Today, two high school teams compete for the Academic Championship.

The volunteering area.

This is Tennessee Scholars' Bowl game.

Thank you for watching Tennessee's Scholars' Bowl.

I'm Frank Murphy.

This is the 42nd season of our high school academic tournament with teams from all over the area competing to see who will advance this time to the threshold of 32.

Let's say hi to the teams from Pigeon Forge High School and Temple Academy.

Pigeon forge, of course, in Sevier County.

Temple Academy is in Powell and Knox County.

The players from Pigeon Forge, the Tigers of Pigeon Forge, well say hi first to Brenton Cole, who's a junior.

Hey, Brenton, and tell us about yourself.

What do you do?

What do you like?

I like engineering and science and solving problems.

Well, you're in the right place to solve some problems.

What's an example?

I mean, which I can like puzzles you could do for amusement or, you're thinking like real life applications, like engineering, game designing?

Things to solve practical problems.

All right, well, that's good.

And you can make a lot of money doing that.

I hope you have a great success.

Marlon Antunes is here.

You're a senior.

Welcome back, Marlon.

And you were here last year.

Tell us more about yourself.

I'm in the high school marching band.

I play the trumpet there.

But what are some great songs that you can play or that your band can play?

I imagine Pigeon Forge has a pretty good band.

We played something from.

I'm blanking on it.

Youre putting me on the spot right now.

Oh.

Well I mean, you guys probably do.

Do you play Rocky - do your high schools in this area play Rocky Top or is that just?

We did that one year because we went to the UT Stadium and we played with, like high school from all around and the rest of the South.

Yeah.

So they made you learn Rocky Top?

Yeah we learned Rocky Top.

But you wouldn't normally play that at your?

Nah, not usually.

We don't have it this year.

Okay.

Well good.

All right.

Well, if you think of a good song to tell me about later, I'm always interested in hearing that team captain for the Tigers is Uriah Williams, who is a junior.

So.

Uriah, you're going to answer bonus questions on behalf of your squad.

You're a junior, but what else is new with you?

Nothing much really.

I like, history.

I still love Scholars Bowl.

I'm the captain.

Yeah.

And you were here last year, right?

How many years have you been on the show?

Just last year And now?

Well, good.

All right.

I hope you, watch your old episodes.

Maybe you picked up a few tips.

I have not.

Oh, man, I thought, okay, I guess I'm the only one who's vain enough to rewatch every episode.

Let's say hi to Thien Tran, who is a junior.

Also.

Welcome, Thien.

We're happy to have you.

Tell us about yourself.

So I like football.

I also like solving puzzles and, math.

Do you have any favorite football teams?

I mean, I would hope the Pigeon Forge Tigers are number one, but who else?

Yes, of course.

Well, not really.

I don't really watch football.

I just like ‘em.

All right.

Nice.

Let's say hi to the coach for Pigeon Forge High School.

That's Amy Williams, who teaches English and English as a second language to the Tigers.

They'll be taking on the Crusaders of Temple Academy in Powell.

First up is senior Evan Cook.

You've been on the show, I think four years, right?

Good to see you again.

Tell us something about you, Evan.

Well, I'm captain of our high school soccer team, and, my favorite childhood toy is Hot Wheels.

Oh, hot wheels are good, though.

Do you have any the, odd shaped ones.

Do they still make the odd shaped ones?

That's what I used to collect when I was your age.

I think they do.

I think I still have a couple from, like, a while back, so.

And, but you play with them rather than collect them?

I used to play with them.

I don't do anything with them now.

Because you're too busy.

Yeah, exactly.

Yeah, you're just too busy being captain of the soccer team.

Okay.

Micah Vixemma is back with us.

Micah.

Welcome back.

Good to see you again.

Tell us about yourself.

Well, I like Sheba Inus, new ideas, and my favorite childhood toy wasn't really a toy; I liked reading instead.

Well, sure, I did that a lot, too.

Explain to me the Shiba Inu?

The Shiba Inu is a breed of dog made popular by the Dogecoin cryptocurrency made off of the “Much wow,” meme.

Okay, let's say hi to team captain Parker Kelly, who is a senior.

So as captain, you're going to answer bonuses or defer to a teammate by name.

What's new with you?

I play on the soccer team, and my favorite childhood toy are Legos.

Just regular Legos or some of these fancy ones that look like people.

Any kind, Ill build anything.

What's something you've actually successfully built?

Cars, planes, houses, whatever.

Do you do any of the kits that are like- Oh, yeah.

From a famous character?

Like my grandkids, they love, you know, pick one, whether it's Harry Potter or whatever.

Which ones do you make?

I like Star Wars.

Star Wars Lego.

All right.

Those are hugely popular.

I understand that.

And another senior on the squad, Emily Dixon, is back.

Tell us about yourself.

Emily.

I am the captain of the varsity volleyball team.

And my favorite childhood toy was my electric Jeep.

An electric Jeep that you would actually sit in and ride?

Does your parents let you take it in the street?

Not that they knew of.

No.

The reason I ask is we were driving the church the other day, and we saw a family walking down the middle of the street with one of the kids driving the Jeep seemed like just all by herself.

Just skipping ahead.

And I was picture you doing that as a child.

I don't think so.

No.

Hey, how fast did you go?

As fast as it would go.

That sounds like fun.

Let's say hi to the alternates and coaches for Temple Academy.

First up is Rory Carter, Jesse Mitchell, and Allie Tyrrell, and they are joined by coaches Kenan Allen, who is a science teacher, and Jessica Sexton, who teaches history to the Crusaders at Temple.

All right, everybody, you know how the game is played.

We've got Tossups worth ten and bonuses worth 20.

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

First Tossup is foreign language.

What is the Spanish word for “book”?

Micah.

Libro.

Correct.

Foreign language bonus now.

What is the Spanish word for “today”?

Hoy.

Correct.

What is the Spanish word for “yesterday”?

Defer to Micah.

Mañana.

Also right, 20 points on the bonus.

Tossup in U.S.

history.

What is the name of George Washington's historic home in Virginia?

Micah.

Mount Vernon, correct for ten.

And a bonus in history.

Two parts.

Who is the only US president born in Arkansas?

Truman.

That's Bill Clinton.

Who was the only US president born in Georgia.

Jimmy Carter.

That's right.

Ten points on the bonus.

Tossup for all players in health.

Where are the red blood cells created?

Micah.

Bone marrow.

Right.

And a health bonus.

What part of the body is affected by hepatitis?

Answer.

Lungs.

That's the liver.

Try this.

What organ is associated with the medical adjective and cephAlliec?

Answer.

Eyes.

That's the brain.

Tossup for all players in vocabulary.

What is the past participle form of the word “draw”?

Marlon.

Drew.

Not it, you can steal, Temple.

Emily.

Drawn.

Correct.

And a vocabulary bonus.

What is an 11 letter word beginning with E that is the antonym of thrifty.

Extravagant.

is right for 20.

Tossup now In religion.

In the first book of Samuel of the Old Testament, who was defeated by David using a slingshot- Micah.

Goliath.

-And a rock?

And a religion bonus for Temple.

Which book of the Bible contains the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son, Isaac?

Genesis.

Also right, 20 points.

Tossup in literature.

Which Shakespearean play is about the assassination of a Roman emperor?

Micah.

Julius Caesar.

Correct, literature bonus for Temple.

What did the soothsayer tell Julius Caesar to beware?

The Ides of March.

Correct for ten.

Who did Cassius convince to join in the plot by sending him forged letters encouraging him to take action?

Brutus.

Also right, a total of 20 on the bonus.

Geography tossup for all players, which large Midwest city is known as the Windy City?

Micah.

Chicago, Illinois.

Is right for ten and it gets you a visual bonus in geography.

Let's all take a look at the screens, please.

What geologic oddity shown here was designated as America's first National monument in 1906 by President Theodore Roosevelt?

Answer.

Defer to Micah.

Klingsman Rock.

Its called Devil's Tower.

Try this; in what Steven Spielberg movie does a character, played by Richard Dreyfus, used mashed potatoes to represent Devil's Tower?

Jurassic Park.

That was called Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

I took that picture of Devil's Tower all by myself, by the way.

Tossup now in astronomy, what is the galaxy closest to the Milky Way?

Micah.

Andromeda.

Right.

and an astronomy bonus.

The solstices occur in which month?

June and December.

Those are both right for 20.

Tossup in geometry.

What is the complementary angle to 38 degrees?

Thien.

148.

Not it, you can steal Temple.

Complementary is only 52 degrees.

Tossup in art.

What type of artwork is made up of bits and fragments of stone, glass, tile- Micah.

Mosaic.

-And durable metals?

Art bonus for Temple.

What is the common name for potpourri?

The heraldry color of sovereignty.

Purple?

Yes.

What is the common name for sable?

The heraldry color of constancy.

Green.

No, sable is black.

Tossup in English.

Which part of speech connects other words, phrases, and sentences?

Emily.

Conjunction.

Yes.

English bonus.

Spell the word “effect” in the sentence, “Listening to beautiful music has a good effect on my mood.” E-F-F-E-C-T.

correct for 20.

Tossup In economics.

A monopoly means an absence of what?

Parker.

Competition.

Correct.

Economics is your bonus.

The European Central Bank is responsible for the monetary policy of what group of member countries?

European Union.

Correct for ten.

In what city is the European Central Bank headquartered?

Geneva.

That one is Frankfurt, Germany.

You get ten on the bonus Tossup in chemistry.

Which element has the symbol k?

Micah.

Potassium.

Correct, chemistry bonus for Temple.

Name two of the three classes of electrolytes.

Acid and base.

Those are both right.

Salt is the third.

20 points.

Tossup in spelling.

The word disseminate means to distribute, spread or scatter.

Spell “disseminate.” Micah.

D-I-S-S-E-M-I-N-A-T-E.

is right for ten and a spelling bonus for Temple.

Spell the eight letter word beginning with E that describes someone who moves out of a country to live in a different country.

E-M-I-G-R-A-N-T.

Is correct.

Now spell the word that is opposite of emigrant and begins with an I. Answer.

I-M-M-I-G-R-A-N-T That's also right.

You get 20 on that bonus.

Tossup Now in miscellaneous.

according to the proverb, what does the early bird catch?

Micah.

The worm.

Correct, and a miscellaneous bonus for Temple.

Which of the only two United States with names that end in doubled letters?

Answer.

Tennessee and Oregon.

Well, Tennessee is right, obviously, and Hawaii is the other one.

It ends with I. Ten points on the bonus.

Tossup in foreign language.

What is the Latin word for, “elsewhere,” that is used to mean that a person under suspicion was somewhere else when the act was committed?

Micah.

Alliebi.

Correct, foreign language bonus.

What is the English translation for the French phrase, “coup de grâce”?

Answer.

No answer.

That's a final blow or finishing stroke.

What is the English translation for faux pas.

Ethan.

Fake.

That one says social error.

An embarrassing social error or mistake.

Tossup for all players in history.

Who was the first wife of King Charles III?

Micah.

Bloody Mary.

Not it, you can steal, Pigeon Forge.

Uriah.

Elizabeth.

No.

King Charles was married to Princess Diana back in the 1980s.

So no points on that.

Tossup for all players in geology, what metal is found in bauxite?

Micah.

Aluminum.

Is right, and a geology bonus.

Which two states have the fewest earthquakes in the United States?

Idaho and Oregon.

It's Florida and North Dakota, so no points on that.

Tossup for all players in algebra.

Solve for X if six times X plus two equals -22.

Thien.

Negative two.

Not it.

You can steal, Temple.

Negative four is the answer there.

Tossup for all players in sports.

In 1924, what country hosted the first Winter Olympic Games?

Parker.

Sweden.

Not it, you can steal, Pigeon Forge.

Uriah.

Russia.

No, that was France.

Tossup now in mythology, what was the Roman equivalent of the mythical Greek god Aerys?

Parker.

Saturn.

Not it, chance to steal, Pigeon Forge.

Uriah.

Mars.

Mars is right.

Mythology is your bonus.

Atlantis and the Atlantic Ocean are named after which mythical Greek god?

Answer.

Atlantis.

No, Atlantis is named after Atlas, so no points on the bonus.

Tossup for all players in geography, which waterway connects the Red sea to the Mediterranean Sea?

Micah.

The Suez Canal.

Is right, and we don't have time for the bonus, unfortunately, because that is the end of our first half.

Temple trying to run up the score and build themselves a comfortable lead.

Pigeon forge has a chance to catch up in our second half.

Stick around after the break for 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 in 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 Dean, 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, back from halftime.

In this game between the Tigers of Pigeon Forge High School and the Crusaders of Temple Academy and Powell.

Right now, Temple has run up a bit of a lead.

Pigeon forge going to try to catch up in the second half.

Temple has also brought one of their alternates into the game.

Let's say hi to sophomore Allie.

Trill.

Hey, Allie.

Welcome.

Tell us about yourself.

I'm a member of the Speech Club, and I really enjoy drama and acting.

So when you're in the speech club, how does that work?

They just give you a topic and you have to, go contemporaneously or extemporaneously?

Well, they, it depends on what we're doing that day, but we can sometimes do extreme for speaking, and sometimes we do scripts, like, we, memorize a speech for a competition every year.

A famous speech or one that you've written yourself?

It's not written ourself, but it's not necessarily well-known either.

Okay.

But just so you got to see how they want to see how well you do at delivering.

Oh nice.

Someone else's words.

Well, let's get back to it then.

Everybody fingers on the buzzer for Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026 Tossup for all players in biology.

What type of flowering plant completes its life cycle within one year?

Micah.

Annual.

That's right.

And a biology bonus.

The name of which poisonous plant is Italian for, “beautiful lady”?

Poinsettia.

That is Belladonna.

Belladonna.

No points.

Tossup in vocabulary.

What eight letter word beginning with F means to struggle awkwardly and also means- Micah.

Flounder.

-A flat fish that's caught for food.

Vocabulary bonus for Temple.

Horse is to stallion as chicken is to what?

Rooster.

Correct for 20.

Tossup in music.

What is the term for the notes of a chord played in succession, either ascending or descending?

Marlon.

Melody.

No.

You can steal Temple.

That's an arpeggio Tossup for everybody in literature.

What was the sacred object sought by the Knights of the Round Table?

Parker.

The Ark of the Covenant.

Not it.

You can steal, Pigeon Forge.

Thien.

The Holy Grail.

The Holy Grail is right.

And a visual bonus for Pigeon Forge.

Just take a look at the screens, please.

And literature.

Who is the celebrated writer and humorist shown here, whose novels include A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, The Prince and the Pauper, and Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc.

Defer to Marlon.

Edgar Allan Poe.

No, that was Mark Twain we were looking at.

Tossup for all players in government.

What is the term for the procedure in which one jurisdiction returns someone to stand trial in another jurisdiction where they had been- Micah.

Extradition.

-Accused of a crime.

Government bonus for Temple.

Which two countries fought in the Hundred Years War?

France and England.

Is right.

Now, how long did the 100 Years War actually last?

117.

Oh, it's actually 116.

So, so close, but no.

Tossup for all players.

In physics, a baseball player will often use rosin between his fingers and the ball to get more of which physical property?

Micah.

Friction.

Correct, physics bonus.

Name two of the four characteristics of a wave?

Frequency and amplitude.

Are both right.

Wavelength and speed are the other two.

Tossup for all players in math.

If one half a number minus four is equal to ten, what is the number?

Micah.

28.

Is correct.

Math bonus for Temple.. 70% of the workers are on strike, 560 are on strike.

How many workers are there in all?

800.

Correct for 20 points.

Tossup in religion.

Which theologian is known for nailing his 95 theses- Micah.

Martin Luther.

-To a church door in 1517?

Religion bonus for temple.

What were the followers of Calvinism called in France?

Calvinists.

In France, they were known as Huguenots.

What was the term for English Protestants who maintained that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant?

Puritans.

Is right ten points on the bonus.

Tossup in arts.

What is the rehearsal process of actors and directors to determine the actors placements on the stage during a production?

Marlon?

Auditions.

No.

You can steal.

Micah.

Dress rehearsal.

No, blocking is the technical term for that.

Tossup in U.S.

history.

Who was the third president of the United States?

Parker.

Thomas Jefferson.

Correct, history bonus.

What part of the Constitution is the Bill of Rights?

The first ten amendments.

Is right for ten.

Which Founding Fathers proposed Bill of Rights was published in the Gazette of the United States on June 13, 1789?

John Adams.

James Madison, so you get ten points on the bonus.

Tossup in science.

When measuring temperature, what word is now commonly used instead of centigrade?

Brenton.

Kelvin.

No chance to steal, Parker.

Celsius.

Yeah.

Centigrade and Celsius are the same.

Science is your bonus.

What type of clouds are dense and heavy and dark on the bottom, with flat or anvil shaped tops?

Cumulonimbus Right for ten.

What type of clouds are flat, low level, layered and associated with mist and light rain?

Answer.

Defer to Micah.

Stratus.

That's also right.

20 on the bonus.

Tossup In geometry, what name is given to any portion of the circumference other than the entire circle?

Allie.

Arc.

Correct, and the geometry bonus.

What is the name of the side of a right triangle that is opposite the right angle?

Hypotenuse.

Right for 20.

Tossup in games.

In the board game, Trivial Pursuit, how many wedges must you collect- Micah.

Six.

-To be eligible for the final question?

Games bonus for Temple.

In what ancient game could players be penalized for hunching or histing, instead of knuckling down to use a shooter known as a taw?

Backgammon.

That's all terminology from the game of marbles.

No points on the bonus.

Tossup in foreign language.

What commonly used French word is defined as a mixture of dried petal flowers with spices?

Micah.

Potpourri?

Yes, and a foreign language bonus for Temple.

What is the French phrase for complete freedom to do something that literally translates to blank document?

Laissez faire.

Carte blanche is a blank document.

Tossup for all players in geography.

In what deal did the U.S.

acquire the land that became the state of Arkansas?

Marlon.

The Louisiana Purchase.

Is right for ten.

Geography is your bonus.

Which four state capitals have the word city in their names?

Answer.

New York, Salt Lake... Carson.

Can you give me the full names of those two?

Salt Lake City, Carson City, New York City.

Okay, well, we'll give you ten points then, because it is Salt Lake City and Carson City.

The other two are Jefferson City and Oklahoma City.

So ten on the bonus.

Tossup now in health, what feature of the face might have a deviated septum?

Marlon.

The nose.

Correct, and a visual bonus for Pigeon Forge.

Take a look at the screens.

What are the common names for the ossicles?

Which are the tiny bones shown here.

The malleus, incus, and stapes.

Ear bones.

I need the common names of the bones.

So no, I cant give you.

They are hammer, anvil and stirrup.

But the second half of the question is, in what part of the body are they located?

The ear.

Yeah.

So ten points on the bonus.

Tossup in spelling.

To go back on one's word is to renege.

spell, “renege.” Marlon.

R-E-N-E-A-G-E.

Not it.

You can steal Temple.

Micah.

R-E-N-I-G-E.

Well, it's R-E-N-E-G-E.

Tossup for all players in technology, which technology allows wireless communication between devices such as phones and earbuds over short- Marlone.

Bluetooth.

-Distances?

Technology bonus.

The word podcast was first coined in 2004 as a combination of which two words.

Answer.

iPod and broadcast.

Those are both correct for 20 points.

Tossup for all players in literature.

What is the high point or turning point of a story?

Marlon.

Climax.

Yes, and the literature bonus.

In the book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which four characters accompany Dorothy on her way to see the Wizard to whom?

The Tin Man, the Scarecrow- the Tin Man.

the Scarecrow.

the Lion, and the Wicked Witch of the West.

We'll give you 15 for the first one's the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, the Cowardly Lion, and we're counting Toto as a character that accompany Dorothy.

So, 15 on the bonus.

Tossup for all players in history.

What anti-apartheid activist and world leader wrote an autobiography titled- Micah.

Nelson Mandela.

-”Long Walk to Freedom”?

And, a history bonus now.

Following Spain's defeat in the Spanish-American War in 1898, which island that is the largest and southernmost of the Mariana Islands was transferred to U.S.

control?

Hawaii.

Actually, Guam is the largest of the Mariana Islands.

That is the end of the game.

Temple has held on to win, but want to say thank you very much to Pigeon Forge for being here.

Appreciate you guys coming in with your spiffy PF t-shirts.

And Uriah, thanks for being the captain.

Thank you.

Thank you for having us.

I'd like to thank the other team for playing.

Yeah.

Okay.

We're glad that you guys are here.

And meanwhile, Temple, congratulations.

This means you will advance to the threshold of 32.

Congratulations.

I'd like to thank, Pigeon Forge for coming out and competing against us.

And, thank PBS for having us.

All right, well, we look forward to seeing you again.

Of course, you can watch us every day or watch past seasons online using the PBS app.

My name is Frank Murphy, and thank you for watching Tennessee Scholars' Bowl 2026.