-Students from Richard Montgomery, Oakton, Langley meet today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ ♪♪ And now the host of "It's Academic," Hillary Howard.

Hello, everybody, and welcome to "It's Academic," produced by Altman Productions in association with David M. Rubenstein Productions.

-Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following -- Mitre, a not-for-profit research and development company working in the public interest.

-The world is full of challenges.

And at Mitre, we're committed to solving them.

From aviation and health to cyber and national security, our people know we are called to do more.

Mitre -- solving problems for a safer world.

-All right, let's get this started with a "Fast Start."

All questions are worth 10 points up or down.

The first team to buzz in gets to answer.

The students do not see what you do on the screens at home.

All right, guys, here we go.

Many noted Americans have been born in small towns.

Please identify the following Americans, all born in small towns.

Natchez, Mississippi -- he wrote "Native Son" and "Black Boy."

Richard Montgomery.

-Richard Wright?

-Go.

-Answer?

-Richard Wright.

Richard Wright is it.

Mount Pleasant, Iowa -- he discovered the radiation belts around Earth.

-Oakton.

-Van Halen?

-Yeah.

Van Allen.

Sorry, but he made great music.

Athens, Ohio -- she designed Washington, D.C.'s Vietnam Memorial.

Richard Montgomery.

-Maya Lin.

-Yeah.

Linn County, Missouri -- this general headed American forces in World War I. Montgomery.

-Pershing.

-Yes.

Head Tide, Maine -- this poet created Miniver Cheevy and Richard -- Montgomery.

-Robinson.

-Robinson is right.

Gloucester County, Virginia -- he proved that yellow fever is transmitted by mosquitoes.

The answer is Walter Reed.

The hospital is named after him.

Plains, Georgia -- he was elected US president in 19 -- Montgomery.

-Jimmy Carter.

-Carter.

-Jimmy Carter is right.

Springdale, Pennsylvania -- she wrote "Silent Spring."

Montgomery.

-Rachel Carson.

Carson.

-Rachel Carson is right.

And that is the end of the round.

Let's go ahead and look at these scores.

Richard Montgomery -- 160 points.

Oakton -- 90.

Langley -- 100 points.

"Mix and Match" is up next.

But before our first question, let's meet team one from Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland.

Hello, Josh, how you doing?

-I'm doing good.

-Good.

Tell us a little about yourself.

-My name is Josh Phan.

I'm a junior at Richard Montgomery High School.

I really love Civil War history.

And my favorite movie is "Mean Girls."

-"Mean Girls."

Very good.

Hello, Vincent.

-Hello.

My name is Vincent Thai.

I'm from Richard Montgomery.

I'm a senior, and... Yeah.

My favorite element is tungsten.

-Really?

Now, that's interesting.

Why?

-It's the densest.

-Oh, very nice.

Some people call me dense.

I'm joking.

I'm joking.

And finally, Rachel.

Hi.

-Hi.

I'm Rachel.

I'm a junior at Richard Montgomery, and I really like literature.

I'm currently reading "Candide."

-Beautiful.

Nicely done.

All right, so now we're going to jump into "Mix and Match," where questions are worth 20 points.

No penalties for a wrong answer, so feel free to be bold.

Here we go.

"Start hurrying now."

You don't have to hurry.

Just find hidden here the last name of what 21st US president who succeeded Garfield.

-Arthur.

-Arthur?

Arthur.

-Arthur is right.

If you travel the continent of Africa from north to south, you would pass through these countries in what order?

-Libya, Mali, Namibia.

-Libya, Mali, Namibia.

-Libya, Mali, Namibia.

-You've got it.

"AutoReply from Color Me Blue: Away buying paint."

This might have been an away message from what famous 20th-century Spanish artist who was noted for his blue and rose periods.

-Picasso?

-Yes.

-Ticks.

Tadpoles.

Warthogs.

If you were reading an article about polliwogs, you'd be studying which of these?

-I feel like it's tadpoles.

-Yeah.

-Tadpoles?

-Correct.

"A successful actress must have a hide of a"... To complete this observation, add what very large animal with one or two horns on its snout and is native to Africa and Asia.

-Rhinoceros?

-Two horns?

-Yeah.

They have like two.

-Oh.

-The answer?

-Rhinoceros.

-Rhinoceros is right.

Nicely done, Richard Montgomery.

260 points.

Now on to Team 2 from Oakton High School in Vienna, Virginia.

Hello, Adrian.

What can you tell us about yourself?

-I am a sophomore from Oakton High School, and I would like to thank the rest of the Scholastic Bowl team and our alternate, Karen, for coming -- for supporting us.

-Wonderful.

Hello, Rishi.

-Hi.

I'm a senior from Oakton High School, and I'd like to thank our families for always being here and letting us pursue this opportunity.

-Yeah, that's lovely.

And Naafey.

-I'm Naafey.

I'm a senior from Oakton High School.

And I'm sure you're picking up a theme here, but I'd like to thank Ms. Landis, our assistant principal, for coming here, Ms. Lane, who is our principal, who's not here, and Dr. Fernandez, my AP Bio teacher, and our coach.

-All right.

Wonderful, guys.

Let's do it.

"Let a banjo lie there."

Study this sentence and you'll find in it the hidden last name of what 17th-century French-Canadian who explored the Mississippi River with Jacques Marquette?

Answer.

-Joliet?

-Yes, very nice.

Golden Gate Bridge.

Seattle Space Needle.

Statue of Liberty.

Here are three American landmarks.

Please arrange them chronologically according to the dates when they were built.

-The Statue of Liberty, Golden Gate Bridge, Space Needle.

-Yeah.

Fieldmarshal.gov -- this could have been the web address for what German leader whose name was given to the dirigible that blew up in New Jersey in 1937?

-Hindenburg.

-Yes.

Ascorbic acid.

Riboflavin.

Calciferol.

These are the scientific terms for three important vitamins.

Which term identifies vitamin B2, which is found in whole-grain cereals?

-Riboflavin.

-Yes.

-"God loveth"...

In a most unusual statement, the Bishop of Norfolk once declared that God loved what part of speech used to modify adjectives and verbs?

-Adverbs.

-Adverbs?

-Yeah.

Adverbs.

Nice.

Oakton High School -- 190 points.

[ Applause ] And finally, from McLean, Virginia, the team from Langley High School.

Ian, what you been up to?

-Hi, my name is Ian.

I'm a junior at Langley, and I'd like to thank our alternate, Alex, for coming out and supporting us.

-All right.

Hello, Ashmit.

-Hi.

My name is Ashmit.

I am a senior at Langley, and I'd like to thank our wonderful coaches for always supporting and coming here.

-Yeah, and we thank them, too.

Hello, Maggie.

-Hi.

My name is Maggie.

I'm a junior at Langley High School, and I'd like to thank our wonderful assistant principal, Mr. Sykes, for coming out and supporting us today.

-Awesome.

And we'll get to see them in just a little while.

But first, I have some questions.

"Sigh analysis project."

Please analyze this phrase and see if you can find the name of what West African country whose capital is Accra?

-Ghana?

-Yes.

-Columbia breaks up.

Chernobyl.

Irish potato famine.

These disasters took place in different centuries.

Please arrange them in chronological order.

-Potato famine, then... -Columbia, potato, then Chernobyl.

-Columbia first?

-Answer.

-Irish potato famine, Chernobyl, Columbia.

-Yeah.

Well done.

Sherpa.com -- this could have been a web address for what sherpa who accompanied Edmund Hillary on the first successful climb of Mount Everest?

-Answer?

Yan.

-No.

Tenzing Norgay.

Obsidian.

Basalt.

Pumice.

All three of these rocks are volcanic in origin.

But which one is usually light in color and often has so many air pockets that it will float in water?

-Pumice?

-Yes.

"I think blank demonstrates that law can change social patterns."

To complete this quotation from Justice Thurgood Marshall, add the name of what 1954 Supreme Court case that ended segregation in public schools.

-Brown versus Board of Education.

-You've got it, Langley.

Well done.

180 points.

[ Applause ] -That's it for "Mix and Match."

"Picture Perfect" is coming up next.

Don't go away.

-I'm David Rubenstein.

From the Kennedy Center and the National Archives to the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, I've been pleased to support many important organizations and historic sites linked to American history, art, culture, education, and more.

I believe giving back to our country isn't just an idea, it's an action -- a patriotic action that involves all of us.

And it begins with education and learning about our nation's past so that we, the people, can make a more perfect union for the future.

We can do it together.

Please read, learn, get involved, and make a difference.

♪♪ [ Applause ] -It is time for the "Picture Perfect" round.

But first, let's recap those scores.

Richard Montgomery -- 260, Oakton -- 190, Langley -- 180.

[ Applause ] In this "Picture Perfect" round, the first team to buzz in gets to answer.

As you guys know, questions are worth 20 points up or down, so be careful.

Here we go.

Though it's now been restored, these World War II ruins were all that was left of the old town square in what capital of Poland?

Richard Montgomery.

-Warsaw.

-Yes.

This is what ancient Athenian statesman whose more humane legal code replaced the harsh laws -- Richard Montgomery.

-Solon.

-Yeah.

This is the Atacama Desert in what long, narrow South American -- -Chile.

-Yes, Chile is correct.

Which of these expressions has a value of less than one?

[ Buzzer ] Langley.

-2/3 divided by 5/6.

-You've got it.

A hero of both the Tripolitan War and the War of 1812, this is what American Naval officer who gave the toast "Our country, right or wrong"?

Answer in three, two, one.

Stephen Decatur.

Named for its French inventor, this 1840s picture of the capital is what specific type of photograph?

Oakton.

-Daguerreotype?

-Yeah.

This satellite picture shows what V-initialed Russian River, the longest in -- Richard Montgomery.

-Volga.

-Volga is right.

And that is it for the "Picture Perfect" round.

Nicely done, everybody.

[ Applause ] Yay!

All right.

It is half time.

So let's stop for a minute and meet the coaches and administrators who have worked so hard to get these teams ready for the competition.

And we begin with Richard Montgomery.

Hey, Vincent, who's behind you?

-On my left is Mr. Mason, a history teacher at RM.

And on my right is Ms. Denae, the principal at RM.

-It's really great to see you guys.

Thank you so much for being here.

From Oakton, Rishi, who's behind you?

-Yeah, so, on my right is Dr. Fernandez, our coach and team sponsor.

And on my left is Ms. Landis, one of our assistant principals.

-Wonderful.

Great to have you guys.

And finally, from Langley High School, can you identify the trio behind you, Ashmit?

-Yeah, so, on my right is Ms. Steele, one of our Quizbowl coaches.

Right behind me is Mr. O'Rourke, also our coach.

And on my left is our assistant principal, Mr. Sykes.

-Wonderful.

Really good to have you guys.

Thank you so much for being here.

And we have a "Packet" round to get to.

In this round, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

And if you get every question right, there's a 25-point bonus, which you all know.

So be bold.

We are going to begin with team one, Richard Montgomery High School, and Oakton, you get to choose which packet they'll answer questions from.

Packet number 1, packet number 2, or packet number 3.

-Packet 3.

-Packet 3.

Here we go.

Have to take it out of the envelope.

It's like the Oscars.

"The envelope, please."

Richard Montgomery.

America has Grammy awards, but the Netherlands has music awards named for what American, whose inventions include the phonograph and the light bulb?

-Edison.

-Edison?

-Yeah.

It's Edison.

Launched in 1989, The Galileo spacecraft spent 14 years in space, eight of them studying what planet, whose orbit is fifth from the sun?

-Jupiter or Saturn.

-Answer?

-Saturn.

-Saturn?

-No, it's Jupiter.

Iraq's Shatt al-Arab River is formed when the Tigris merges with what other major Iraqi river?

-Euphrates?

-Yeah.

Here's your science question.

Reducing agent, salt former, acid free.

The group of elements called halogens gets its name from a Greek root meaning which of these?

-Salt former?

-I think so.

-Salt former?

-Yes.

Between the two world wars, thugs known as Blackshirts formed part of the movement spearheaded by what Italian fascist leader?

-Mussolini.

-Yeah.

-Long before King Kong went ape in New York, what other sort of ape terrorized Paris in Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Murders in the Rue Morgue"?

-Orangutan?

-Orangutan?

-Yeah.

Here's your math question.

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

[ Conferring ] -30.

-Yes.

-What czar of Russia, famous for freeing the serfs in 1861, was also king of Poland and the Duke of Finland?

-Alexander II.

-Alexander II is right.

Well done, Richard Montgomery.

460 points.

And now we go to Team 2 from Oakton High School.

Langley, Packet 1 or 2?

-Two because we want number one.

-Two.

-Two it is.

Okay, here we go, Oakton.

First question.

Under the Endangered Species Act, it's illegal for US citizens to sell the fur of what striped jungle felines whose varieties include Bengal and Siberian?

-Tiger.

-Yeah.

The book "Shoulder to Shoulder" isn't about anatomy.

It's about women demanding what right that they gained through the 19th Amendment?

-Voting.

-Yes.

Tourists in India can take a fast train to Agra, the site of what white marble building containing the tombs of Shah Jahan and his wife?

-The Taj Mahal.

-The magnificent Taj Mahal.

Here's your science question.

Polymerization.

Glycolysis.

Catalysis.

Which of these terms refers to the set of reactions by which glucose is converted to lactic acid?

-Glycolysis?

-Yes.

In 1998, divers raised the propeller of the USS Monitor.

The Union ship sunk nine months after its legendary battle with what Confederate ironclad?

-The Merrimac?

-Yes.

Mystery writer Lawrence Block wrote a novel titled "The Burglar Who Liked to Quote" what English author of "The Just So Stories" and "The Jungle Book"?

-Rudyard Kipling?

-Yeah, you've got it again.

Here's your math question.

What positive value of "x" will satisfy this equation?

-One.

-Yeah.

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

-The Peloponnesian Wars?

-And with that correct answer, Oakton, you get a 25-point bonus.

Beautiful.

Nicely done.

[ Applause ] And now we have Packet 1 for Langley High School.

The scribbled signature on the city charter of Philadelphia is probably that of a clerk named James Logan and not that of what Quaker who founded Philadelphia?

-Answer.

-William?

-Pardon me?

-William.

-Give me more.

-William Blake?

-No, it's William Penn.

What 17th-century English explorer was working for Holland when he sailed his ship, The Half Moon, up the New York river that now bears his name?

-Hudson.

-Yeah.

-The White House had neither a library nor a modern bathtub when Millard Fillmore became president in what year, named in a compromise admitting California to the union?

-Answer?

-1854?

-No, just 1850.

Here's your science question.

Iron exhibits more than one valence in different compounds.

What is the valence of iron in ferrous sulfate?

-Four?

-Two.

An African-American named Crispus Attucks was the first to die in what violent 1770 Massachusetts event that helped bring on the American Revolution?

-The Boston Massacre?

-Yeah, it was the Boston Massacre.

What English author took the time to write many novels, including "The Time Machine"?

-H.G.

Wells?

-Yeah.

Here's your math question.

Solve for "x," giving your answer as a positive integer.

-Seven.

-A seven?

-Yes.

The Great Wall of France was one nickname for what system of French fortifications that the German army outflanked in 1940?

Answer in three, two, one.

-Berlin Wall?

-It is the Maginot Line.

All right, Langley.

280 points.

[ Applause ] And that's it for the "Packet" round.

We have the "Grab Bag" round coming up next, where anything can happen.

-Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that when the biblical Eve handed Adam the forbidden apple and Adam took a bite, it supposedly got stuck in his throat, and that's why a man's larynx is known today as his Adam's apple?

Doctors today have a different explanation, but as legends go, it's a good one.

I'm David Rubenstein, reminding you to read, learn, get involved, and make a difference.

♪♪ [ Applause ] -Time to jump into the Grab Bag" round.

But first, let's check the scores and see where our teams stand.

Richard Montgomery -- 460 points.

Oakton -- 415 points.

Langley -- 280 points.

[ Applause ] There are a lot more points to be had in this "Grab Bag" round, so, as you know, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

If you're ready, teams, and I guess you are, here we go.

A mythical synthesis of America was the way Hart Crane described his poem about what New York City suspension bridge allegedly -- Montgomery.

-Answer in three... -Brooklyn Bridge?

-Brooklyn Bridge.

Yeah.

Many countries have stars on their flags, but what constellation appears on the flags of Samoa and New Zealand?

Answer in three, two, one.

-Langley.

-Big Dipper?

-No.

Southern Cross.

Before Napoleon was exiled to Saint Helena, his enemies had sent him to what other -- Richard Montgomery.

-Elba.

Elba is right.

On your screens, soaring through the air is what seabird that plays a prominent role in the rhyme of the ancient -- Richard Montgomery.

-Albatross.

-Yes.

The genetic blueprint of all multi-celled animals is based on that of what sea creature of the phylum Porifera?

-Langley.

Jellyfish?

-No, sponge.

According to one study, restaurant wait staff earn the most tips on what day of the week that also names a fictional character created by Daniel Defoe?

Montgomery.

-Friday.

-Yeah.

Nine is 30% of what number?

Montgomery.

[ Conferring ] Answer.

-30.

-Yes.

On your screens.

"It was the best of times"... Was that an answer?

Go ahead, Richard Montgomery.

-"A Tale of Two Cities"?

-By Charles Dickens.

-"A Tale of Two Cities."

You got it.

"It was the worst of times, it was the best of times."

"I'm hoping 218 shirts will be enough to last me" was the remark of what archeologist who presumably was well-dressed when he excavated the site -- -Oakton.

-Howard Carter.

No, it was Heinrich Schliemann, and I don't know if that was before or after the buzzer.

They'll have to decide in just a minute, and we will give you all the scores in just a moment.

-I'm David Rubenstein.

And I believe giving back is something we all can do.

Students are getting involved in their communities in many important ways.

I've asked them to share with us how they're making a difference.

-I'm August Vanskike, and I go to Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, Maryland.

A charity that I've been volunteering with for a number of years now is Edu-GIRLS.

It's an organization that makes it possible for underprivileged girls in India and the Indian subcontinent to be able to go to school, get an education.

And, you know, that's really great for them because it opens up a lot more opportunities.

And I've had the opportunity to speak with a number of the girls over Zoom, and it's really amazing and it feels really powerful to see how much better their lives have become because of the education they've been given by Edu-GIRLS.

And I think feelings like that, you know, the accomplishment you get from seeing something like that is why more people should volunteer.

-Like these students, you, too, can help improve the lives of so many people by volunteering in your town and community.

Please read, learn, get involved, and make a difference.

[ Applause ] -We are back and the judges have checked the scores.

Let's see where things stand.

We begin with Langley High School from McLean, Virginia.

Ian, Ashmit, and Maggie -- 240 points.

[ Applause ] From Oakton High School in Vienna, Virginia, Adrian, Rishi, and Naafey -- 395 points.

[ Applause ] And coming back for the semifinal, Richard Montgomery High School from Rockville, Maryland.

Josh, Vincent, and Rachel -- 580 points.

Nicely done.

[ Applause ] Let's hear it for our incredible teams and you, our incredible viewers.

Really happy you could join us today matching wits with these impressive students.

-Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following -- Mitre, a not-for-profit research and development company working in the public interest.

-At Mitre, we're committed to solving some of our biggest challenges in national security, cyber, aviation, and health.

And our dedication to service starts at home.

Working to fight hunger, serving people in need, protecting public health, and supporting our civic institutions.

This is serving the public.

This is Mitre -- solving problems for a safer world.

[ Applause ] -Join us again when we've got Whitman, Osborne Park, and Lake Braddock high schools competing on another "It's Academic" play-off.

I'm Hillary Howard.

See you then.

Bye, everybody.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪