-Students from Washington International School... ...KIPP DC: College Prep... ...and Sandy Spring Friends meet today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ Hello, everybody.

I'm Hillary Howard, 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.

-And now it is time to meet the teams.

From Washington International School in Washington, Maia, Sumner, and Zachary.

Hey, guys.

Good to see you.

From KIPS in Washington, D.C., Kaleb, Christina, and Jasiyah, welcome to "It's Academic."

This is your team's first foray into our show.

And finally, from Sandy Spring Friends in Sandy Spring, Maryland, Clara, Calvin, and Rachel.

Good to see you guys.

Okay, teams, in this opening round, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

Maia, Zach, Sumner, let's go Washington International.

Hidden in this phrase is the name of what man, the Mahatma who helped lead India to independence.

-Gandhi.

-Yes.

-Conferring Gandhi.

-Gandhi, yep.

-Correct.

Don't scare anybody.

Just rearrange the letters in this phrase to name what 1770 Boston incident that left five colonists dead and moved the country closer to revolution.

-Massacre.

Boston Massacre?

-Massacre.

-Yeah.

-Massacre is right.

Here you have two of the three U.N. members whose names begin with the letter "V." Missing is what South American country whose capital is Caracas?

-Conferring Venezuela.

-Conferring Venezuela.

-Venezuela's correct.

No, he wasn't.

Please change one word and make it correct.

-Lion-Hearted.

-Conferring Cold to Lion.

Yep.

-Yeah.

-Cold to Lion is right.

This was the 1850 decision of the University of Vienna regarding what Austrian monk who later founded the science of genetics?

-Conferring.

-Um...Mendel?

-Answer?

-Yeah.

-Okay, let's do Mendel.

-Mendel?

-Yes.

Gregor Mendel.

You've got it.

Very good.

Washington International School, you've got 200 points.

KIPP DC: College Prep, we're so happy you're here on "It's Academic."

And here's the first question.

Hidden in this phrase is the name of what largest Caribbean island country where Havana is capital?

-Cuba, conferring.

-Yeah, Cuba.

-Yeah, I agree.

-Final answer -- Cuba.

Cuba is right.

The letters in this phrase can be rearranged to name what legendary Greek king who was shocked to learn he'd killed his father and married his mother?

-Poseidon.

-Yeah, Poseidon.

-I agree.

-Yep.

-The answer is Oedipus.

-Oh!

-Yeah, you knew that.

In order to visit these two sites, you would visit what major river of the Pacific Northwest?

Answer?

-Conferring Ohio River?

-Uh... -Final answer -- Ohio River.

-God.

-The answer is Columbia River.

This isn't right.

Please correct it by changing just one word.

Answer in three, two, one.

Carbon -Oxide?

-Carbon dioxide.

There's nothing diplomatic about this statement from what dictator of the Soviet Union during World War II?

-Final answer -- Joseph Stalin.

-Yeah, it was Joseph Stalin.

Nice, KIP.

You got 140 points.

Sandy Spring Friends, you are up.

Here's the first question.

You won't be traumatized if you can find the hidden name of what northernmost of the New England states?

-Conferring Maine.

-Maine.

-Final answer -- Maine.

-Yep.

Turn these letters around, and you'll name what so-called revolution that transformed 18th century England from an agricultural to a manufacturing economy.

-Conferring industrial.

-Yes.

-Industrial.

-Final answer -- industrial.

-It's industrial.

These are elegant highlights of what historic French palace located just outside Paris?

-Conferring Versailles.

-Versailles.

-Versailles.

-Final answer -- Versailles.

-Versailles is right.

No, he didn't.

Please fix this sentence by changing one word.

-Conferring.

-Strauss to Gutenberg?

-Yeah.

Final answer -- Strauss to Gutenberg.

-Correct.

This advice comes from what Russian scientist who collected facts on conditioned reflexes from experiments with salivating dogs?

-Conferring Pavlov.

-Pavlov.

-Pavlov.

-Final answer -- Pavlov.

-Pavlov is right.

Sandy Spring Friends, 200 points.

And that's the end of the opening round.

The Picture Perfect round is next.

♪♪ -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.

♪♪ -Now to the Picture Perfect round.

In this round, questions are worth 20 points up or down, 10 points off for not answering at all.

Washington International, you are up.

Here's your first question.

Painted during the Crimean War, this work depicts a group of people talking with what British woman, the founder of modern nursing?

-Conferring.

-Florence Nightingale?

-We'll go with that.

Final answer -- Florence Nightingale.

-Yeah.

Florence Nightingale.

The Tyndall effect can be seen in which of these?

-Conferring.

Sumner, any ideas?

-Nope.

-We say gelatin maybe?

-Okay, let's go with that.

Gelatin in water.

-I'm really glad you did.

It's gelatin in water.

Dell'Acqua painted this scene after visiting what North African country, ruled today by Mohammed VI from the capital city of Rabat?

-Conferring.

-Conferring Morocco?

-Okay.

-Yep, Morocco.

-Final -- Morocco.

-Yeah, it's Morocco.

Washington International School, 260 points.

KIPP DC: College Prep, here's your first question.

Designed by architect I.M.

Pei, this glass pyramid is an addition to what major Paris art museum?

Answer is...?

-Final answer -- Versailles?

-No, the answer is Louvre.

This starfish these girls are holding belong to what phylum -- mollusks, echinoderms, or Porifera?

-Final answer -- mollusk.

-No, echinoderms.

As this painting shows, it was dangerous to be caught in a storm when rounding what South American cape, the southernmost point on the continent?

Answer?

-Final answer -- Ecuador?

-Nah, the answer is Cape Horn.

KIPP DC: College Prep, you have 80 points.

Sandy Spring Friends, you're up for the Picture Perfect round.

Here's the first picture.

After the Civil War, Fort Davis in Texas was home to African-American soldiers who were given what animal nickname?

-Conferring Buffalo?

-Buffalo?

-Buffalo.

-Final answer buffalo.

-Buffalo Soldiers is right.

Which of these terms refers to a multilayered structure in early embryo development involving a cup-like body of cells enclosing a central cavity?

-Conferring.

I think it's not the first one.

-Gastrula.

Gastrula.

-Final answer -- gastrula.

-Yep, that's it.

This 19th century dagger comes from what modern Middle East country where Tehran is capital?

-Confirming Iran.

-Iran.

-Final answer -- Iran.

-Iran is right.

Nicely done, Sandy Spring Friends.

You have 260 points.

Picture Perfect round is finished, and the Packet Round is next.

♪♪ -Hello.

I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that while Frédéric Bartholdi designed the Statue of Liberty, its metal framework was built by Gustave Eiffel, who had designed the Eiffel Tower?

The statue was dismantled and shipped in pieces to the U.S., where it was reassembled.

Lady Liberty now stands in New York Harbor, a worldwide symbol of freedom.

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

-It is half-time, which means the Packet Round.

As you know, there are 20 points for right answers, nothing off for wrong ones.

Also, if you get every answer correct, there's a 25-point bonus.

Before we start the next round, let's learn more about these students.

We begin with Washington International.

Hey, Maia, tell us about yourself.

-I'm really passionate about journalism, so I spend a lot of my free time working as the editor-in-chief of our school newspaper.

And in terms of some volunteer work that I've done, last year, I built a Little Free Library from scratch to boost literacy rates at a local public elementary school.

-That's beautiful, Maia.

Thanks for being here.

And now, Zach.

Tell us about yourself, Zach.

-I guess my passion right now is politics.

So in terms of service, I've been trying to register voters in Virginia.

And as someone who can vote for the first time now that I'm 18, I've also been trying to ensure that more people vote.

So if you're over 18, be sure to vote in upcoming elections.

-Can't have democracy without participation.

Thank you, Zach.

Appreciate that.

And finally, Sumner, how about you?

-I love music, movies, and I work as a math tutor after school.

-Math tutoring.

Does that kind of fulfill another part of you?

-Yeah.

So I used to struggle with math, but I was helped from math tutoring, and so it's sort of my way of giving back.

-Wonderful.

Now that we've done all of the introductions and learned about you guys, how about I ask some questions in this Packet Round?

Here's the first one, Washington International.

Both a field goal in football and a hat trick in hockey are associated with what same number?

-Is it three?

-Yeah, maybe three.

-But a fie-- -Okay.

-Yeah.

-A field goal in soccer.

-May I have an answer?

-Yeah, three.

-Middle?

-Three.

-Three.

It's it.

Yes.

The United States never joined what international peacekeeping organization that preceded the United Nations?

-League of Nations, conferring, right?

-Yep.

League of Nations.

-Final -- League of Nations.

-Yes.

Here's your science question.

Which of these terms describes the process which occurs during cell division when the nucleus divides into two cells identical in their genetic material?

-Mitosis.

-Conferring mitosis.

-Mitosis.

-Final -- mitosis.

-Yes.

The Cave of 1,000 Buddhas is a religious shrine in what large Asian desert that stretches from Mongolia to northern China?

-Conferring the Gobi Desert?

-Conferring.

Yeah, I guess.

Okay, let's go with the Gobi Desert.

-Gobi.

-Glad you went with the Gobi.

In Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar," the dying Caesar addresses his final words to what man, what friend who had just stabbed him?

-Brutus?

-Conferring Brutus.

-Brutus.

-Yep.

Final -- Brutus.

-It's Brutus.

Here's your math question.

What is the value of this expression, giving your answer as a fraction in lowest terms?

-One-fourth.

-One-fourth.

-One-fourth.

-One-fourth is right.

Though he criticized Americans as "preoccupied with money," what 19th century Frenchman had many favorable things to say about us in his book, "Democracy in America"?

-Conferring.

Any French writers that we know from that time?

-Um...19th century?

-Yes.

-Need an answer... in three -- -Voltaire?

-No.

-Let's go with that.

-It's Alexis de Tocqueville.

-Oh.

-Yeah.

But you know what?

You did a great job with 380 points.

Let's meet these fabulous students from KIPP DC: College Prep.

The captain of the team is Kaleb.

Hello, Kaleb.

What should we know about you?

Hi.

My name is Kaleb Fitzgerald.

I'm a junior at KIPP DC: College Preparatory, and I enjoy finance and theater.

-Finance and theater.

Wow.

Are you performing in theater?

-Yes, I am.

I have a play on November 17th.

-What's it called?

Which one?

-"Laugh to Keep From Crying."

-[ Laughs ] Very good.

Great to have you here, Kaleb.

Christina, what should we know about you?

-Hi.

My name's Christina.

I am also a junior at KIPP DC.

I enjoy soccer and reading.

-Wonderful.

What type of books?

What theme do you prefer to read?

-I like mostly fantasy books, but I'd read all kind of books.

-Yeah, I like fantasy.

Great to have you with us, Christina.

And Jasiyah, tell us about yourself.

-I'm a 14-year-old freshman, and I just like to do chess.

-Nice.

Are you good at chess?

-I'm actually pretty good.

-[ Laughs ] All right, well, that's where I was going.

Here's your first question.

In 1899, American ragtime composer Scott Joplin wrote a piece named for what kind of leaf pictured on the flag of Canada?

-Maple.

-Yeah, maple.

-Maple is right.

The very first book written in America was written in 1608. by what captain who helped found the colony of Jamestown and allegedly owed his life to Pocahontas?

-Captain John S-- Rolfe?

-It is John Smith.

-Oh!

-Here's your science question.

Yeah.

Which of these terms refers to the slight bending of light rays around a sharp edge?

-Final answer -- radiation.

-No, it's diffraction.

One ancient Persian who would have signed his name with two "X"s was what king who won the Battle of Thermopylae?

-Xerxes.

-Yeah!

You got it.

What same naval crime is in the title of books about the USS Kane and the HMS Bounty?

Answer?

-Treason?

-Close.

Mutiny.

Here's your math question.

Simplify this expression taking all routes to be positive and giving your answer as an integer.

-Ten.

-Ten it is.

One big tourist attraction in San Diego is a park named for what Spanish explorer who first sighted the Pacific Ocean in 1513?

-Cortez?

-Nah, it was Balboa.

KIPP DC, you've got 140 points.

How about we meet team three from Sandy Spring Friends in Sandy Spring, Maryland?

Clara is the captain.

Hiya, Clara.

Tell us about yourself.

-I am a member of student government, as well as our speech and debate team.

And I just want to extend a huge thank-you to our entire Sandy Spring community for supporting us, especially last year's captain, Sophia Strocko, who came to practice to see us on Friday and sent us the nicest message this morning to wish us luck.

We hope we make her proud.

-That's beautiful.

I know you will.

Great to see you again, Clara.

Calvin, what are you up to these days?

-I play violin and run on the cross-country team.

-When you play violin, are you doing classical stuff?

Are you doing country?

What do you like?

-I enjoy kind of the more romantic pieces.

I like Tchaikovsky, but I don't think I have a favorite.

-Thank you very much, Calvin.

And Rachel, hi.

-Hi.

I'm on the women's varsity volleyball team, and I would like to thank our super-talented alternates, Diego and Cameron, as well as the rest of our amazing teammates who we practice with.

-Okay, Sandy Spring Friends, we can now play the Packet Round.

Here's your first question.

With an estimated one snake per square meter, people are not allowed on Snake Island, off the coast of what largest South American country?

-Conferring Brazil.

-Brazil.

-Brazil.

-Final answer -- Brazil.

-Brazil.

You wouldn't have to tell me to stay away.

A Byzantine princess was named Honoria.

She was rudely rejected when sending a ring along with a marriage proposal to what 5th-century king of the Huns?

-Conferring Attila?

-Attila.

-Final answer -- Attila.

-Yes.

Here's your science question.

Is the degree of complexity of a protein molecule greater than, less than, or the same as that of a glucose molecule?

-Conferring.

-Greater than?

-Greater than, I think.

-I was gonna say less because doesn't glucose have, like, more components?

But I would trust Rachel.

-Glucose is made of a ton of amino acids, though, so they're really big, right?

-I think -- -So greater than?

-Yeah.

-Okay.

Final answer -- greater than.

-Good choice.

It's greater than.

Vanity can have negative consequences, as what mythical handsome youth learned when he fell in love with his own image and was turned into a flower?

-Conferring Narcissus?

-Narcissus.

-Narcissus.

-Final answer -- Narcissus.

-Narcissus is right.

In 2010, a collector paid almost $100,000 for two pages from the manuscript of what 1852 novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe?

-Conferring "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

-"Uncle Tom's Cabin."

-Final answer -- "Uncle Tom's Cabin."

-Yeah.

Here's your math question.

If your restaurant bill is $50, how big a tip should you leave if you wish to tip 20% of your bill?

-Conferring $10.

-$10.

-$10, right?

-Final answer -- $10.

-$10 is right.

Had Big Macs been around then, they might have been eaten by what Union general nicknamed "Little Mac," who ran against Lincoln for president in 1864?

-Conferring.

-McClellan.

-McClellan?

Not McArthur?

-Yes.

No.

McClellan.

-Final answer -- McClellan.

-McClellan is right.

That means a 25-point bonus.

[ Siren blaring ] Sandy Spring Friends, awesome job with a score of 425 points.

Let's see if lightning strikes next.

We've got the Lightning Round.

♪♪ All right, teams, it's time for the Lightning Round.

In this round, you've got 45 seconds to answer as many as ten questions.

They're worth 20 points up or down, but nothing off if you pass.

Washington International School, all answers are words or names beginning with "H-E." That's "H-E" as in Helen.

In three, two, one.

Achilles was vulnerable only in this place.

-Heel.

-Yes.

This bodily organ has ventricles and oracles.

-Heart.

-Yes.

This is a two word term for deuterium oxide.

-Uh...heli... -Pass.

-Pass.

-Heavy water.

This maneuver is performed on someone who is choking.

-Heimlich.

-Yes.

The Black Hawk is a version of this aircraft.

-Helicopter?

-Yes.

"He" is the chemical symbol for this element.

-Helium.

-Yes.

Socrates was forced to drink this poison.

-Pass.

-Hemlock.

This word refers to the liver.

-Pass.

-Hepatic.

In the American Revolution, these German troops fought for the British.

-Hessians.

[ Buzzer ] -Yeah!

in geometry this is a six-- And there's the buzzer.

In geometry, this is a six-sided, two-dimensional figure.

And Maia, you were about to blurt out... -Hexagon.

-Hexagon.

Sorry.

The buzzer beat you to it.

But you did really well.

Washington International School, 500 points.

Team two, KIPP DC: College Prep, you're up.

All answers are words or names beginning with the letters "H-A."

That's "H-A" as in happy.

In three, two, one.

This circle of light appears over the head of an angel.

-Halo.

-Yes.

This tool is carried by the Norse god Thor.

-Hammer.

-Yes.

An ancient wall in England is named for this Roman emperor.

-Hayley's?

-Hadrian.

"Hf" is the chemical symbol of this metallic element.

-Pass.

-Hafnium.

This barbed weapon was used in hunting whales.

-Hatchet?

-Harpoon.

This Carthaginian general crossed the Alps with elephants in 218 B.C.

-Pass.

[ Buzzer ] -Ha-- Ah, Hannibal is the answer we were looking for.

KIPP DC: College Prep, 140 points.

And we want to thank you for your first foray into "It's Academic."

Really happy to have you.

Sandy Spring Friends, let's play the lightning round.

All answers are words or names beginning with "H-O."

That's "H-O" as in hoof.

In three, two, one.

This was the favorite food of Winnie the Pooh.

-Honey.

-Yes.

This was the name of the pirate captain in "Peter" Pan.

-Hook.

-Yes.

He was our 31st president.

-Hoover.

-Yes.

This is a three-dimensional image created by a laser.

-Hologram?

-Yes.

This emotion was left after Pandora released the troubles.

-Hope.

-Yeah.

This name was given to the city of Saigon.

-Ho Chi Minh.

-Correct.

This substance is produced by your endocrine glands.

-Pass.

-Hormones.

"Ho" is the chemical symbol of this rare-earth element.

-Pass.

-Holmium.

This astrological chart forecasts a person's future.

[ Buzzer ] And the answer is... -Horoscope.

-Horoscope.

But you didn't need it.

Sandy Spring Friends, awesome job -- 545 points.

And that is the game.

The official scores are next.

-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.

-Hi, I'm Cameron.

I am a senior at Sandy Spring Friends School.

I am involved in a website called Project Gutenberg, which basically takes old books, old texts that are out of copyright, and they upload them for free for anyone to use for the public to see.

And I -- What I do as a volunteer is I take a look at those transcripts, I edit them, I make sure there's no spelling errors, I make sure they match the original text, and then I adjust them to suit the formatting needs, and then we upload them.

It really is meaningful to me because I have a very deep love of reading and writing.

And, you know, during the pandemic when I was kind of stuck at home and there was really nothing to do, it was a really great way for me to express that while also feeling like I was contributing something.

And, yeah, it's just I -- you know, someone who believes education should be accessible, it feels like a very small part that I can do to contribute.

-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.

-The scores are now official.

First, congratulations to our team from KIPP DC: College Prep.

Your first time on "It's Academic" -- 140 points.

We really look forward to seeing you back here again next year.

Also, congratulations to Washington International School.

Maia, Zachary, and Sumner -- 500 points.

And coming back for the playoffs -- Sandy Spring Friends from Sandy Spring, Maryland.

Clara, Calvin, and Rachel -- 545 points.

Great game, everybody.

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

Really happy you could join us today and match wits with some of 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... ...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.

-Please join us next time when Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Edison, and South County high schools compete right here on "It's Academic."

I'm Hillary Howard.

See you then.

Bye.

-I'm David Rubenstein, reminding you to... ♪♪