with a thin layer of what metal to prevent rusting?

- (whispers): Pass?

Pass?

- (whispers): Pass?

Yeah, pass.

- (aloud): Pass.

HANSON: Looking for zinc.

For 30 points: what element is named after the German word for "goblin," because German miners believed its beautiful blue ores had been cursed by goblins?

- (softly): Cobalt?

- (whispers): Yeah.

Yeah, that's it, that's it.

- (whispers): Yeah.

- (aloud): Cobalt.

HANSON: Cobalt is correct.

Charlemont, next category to you.

- We'll take Toe the Line.

HANSON: Toe the Line.

All answers in this category feature the word "line."

For ten points: "I Hope I Get It" is the opening song in what musical set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, with 17 dancers each auditioning for a part?

- (whispers): "A Chorus Line."

- (aloud): "A Chorus Line."

HANSON: Yes.

For 15 points: in 1913, Henry Ford introduced what manufacturing process that reduced the time it took to build a car from more than 12 hours to one hour and 33 minutes?

- Assembly line.

HANSON: Yes.

For 20 points in Toe the Line: originally the boundary between Maryland and Pennsylvania, in the pre-Civil War period, what became regarded as a dividing line between Southern slave states and Northern free states?

- Mason-Dixon Line.

HANSON: Correct.

For 25 points: named after the French minister of war who conceived it, what elaborate defensive barrier was built along France's border with Germany in the 1930s?

- The Maginot Line.

HANSON: Correct.

And for 30 points: named after a Mexican-born player for the Pittsburgh Pirates, what term refers to baseball players who have an unimpressive batting average of .200?

- (whispers): Pass it.

- (aloud): Pass.

HANSON: That is the Mendoza line.

Andover, final category to you.

- (whispers): I Call Fowl.

- (aloud): I Call Fowl.

HANSON: I Call Fowl.

These are questions about birds.

For ten points: namesake of a distinctive wooden clock from Germany, what bird lays its eggs in other birds' nests, a behavior known as brood parasitism?

- Cuckoo.

HANSON: Correct.

For 15 points: found exclusively in North America, the American white species of what bird can hold three gallons of water in its bill?

- (softly): Pelican?

- (whispers): Yeah, go for it.

- (aloud): Pelican.

HANSON: That's right.

For 20 points in I Call Fowl: in 1941, what small songbird was designated the official state bird of Massachusetts?

- (softly): We should pass.

- (whispers): Yeah, pass.

- (aloud): Pass.

HANSON: That's the black-capped chickadee.

For 25 points: in Robert McCloskey's "Make Way for Ducklings," what is the name of the pair of ducks who decide to raise their family in Boston's Public Garden?

- (whispers): I forgot it-- I don't know.

- (aloud): Pass.

HANSON: That is Mr.

and Mrs.

Mallard.

For 30 points in I Call Fowl: named for the Pacific islands that inspired Darwin's theory of evolution, what small penguins are the only ones living at the Equator?

(team whispering) - (whispers): Galápagos?

- (whispers): Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- (aloud): Galápagos.

HANSON: Galápagos penguins is right.

(bell ringing) And that's the end of the category round.

The score is Andover with 340.

Charlemont with 320.

We've got a close match.

Let's hear it for both teams.

(cheers and applause) Okay, we're heading into the final round of play, the lightning round.

Correct answers add 20 points to the team total and there is a 20-point deduction for incorrect answers.

The clock is set.

Here we go.

Which of the four fundamental forces of nature keeps planets in orbit around the sun?

Fallon.

- Gravity.

HANSON: Yes.

In 2025, what 41-year-old quarterback signed a one-year... Lucas.

- Philip Rivers.

HANSON: No, Aaron Rodgers.

In 1917, the British government withdrew its offer of asylum to what Russian royal family led by... Ivan.

- Romanov.

HANSON: Yes.

What compound often used in mineral-based sunscreens has the chemical formula ZnO?

(buzzer sounds) Zinc oxide.

What popular coffee drink is named after the Italian word for "milk"?

Fallon.

- Latte.

HANSON: Yes.

Which country is located directly between Estonia and Lithuania?

Cam.

- Latvia.

HANSON: Yes.

Fictional Greendale College is the setting of what sitcom... Fallon.

- "Community."

HANSON: Yes.

In taxonomy, which kingdom includes mushrooms, molds, and yeast?

Ishaan.

- Fungi.

HANSON: Yes.

Early computer programmer Ada Lovelace was the daughter of what English... Ivan.

- Byron.

HANSON: Yes.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which Hemsworth brother plays Thor?

Ishaan.

- Chris.

HANSON: Yes.

In the early 14th century, Robert the Bruce freed what country... Ivan.

- Scotland.

HANSON: Yes.

Which form of electromagnetic radiation has the shortest wavelength?

Fallon.

- Gamma.

HANSON: Yes.

What terrifying witch from Russian folklore flies around in... Ivan.

- Baba Yaga.

HANSON: Yes.

In 1536, John Calvin established a ministry in what Swiss... Ivan.

- Geneva.

HANSON: Yes.

What gold rush of the late 1890s is named after... Ishaan.

- California.

HANSON: No, the Klondike Gold Rush.

What kind of fish is Nemo in the animated film... (bell ringing) We were looking for clownfish there.

And the winning team this week is Charlemont with a final score of 480 points.

Andover finishes with 380.

Congratulations to both teams for a great game.

Charlemont now moves on to the quarterfinals.

Join us next week for the match between Lexington and Weston.

It should be a good one.

So be sure to join us right here on "High School Quiz Show."

(cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ Major funding for "High School Quiz Show" is provided by Safety Insurance.

- It happens every day-- someone falls for a phishing scam.

Cyber risk coverage from Safety Insurance is designed to help protect businesses from data breaches, ransomware, and other cyberattacks.

Safety Insurance.

We'll help you manage life's storms-- even the cyber kind.

HANSON: Additional funding is provided by UMass Amherst.

- The future doesn't need bystanders.

It needs self-starters with limitless ambition eager to look at our challenges and step up.

At UMass, be the future you want to see.

Be revolutionary.

♪ ♪ (cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪