Today, two high school teams compete for the Academic Championship of our viewing area.

This is Tennessee Scholars' Bowl.

Thank you for watching Tennessee Scholars' Bowl.

I'm Frank Murphy.

This is the high school academic tournament in its 42nd season.

The winner of today's game will advance to the threshold of 32.

Do you think it'll be Morristown West or Cocke County High School?

We've got the Trojans and the Fighting Cockes.

Let's say hi first to the team from Morristown West.

Beginning with freshman Claire Wike, Claire, welcome.

Tell us about yourself.

Hi.

My name is Claire.

I'm a freshman and I like to cook supper.

What kind of supper?

I mean, I love - I love supper, everyone loves supper.

What do you cook?

Whatever my mom tells me I'm cooking.

Well, you must be better at some dishes than others.

There must be some.

As you're cooking it, you're going, “Oh, yes.” I don't know.

I never make the same thing the same way twice.

I always do something different.

What did you make last Sunday?

For example - or, last time you cooked whatever day it was?

I think I made a casserole.

That's nice.

Kishi Truong is with us.

Kishi, welcome.

Tell us about you, youre a junior and?

Yeah, I'm a junior in high school.

I like to play video games, and I've coded a video game before.

Really?

Yeah.

What's it about?

It's like, a story based game.

It's kind of based on, like, the old RPG games that you would play.

It's 2D.

Have you gotten other people to play it?

Yeah.

Oh, okay.

Cool.

And, how do you distribute it to them?

Like in the form of an app or in the form of?

I haven't made it on mobile yet, so it's usually PC and it's like, like a dotEXC that I send out to people.

Oh, cool.

Good.

Sounds fancy.

I like it.

Tyler Rians is another junior, and Tyler youre back again this year.

Good to see you.

But also this time youre team captain.

So you're going to answer bonuses or defer by name to one of your teammates.

Tell us about yourself.

I have close to 15 different certifications in various aspects.

Okay.

I don't have time for all 15, but maybe you know, as the season progresses, tell us a couple of them.

Some are for auto mechanics center for precision measuring instruments.

And then I have some for basic life support and CPR.

Is this stuff you can do through the high school in Hamblen County or?

Yes?

Yeah.

I did CPR and basic life support through health science education.

And the ARM mechanics gives you the ones for like OSHA and your basic and your precision measurement instrument.

But those many choices - are you're leaning toward one or another as a potential career or?

Just keeping my options open.

Very good.

Well also we've got senior, Zeke Swearingen is back again this year.

Zeke, welcome.

Tell us about yourself.

Well I'm from Virginia Beach and I am an AP capstone scholar.

Nice.

Virginia Beach, I've got relatives there.

It's a nice place to live.

Yeah.

Norfolk.

Norfolk is very nice.

Yeah.

And the beach.

I mean, I personally love to go to Williamsburg, where they have the colonial era, and they have Busch Gardens.

Yeah.

Good theme park.

How does it compare to Dollywood, though?

I'm biased.

I was born there.

I'm a bit biased, but I do like, I think I like Busch Gardens more.

Move on to say hi to the alternates and coach for Morristown West.

We've got Marvin Velasquez, Highland Kaiser, Dylan Collins and Bella Moser with Coach Chandler Everhart, who teaches biology to the Trojans at Hamblen-Morristown West, taking on the fighting Cockes of Cocke County.

Hello, McKenzie Broyles, tell us about yourself.

You're a senior and what else?

I'm in the marching band at the school, and I'm an Eagle Scout.

Now, you're interested in both, but your marching band has a pretty cool name.

What is it?

The Red Regiment.

I like that, okay.

And, Eagle Scout now, that's a kind of a new thing, right?

That girls are doing Eagle scouting.

Yeah, I've been an Eagle Scout for about two years now.

What was your project that earned you the rank?

I did a cubby system in the band room.

So really, you're taking care of both?

In one swoop.

Very nicely done.

Congratulations on that.

Another senior is Riley Holmes.

Tell us about you, Riley.

I am part of FCCLA and I'm also part of FFA.

I love guessing initials.

I'm going to guess FFA is Future Farmers of America?

Yes.

Because that one I've heard of.

But, FCCLA?

Help me out on that.

FCCLA are the Family Career Community Leaders of America.

Excellent.

And how do you apply this to your elastic life?

How do you - what is it, FF, FC, LLA?

Whatever, Ive said too many letters, what do you do?

We just help a lot around the community.

And we also explore different career opportunities for multiple people.

Nice.

Okay.

Good, good, good, good.

And let's say hi to team captain, which is Adam Bishop, a junior.

So Adam, you have to answer bonuses or defer, by name to a teammate.

I notice you've got a red regiment t shirt on as well.

That's the band I just learned from.

McKenzie.

Yes, sir.

Tell us about yourself.

I am a I'm the woodwind captain for the Red Regiment.

And I marched with NJROTC, sir.

Oh, okay.

Very good.

That's, naval junior ROTC.

Yes.

With the, the serves.

Are you in thinking toward military after graduation?

Yes, sir.

I believe I'm about to enlist in the National Guard.

Maybe in the coming month.

Oh, really?

Before you graduate?

Yes, sir.

Well, okay.

That's cool.

I didn't know you could do that.

It makes sense.

I mean, once you're 18, right?

17, sir.

Really?

That's news to me.

Cool.

Let's say hi to Lily Suggs, a freshman.

Oh, so you're the youngster on the squad?

Yeah.

Tell us.

Welcome to the show, first of all.

And tell us about yourself.

I'm in the marching band and concert band for the Red Regiment.

And also I play guitar.

So, the concert band do they also called the Red Regiment?

Yeah.

Woody and guitar is outside of the band.

Right.

And I've never seen a guitar in a marching band.

Am I crazy?

They haven't.

They do sometimes.

Okay.

And, what do you play in the marching band and concert band?

For concert?

I play oboe.

Really?

Oh, that's so fancy.

Well, good.

Well, we're happy to have you here.

Let's say hi to the coach for the Fighting Cockes of Cocke County.

That is Katie Banks, who teaches math.

All right, everybody, you've seen the show before.

You know how it works.

With Tossups worth ten bonuses worth 20.

Get your fingers on the buzzer for Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026.

Which punctuation symbol is used to express ratios, time, or the chapter and verse of a biblical passage?

Adam.

Colon, sir.

Is right.

And an English bonus now for Cocke County.

Which figure of speech is used in the following sentence, “O Death, Where is thy sting?

O Grave, where is thy victory?” Answer, Adam.

Sarcasm, sir.

That is the definition of personification.

An example of personification.

Tossup in government.

What three word phrase does the abbreviation, “A.K.A,” signify when used to- Zeke.

Also Known As.

Introduce an alias.

Government bonus for Morristown.

The Ottoman Empire was abolished in 1922 and succeeded by which new nation state?

Defer to Zeke.

Turkey.

Is correct.

20 on the bonus.

Tossup in science.

Which national park is known as the Salamander Capital of the world?

Zeke.

Yosemite.

Not it.

You can steal, Cocke County.

Adam.

Appalachian, sir.

No, it's the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Tossup now in algebra.

How many coefficients are in the expression three X minus four Y plus five?

Adam.

Two, sir.

Yes, that's right, algebra is your bonus.

Give both solutions for X in the equation; X squared minus 16 X equals zero.

Answer, Adam.

X equals zero and X equals one, sir.

Well you get ten points for “X equals zero,” but the other one is, “X equals 16.” That's ten on the bonus.

Tossup now in sports, as head coach of the Lady Vols basketball team, how many NCAA women's championships did Pat Summitt win?

Adam.

14, sir.

Not it.

You can steal, West.

Tyler.

Nine.

No, eight is the answer.

No points on that.

Tossup now in foreign language.

What is the Spanish word for the number nine?

Adam.

Nueve, sir.

Yes is right.

And the visual bonus in foreign language.

Take a look at the screens, please.

What word is represented here by American Sign Language Fingerspelling?

Answer.

Nothing.

No, sir.

That is, “busy,” B-U-S-Y.

No points on that.

Tossup now in geography.

In which state is Key West.

Zeke.

Florida.

Correct.

Geography bonus for Motown.

Name the four U.S.

states that begin with the letter I. Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, and Idaho.

All four of those right for 20 points.

Tossup in astronomy, during which phase of the moon do solar eclipses occur?

Adam.

Full, sir.

Not it.

You can steal, Morristown.

Cant look at each on the - yeah, it DQs your side.

It's a new moon for a solar eclipse.

Tossup in spelling.

The aardvark is a burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa.

Adam.

A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K, sir.

Is correct for ten.

Spelling bonus for Cocke County - its two parts; spell “torus,” as in a donut shaped object.

T-O-U-R-I-S-T, sir.

That's not it.

It's, “T-O-R-U-S.” Spell “Taurus,” as in the constellation and zodiac sign.

Answer.

C-O-U-R-U-S, sir.

That's T-A.

“T-A-U-R-U-S,” no points on the bonus.

Tossup in religion.

Which religious tradition is most closely associated with yoga?

Adam.

Buddhism, sir.

Not it, you can steal, Morristown.

Kishi.

Hinduism.

Is correct and a religion bonus for Morristown.

Which Southeast Asian nation, where the military has been accused of genocide against The Rohingya Muslim population, was historically known as Burma?

Defer to Kishi.

Myanmar.

Is right 20 points.

Tossup in literature.

The Hare and the Tortoise and The Crow and the Picture are fables credited to which Greek storytellers?

Zeke.

Aesop.

Correct.

Literature bonus for Morristown.

In a visit from Saint Nicholas, Saint Nick's cheeks were like what?

Got nothing on it.

It was a bow, on up in a bow.

Tossup everybody in economics.

Paper money was invented in the seventh century, in what country?

Zeke.

China.

Correct.

Economics bonus for Morristown.

What is the term for the supply on hand of a product, such as raw materials or goods for sale?

Defer to Kishi.

Stock.

Well, the word I'm looking for is inventory.

It's similar, but inventory.

Tossup in geology.

What very hard crystalline igneous rock, composed mainly of quartz, mica and feldspar, is commonly used as a building stone?

Zeke.

Marble?

Not it, you can steal, Cocke County.

Adam.

Cobalt, sir.

Granite is the answer.

No points.

Tossup in math.

How many minutes are in two days?

Oh, we ran out of time on that.

It's 2880 minutes.

Tossup in art.

What is the literal English translation of the French word, “Renaissance”?

Used to describe a period of classical artistry and scholarship that followed the Middle Ages.

Adam.

Period of art, sir.

Not it.

You can steal, Morristown.

Claire.

New beginning.

Renaissance, which would be rebirth.

I can't give it to you there.

Tossup now in English, which type of sentence has two clauses connected by a coordinating conjunction?

Zeke.

A complex sentence.

No, chance to steal, Cocke County.

You were close.

It's compound, not complex.

Tossup now in history.

In 1860, the Pony Express began carrying mail from Missouri, to which other state?

Zeke.

New Mexico.

Not it, you can steal, Cocke County.

Adam.

California, sir.

Is right, and a history bonus now.

Name four of the seven states that were created all or in-part from the land Mexico ceded to the U.S.

at the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848.

California, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, sir.

Three of those are correct, not Texas.

It's Arizona, California, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming.

Youre going get 15 points on that.

Tossup in health.

What is the structural protein to which some people have an intolerance that is naturally found in cereal grains like wheat, rye and barley?

Claire.

Gluten.

That's right.

And health bonus now.

Excluding water and vitamins; name the other four major groups of essential nutrients.

Defer to Claire.

Milk protein, fruit or veg, and grain.

We'll give you, five points for proteins, but the essential nutrients are minerals, carbohydrates, fats and proteins.

Five points on that.

Tossup on vocabulary.

What is a ten letter adjective beginning with the letter M that means excessively careful of small and minor details?

Kishi.

Minuscule, Not it, you can steal.

That would be “meticulous.” Tossup in games.

Which board game features Chance and Community Chest cards?

Zeke.

Monopoly.

Correct, and the games bonus.

Which first person shooter series introduced the artificial intelligence Cortana, who provides information to the Master Chief character and who is also used as the basis for the virtual assistant to Microsoft Windows?

Halo.

Is, at the buzzer, is right.

20 points for Morristown West.

As they have a bit of a lead so far over Cocke County High School, but it's very close yet anything can happen in our second half.

One of these teams advances to the threshold to 32.

We'll find out who it's going to be coming up on Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026.

The 42nd season of Tennessee Scholars' Bowl is a single elimination tournament featuring 50 high school academic teams.

The championship team at this year's Scholars' Bowl receives the Frank Miller Memorial Trophy.

The scorekeeper, timekeeper, and judges for this year's Scholars Bowl are Chandler Benson, Ernie Roberts, Jerry Doherty, Stephen Hensley, Rebecca Longmire, James Dee, and Kathy Waddell.

East Tennessee PBS would also like to thank its staff and the many volunteers who helped make this educational program possible.

To enter your high school in next year's Tennessee Scholars' Bowl, please write to the address shown on your screen.

You're watching Tennessee Scholars' Bowl.

I'm Frank Murphy.

We're back from halftime in this game between the Trojans of Morristown West High School and the Fighting Cockes of Cocke County.

It's pretty close, a little closer than even the score would imply.

Either team could win this game and advance to the threshold of 32.

They're both keeping the starting lineups intact.

So let's get back to it.

Everybody with fingers on the buzzer for Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026.

Tossup for all players in foreign language.

What is the English translation of the French phrase, “au revoir”?

Kishi.

Goodbye.

Yeah.

“Until we see each other again, goodbye.” Foreign language bonus now from Morristown.

Translate, “thank you,” into French.

Defer to Casey.

Merci.

Yes.

And now translate, “thank you,” into German.

Danke.

That's also right, 20 on the bonus.

Tossup in government.

What type of jury decides if there's enough evidence to hold a trial?

Tyler.

Mark jury.

Not it, you can steal Cocke County.

Adam.

Jury of the public, sir.

That's called a grand jury.

Tossup now in physics.

What does a Hertz measure?

Kishi.

Frequency.

Yes, and a physics bonus.

Which great theoretical physicist was offered the presidency of Israel in 1952?

Albert Einstein.

Is right for ten.

Einstein is best known for discovering what?

The theory of relativity.

Is right, 20 on the bonus.

Tossup in geometry.

Find the perimeter of a triangle with sides of 20, 35, and 45m.

Kishi.

90.

No.

Chance to steal, Cocke County.

Adam.

100m, sir.

Bonus for Cocke County.

What is the midpoint in fraction form between negative four and positive seven on the number line?

Answer.

Three halves, sir.

Yeah, one and a half is right.

20 points on the bonus.

Tossup for all players in technology.

On a Windows computer; what is the function of the keyboard shortcut, “Ctr-C”?

Zeke.

To copy something.

That's right.

Technologies is your bonus.

In 1925, which U.S.

president's inauguration ceremony became the first to be broadcast on the radio?

Defer to Zeke.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

No, that's Calvin Coolidge in 1925.

In 1949, which U.S.

presidents inauguration ceremony became the first to be televised?

Answer.

FDR.

No, 1949 it was Harry Truman.

No points on that.

Tossup now in mythology, what mythical Greek warrior became almost invincible when his mother dipped him in the River Styx as a baby?

Kishi.

Achilles.

That's right.

Mythology bonus now.

In Greek mythology, who was the emissary and messenger of the gods and was often presented as the son of Zeus and Maya?

Defer to Zeke.

Hermes.

Is right for 20.

Tossup in geography, which is the only US state that begins with the letter H?

Zeke.

Hawaii.

And a visual bonus for Morristown.

Take a look at the screens, please.

Although it is entirely in one country, a common misconception about Hadrian's Wall depicted here is that it divides which two countries?

Defer to Zeke.

England and Scotland.

Those are both right for 20.

Tossup in astronomy.

What unit of astronomical distance is equivalent to 5.88 trillion miles?

Adam.

A light year, sir.

That's right.

Astronomy bonus now.

With an average density of about 5.51g/cm, what is the densest planet in our solar system?

Neptune, sir.

Its Earth Tossup for all players in math.

What is the next number in the geometric sequence?

3, 15, 75.

Nobody got that in time.

375 would be next.

Tossup for everybody in music, what is the term for the stick often used by conductors to enhance the manual and bodily- Zeke.

Conducting.

No - bodily movements associated with directing an ensemble of musicians?

Chance to steal, Cocke County.

McKenzie.

Baton.

That's right, and a music bonus now.

What musical term tells the musician to gradually play slower?

Ritardando, sir.

That's right.

What musical term tells the musician to gradually play faster?

Accelerando, sir.

That's also right.

20 on the bonus Tossup in literature.

What is the ten letter word beginning with A that means someone or something presented in opposition to the principal character?

Zeke.

Antagonist.

That's right, literature bonus.

Which novel did Jules Verne write about a traveler who makes a wager to circumnavigate the earth?

Defer to Claire.

11,000 Miles Under the Sea.

It's called, “Around the World in 80 days.” What was the name of the protagonist in that book?

Thats Phileas Fogg.

No points on the bonus.

Tossup in history.

In what year was the Magna Carta signed?

Claire.

1215.

That's right and the history bonus.

Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in what year?

Answer 49 BC.

No, 44.

On what day of the year?

Friday.

I needed the Ides of March.

March 15th.

No points on that.

Tossup now in chemistry.

Which dietary mineral has been added to table salt in the US since the 1920s to help decrease the occurrence of boilers?

Adam.

Chlorine.

No, chance to steal, Morristown.

Tyler.

Iodine.

That's right.

Chemistry bonus now.

Other than Astatine and Tennessine, what are the remaining four elements in the halogen group?

Answer.

Defer to Kishi.

Fluorine.

That's one.

Oh!

Is that all you got?

Yeah, thats all we called.

Okay.

Yeah.

Fluorine, Chlorine, Bromine and Iodine.

Someone say, “what the halogen?” I thought I heard that.

That mightve been me.

Tossup for all players in sports, in the game of tennis, what is the word for an unreturned serve?

Nobody got that.

It's an ace.

Tossup in miscellaneous.

In which state is the University of Notre Dame located?

Zeke.

Indiana.

Is right, and a visual bonus now.

Take a look at the screens, please.

Brutus Buckeye, shown here, is the mascot for the sports teams of which college or university?

Ohio State.

Yeah.

That's right.

Didn't say, “The Ohio State,” like they do on TV?

Thats 20 points.

Tossup in arts.

Which actor provides the voice for Woody in the Toy Story films.

Tyler.

Tom Hanks.

Is right.

Arts is your bonus.

Which Off-Broadway play that is a parody of the Harry Potter book series and is often performed in high schools, is subtitled, “Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic”?

Defer to Zeke.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

No, the Off-Broadway parody is called Puffs.

Tossup now in geography, which landlocked South American country borders Chile and Brazil?

Adam.

El Salvador, sir.

No, it's not it.

You can steal Morristown.

Kishi.

Bolivia.

Is right and a geography bonus now.

Name four of the seven countries between Mexico and Colombia that make up Central America?

Defer to Claire.

Dont defer to me.

That's not on the list, Claire.

There's no Gwen.

So this is.

Don't defer to me.

Belize.

Ecuador.

I don't know.

Well, you got five points for Belize.

Oh, yay!

Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama are the others.

Five on the bonus.

Tossup in health.

What is the microscopic hairlike structures or organelles that extend.

Kishi.

Cilia.

Yes, and health bonus.

What lobe of the brain controls vision?

Times up.

You got anything?

The frontal.

No, it's the occipital lobe.

So, no points on that.

But you didn't need them anyway.

That is the end of the game.

Morristown West has held on to win.

Congratulations, you guys.

The, Trojans.

Very good.

And meanwhile, Cocke County.

What a joy to have you guys.

All new players.

Right.

So hope to have your underclassmen representing next year.

We appreciate you.

And, Adam, you have anything you want to say?

There's some very intelligent people.

Morristown West showed up and they showed us this was very fun.

Oh, good.

We appreciate you guys.

I didn't even ask you about your headbands.

Is there a meaning for this?

We are the leaning green fighting machines, sir.

I'm very good.

All right.

Meanwhile, Tyler and Morristown.

Congratulations.

You're going to advance now to the threshold of 32.

You get.

What do you have to say, Tyler?

The tenacity of the team.

And it's a very fun, very fun episode to go against them.

And also, they had very good manners.

They were very respectful.

Yeah.

Well, the “sirs” and I like that too.

Well Tyler, congratulations to you and your team of Trojans.

You get to move on.

I believe you're playing some Spartans in a recreation of the Trojan War.

So we'll see how that goes.

You can keep track of all the episodes, check your local listings, check your PBS website, or binge watch past seasons online using the PBS app.

My name is Frank Murphy.

Thank you for watching Tennessee's Scholars' Bowl 2026.