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

Coming up, it's the wild card match, with Amherst Regional High School... (cheers and applause) ...taking on Westwood High School.

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

(cheers and applause) ♪ ♪ (cheers and applause) Hi, everybody, and welcome to the 17th season of "High School Quiz Show."

I'm Joe Hanson, your host.

Before we start today's wild card match, I'd like to welcome our teams and audience back to the studio.

Give yourselves a round of applause.

(cheers and applause) 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.

Good luck, teams, and here's a very special guest to kick us off.

- Welcome to the 17th season of "High School Quiz Show."

I'm Susan Goldberg, president and C.E.O.

of GBH.

I'm excited to kick off this annual celebration of academic excellence, and I want to extend a special thank you to the coaches whose time, dedication, and mentorship make this competition possible.

So let's get started with the first question of this year's competition.

Which constitutional amendment, ratified in 1791 as part of the Bill of Rights, protects the five key freedoms, including freedom of the press, speech, religion, assembly, and the right to petition the government?

HANSON: Yuhan.

- The first amendment.

HANSON: First amendment is correct.

On December 8, 2024, who concluded her record-breaking Eras Tour in Vancouver with more than $2 billion in ticket sales?

Eli.

- Taylor Swift.

HANSON: Taylor Swift is right.

In a 2004 Caldecott Honor picture book by Mo Willems, the bus driver implores the reader not to let what animal drive the bus?

Hayato.

- Pigeon.

HANSON: The pigeon is right.

In 2024, a federal judge upheld the use of race in admissions at what federal military academy in Annapolis, Maryland?

Yuhan.

- West Point.

HANSON: No.

Amherst, you have a chance.

Eli.

- Naval Academy.

HANSON: The Naval Academy is right.

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

In honor of the 60th anniversary of "Star Trek," pictured here is William Shatner as the iconic Captain James T. Kirk.

The T stands for what Roman emperor, the adopted son of Augustus?

Eli.

- Tiberius.

HANSON: Tiberius is right.

In 1970, the Super Bowl trophy was officially renamed in memory of what legendary coach of the Green Bay Packers?

Hayato.

- Vince Lombardi.

HANSON: That's right.

What kind of animal is the narrator in the children's novel "Black Beauty"?

Jacob.

- A horse.

HANSON: Horse is right.

The first known example of democracy was established by Cleisthenes in what ancient Greek city-state?

Jesse.

- Athens.

HANSON: Athens is correct.

In exchange for a conditional second-round draft pick, what longtime captain of the Boston Bruins was traded to the Florida Panthers in March 2025?

Jacob.

- Brad Marchand.

HANSON: Yes.

"History is on our side.

We will bury you."

What Soviet leader said this in 1956, telling an audience of Western ambassadors that communism's defeat of capitalism was inevitable?

Alex.

- Khrushchev.

HANSON: That's right.

During the Han Dynasty, Emperor Wudi made what school of philosophy the state religion of China?

Jacob.

- Confucianism.

HANSON: Correct.

Approximately how long does it take the International Space Station to circle the Earth: 90 minutes, 12 hours, or one day?

Yuhan.

- 90 minutes.

HANSON: 90 minutes is right.

Known as "the Waterloo of the Confederacy," the 1865 Battle of Five Forks was part of the lengthy Union siege of Petersburg, in what Southern state?

Alex.

- Virginia.

HANSON: Yes.

Most human beings alive today carry remnants of the DNA of what species that became extinct about 40,000 years ago?

Uri.

- Neanderthals.

HANSON: That's correct.

We're off to a fantastic start, but 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 UMass Amherst.

- 29,200.

That's how many days most of us have here on Earth.

If we see a better future, it's on us to lead the way.

At UMass, be the future you want to see.

Be revolutionary.

(cheers and applause) HANSON: Welcome back.

The score is Amherst with 50 points.

Westwood with 90.

Let's get back to the game.

Born on July 10, 2024, at a zoo in Chonburi, Thailand, what baby pygmy hippopotamus soon became an internet sensation for her playful antics and adorable appearance?

Uri.

- Moo Deng.

HANSON: Moo Deng is right.

The First Law of Thermodynamics is also known as the Law of Conservation of what?

Uri.

- Energy.

HANSON: Energy's right.

The Battle of Actium was a naval battle where Octavian, later known as Augustus, became the undisputed master of the Roman world.

He defeated Mark Antony and what Egyptian queen?

Jesse.

- Cleopatra.

HANSON: Yes.

Coupvray, France, has a museum dedicated to what native son who invented a writing system for the blind?

Uri.

- Braille.

HANSON: Louis Braille is right.

In 2015, in a deeply divided 5-4 ruling, the U.S.

Supreme Court declared a nationwide right to same-sex marriage.

What chief justice issued a stern dissent from the bench?

Hayato.

- John Roberts.

HANSON: Correct.

Post-It Notes were introduced in 1980 by the Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, which is better known by what brand name?

Jacob.

- 3M.

HANSON: Yes.

Which famous scientist does not have an element named after him on the periodic table: Albert Einstein, Nicolaus Copernicus, or Isaac Newton?

Yuhan.

- Newton.

HANSON: Newton is correct.

In A.M.

and F.M.

radio, A.M.

stands for amplitude modulation, while F.M.

stands for what?

Eli.

- Frequency modulation.

HANSON: Yes.

Poland's former capital, what was the only major Polish city to escape devastation during World War II, leaving the beautiful architecture of its Old Town intact?

Hayato.

- Kraków.

HANSON: Yes.

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim wrote the music for "Here Lies Love," a musical about what controversial figure who wielded great power as first lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986?

Hayato.

- Isabella Marcos.

HANSON: No.

Amherst, you have a chance here.

(buzzer sounds) The answer is Imelda Marcos.

The Dutch have a saying: "God made the Earth, but the Dutch made the Netherlands."

Without extensive dikes, canals, and pumping stations, what sea would have washed away their land?

Jesse.

- The North Sea.

HANSON: That is correct.

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

The score is Amherst with 110 points.

Westwood with 130 points.

This is a close one so far.

Let's hear it for both teams.

(cheers and applause) 17 teams earned a spot in this year's competition at our annual Super Sunday qualifying event.

In today's wild card match, Amherst High School and Westwood High School are both trying to claim the final spot in the tournament bracket.

Now, the head-to-head round is next, but first, we're gonna take a minute to get to know the players.

Always one of my favorite parts.

Amherst, we're gonna start with you guys.

Eli, you're a saxophone player?

- Yes.

HANSON: Saxophonist?

What do you call yourself?

- I say saxophonist, yes.

HANSON: You have a sax inspiration?

- Yeah, I love Charlie Parker.

HANSON: Not a Kenny G guy, or is that, that working for you?

- He's too flashy for me.

(laughter) HANSON: If you grow that hair out, though, I think you might have something going there.

- (chuckles): Okay.

HANSON: Jesse.

It says here you have "some" chickens.

How many chickens is some chickens?

- Around 30 or so.

HANSON: Okay, that's more than some.

Do you make, get a lot of eggs out of those chickens?

- Of course.

HANSON: Now, is there anything people would be surprised to know about keeping chickens?

Do they have attitude?

- I don't know, they just, like, really don't like each other.

(laughter) They'll peck each other all the time, and... HANSON: Are there some you have to separate, like little kids... - Yes.

HANSON: ...and be, like, "You two can't play together"?

(laughter) I like that.

Uri, it says you are trilingual.

- I am.

HANSON: And tri-international.

- Those kind of go together.

HANSON: Do those line up perfectly?

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

HANSON: Okay-- what are the languages and internationalities?

- I, I speak Spanish and Hebrew, and I am Argentinian Israeli.

HANSON: Do you find any of those languages to be kind of a, a favorite?

- No, they, they both have their kind of intricacies and interesting parts about them, but I don't... I think they're both-- they're different, so I can't... Kind of comparing apples and oranges.

HANSON: Do you read Hebrew?

- I don't, unfortunately.

HANSON: Okay.

Owen.

I hear you like to bake a little bit.

- I do, I like to... I made a cake of the Taj Mahal.

HANSON: Okay, see, I thought you were gonna say, like, cupcakes and cookies.

You know, that's, like, "Baking Show" stuff.

How long did that take?

- About a day, maybe.

HANSON: Really?

- I, I was spending hours on it.

It was for a, a class of mine I had to participate in.

HANSON: Well, something on this set is actually made of cake, and it's your job to figure out what it is.

(laughter) - I've been trying, I, you know.

HANSON: Is it cake?

Just kidding-- it's all real stuff.

Okay.

(laughter) Also on the Amherst team, we have alternate Zack and coaches Stephen Bechtok and Chris Gould.

(cheers and applause) Now let's get to know the Westwood team.

Jacob, you're also a musician.

What do you play?

- I play trombone and I also play some euphonium.

HANSON: I have to admit, I know a lot of things-- I'm not sure I know what a euphonium is.

- Just picture a tuba, and you kind of just shrink it down a little.

HANSON: Okay.

- And that's... HANSON: Easier to carry, for sure.

- Exactly.

HANSON: Now, I hate to ask you to pick a favorite between those two, but do you have a favorite?

- I'd say trombone.

HANSON: When one of your friends tells a bad joke, do you ever give them that whole... (imitates sad trombone) ...thing?

- If I'm ever carrying a trombone around when they do that, I'm sure I would.

HANSON: I guess you're right.

You don't always have a trombone at the ready.

- Yeah.

HANSON: Alex.

You do a bit of skiing?

- Yup.

HANSON: Bunny slopes?

- Nah.

HANSON: The blues?

- Sometimes, sometimes.

HANSON: Black diamonds?

- Yup.

HANSON: Double black diamonds?

- Yup.

HANSON: What's your favorite type of skiing?

- I like tree skiing a lot.

It's, like, so fun to, like, not be on a trail and just have, like, free roam.

HANSON: Those are very hard things to run into.

You're being careful, right?

- Yeah.

HANSON: Okay.

Yuhan, little bit of Minecraft playing?

- Yeah.

HANSON: Just do creative?

Just kind of... - Speedruns.

HANSON: Speedruns?

- Mm-hmm.

HANSON: Tell me what's your, what's your best speedrun challenge and, and time that you've done?

- I have a set seed, Balanced Diet run that I'm really proud of-- sub 15.

HANSON: That's pretty amazing.

- (murmurs) - It was pretty cool.

HANSON: All right, maybe some tips later.

- Definitely.

HANSON: Hayato, you used to live in Japan, I hear.

- I did.

HANSON: How old were you when you moved?

- Just, like, under one, I think.

HANSON: Okay, so is there any chance you remember anything from living in Japan?

- Absolutely not.

I don't, I don't really have any memories from back then.

HANSON: But do you, do you find that that continues to be a part of who you are today?

- Yeah, I think so-- I can, like... No, I speak Japanese, but, like, I can't write, so... HANSON: Well, it is a completely different system.

I think there are many people who share that with you, that... I also can't write Japanese.

Okay.

Also for Westwood, we have alternates Shane and Duanmu and coach Jared Sargent.

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.

Why don't we have a little friendly handshake before we start?

Okay.

Here we go.

Who was the first signer of the U.S.

Declaration of Independence?

- John Hancock.

HANSON: Yes.

What French leader lost most of his army in a disastrous retreat from... - Napoleon.

HANSON: Yes.

Gemstones and pearls are measured in what unit of weight... - Carats.

HANSON: Yes.

A normal human heart has how many valves?

(buzzer sounds) Four.

In Norse myth, brave warriors who die in battle are sent to what... - Valhalla.

HANSON: Yes.

What nine-letter word refers to the gel-like part of the cell where mitochondria are located?

- Cytoplasm.

HANSON: Yes.

In martial arts such as kung fu, what color belt is typically used for absolute... - Black.

HANSON: No, white.

On May 10, 1865, Union forces near Irwinville, Georgia, captured what Confederate president?

- Uh... Jackson?

HANSON: No, Davis.

What Japanese city was the official host of the 1964 and 2020 Summer Olympics?

- Tokyo.

HANSON: Yes.

Pigeons and many other birds can see what type of light that's invisible to humans?

- Ultraviolet.

HANSON: Yes.

Dhaka and Chittagong are the two largest cities of what country in South Asia?

(buzzer sounds) Bangladesh.

The Volga River flows through Russia and empties into what sea?

- The Black Sea.

HANSON: No, Caspian Sea.

What Jonathan Larson rock musical was based on the tragic opera "La Bohème"?

(buzzer sounds) "Rent."

The Berber languages are spoken in the northern part of which continent?

(bell ringing) Didn't make it in time.

We were looking for Africa there.

That's the end of the round.

Let's take a look at the score.

Amherst has 140 points.

Westwood has 140 points.

We've got a tie.

Let's give it up for both for of these teams.

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

Today's categories are: Flex Time, Give Petes a Chance, I Have Felines for You, Count Me In, Survey Says!, and The Twelve.

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 are able to confer.

Amherst, who's your spokesperson gonna be?

Uri.

Westwood, how about you?

Jacob, all right.

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

Okay, what's the first category gonna be?

- Count Me In.

HANSON: Count Me In.

These are questions about math.

For ten points: a trapezoid is commonly defined as a quadrilateral with how many pairs of parallel sides?

- (whispering) - Oh, paired!

- (aloud): One pair.

HANSON: One is correct.

For 15 points: a group of 280 high school seniors is going to the prom by bus.

How many buses are needed if each bus holds 50 students?

- (whispers): Six.

- (aloud): Six buses.

HANSON: Correct.

For 20 points: a reflex angle is defined as an angle of more than how many degrees?

- (whispering): 180.

- 180.

- (aloud): 180 degrees.

HANSON: That's right.

For 25 points in Count Me In: you roll a pair of standard six-sided dice.

In lowest terms, what is the probability of rolling doubles?

- (whispering): 1/36, right?

1/36, right?

- What?

- 1/36?

- (aloud): One in 36.

HANSON: No, the answer is one in six.

For 30 points: what is the limit of 1 over X as X approaches infinity?

- (whispers): Zero.

- (aloud): Zero.

HANSON: Zero is correct.

Westwood, your first category.

- (whispering): Survey Says!

- Survey Says!

- (aloud): Survey Says!

HANSON: Survey Says!

These are questions about TV game shows.

For ten points: formerly known as Stage 10, the "Jeopardy!"

stage has been officially renamed in honor of what iconic host who passed away in 2020?

- (whispers): Yeah.

- (aloud): Alex Trebek.

HANSON: That's right.

For 15 points: which member of the British royal family was once a suitcase model on "Deal or No Deal"?

- (whispering): Should we just pass this?

- Diana?

- Pass?

Yeah, sure.

Pass-- pass.

- (aloud): Pass.

HANSON: Looking for Meghan Markle.

For 20 points in Survey Says!

: in 2024, Pat Sajak took his final spin as host of "Wheel of Fortune" after 41 years.

Who is his replacement?

- (whispers): I know-- Ryan Seacrest.

(aloud): Ryan Seacrest.

HANSON: That's right.

For 25 points: what current host of "Family Feud" produces a version of the show for South Africa?

- (whispering): Is it Steve Harvey?

- Yeah.

- I'm gonna try it.

(aloud): Steve Harvey.

HANSON: Steve Harvey is right.

And for 30 points: known for her roles in the films "Akeelah and the Bee" and "Madea's Family Reunion," who won an Emmy in 2024 for Outstanding Host for a Game Show for her work on "Password"?

- (whispering): What do we want to do?

- Want to pass?

- I don't know.

- Toss or pass?

- Toss or pass?

- We can toss it.

- (aloud): We're gonna toss this.

HANSON: All right.

Amherst, this question goes to you.

- (whispering): Do you want to pass?

- We have to answer it.

(aloud): No answer.

HANSON: We are looking for Keke Palmer.

Okay, Amherst, your category.

- (whispering): The Twelve.

No, let's pick The Twelve.

(aloud): Can we pick The Twelve?

HANSON: The Twelve.

All answers in this category are 12-letter words.

For ten points: what adjective describes people who are able to use their right and left hands equally well?

- Ambidextrous.

HANSON: Correct.

For 15 points: what is nicknamed the "Keystone State" due its central location among the original 13 colonies and its crucial role in the founding of the nation?

- (whispering): Do you know it?

- I think it's Maryland, but I don't... (whispering indistinctly) - (aloud): Pass.

HANSON: We're looking for Pennsylvania.

For 20 points: also known as the Disarming Charm, what signature spell of "Harry Potter" is used to disarm an opponent of their wand?

- Expelliarmus.

HANSON: That's correct.

For 25 points in The Twelve: from the Latin meaning "swift robber," what small, feathered dinosaur used its curved claws to grab and kill its prey?

- (whispers): Velociraptor.

- (aloud): Velociraptor.

HANSON: Correct.

And for 30 points: in an upcoming 2026 film adaptation of the "Odyssey," Lupita Nyong'o is expected to play the dual roles of Helen of Troy and what vengeful wife of Agamemnon?

- (whispering): Toss.

- What?

- Let's toss it-- we don't know it.

- (aloud): Can we toss that?

HANSON: You can toss.

Westwood, this question goes to you.

- (whispering): What?

- Guess something.

(team whispering indistinctly) - (aloud): No answer.

HANSON: We are looking for Clytemnestra.

Westwood, final category to you.

- (whispering): Which one?

Do we want to do Pete?

- Yeah, let's choose Pete.

- (aloud): We're gonna do Give Petes a Chance.

HANSON: Give Petes a Chance.

These are questions about famous men named Pete.

For ten points: what former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, served as U.S.

secretary of transportation under President Biden?

- (whispering): Pete Buttigieg.

- (aloud): Pete Buttigieg.

HANSON: Correct.

For 15 points: banned from Major League Baseball in 1989 for betting on games, what former member of the Cincinnati Reds was posthumously reinstated in 2025, making him eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame?

- Pete Rose.

HANSON: Correct.

For 20 points: in 2025, what U.S.

secretary of defense came under scrutiny for using the Signal messaging app to share sensitive military strike plans?

- Pete Hegseth.

HANSON: Correct.

For 25 points in Give Petes a Chance: what American tennis player won 14 Grand Slam singles titles, a record among male players until it was broken in 2009 by Roger Federer?

- (whispering): Should we just pass this?

- Yeah, pass it.

- Pass it, pass it.

- (aloud): Pass.

HANSON: We're looking for Pete Sampras there.

And for 30 points: one of several people referred to as "the fifth Beatle," what drummer for the Beatles was fired in 1962, shortly before the band achieved worldwide fame?

- (whispering): Pass.

- What do we do?

- Pass, pass, pass.

- Pass, yeah, pass.

- (aloud): Pass.

HANSON: That drummer was Pete Best.

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

The score is Amherst with 215 points.

Westwood just behind with 210 points.

Let's hear it for both of these teams.

(cheers and applause) Okay, we are 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.

Okay.

The clock is set.

Here we go.

The mother of Roo, who is the only female character in the Winnie-the-Pooh books?

(buzzer sounds) Kanga.

A U.S.

representative serves a term of how many years?

Uri.

- Two years.

HANSON: Yes.

The Sepoy Rebellion of 1857 was a violent uprising against British rule in what country?

Hayato.

- India.

HANSON: Yes.

What U.S.

state forms almost the entire western border of Louisiana?

Jacob.

- Texas.

HANSON: Yes.

In 2025, what five-foot-tall singer won a Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album... Uri.

- Sabrina Carpenter.

HANSON: Yes.

What small organ located close to the liver and stomach can release extra white... Uri.

- Pancreas.

HANSON: No, the spleen.

S.E.

Hinton wrote "The Outsiders" in the 1960s when she was a high school student in which city?

Alex.

- Tulsa.

HANSON: Yes.

What country on the Mediterranean coast is the largest country in Africa by land area?

Alex.

- Algeria.

HANSON: Yes.

Derived from the Latin word for crown, what term refers to the outermost region of the sun?

Jesse.

- Corona.

HANSON: Yes.

What Broadway musical includes the song "Horton Hears a Who"?

Uri.

- "The Cat in the Hat."

HANSON: No, "Seussical."

Often associated with bribery or extortion, what three-word Latin phrase means "this for that"?

Eli.

- Quid pro quo.

HANSON: Yes.

Emiliano Zapata was a leader of what national revolution... Uri.

- Um, Zapatistas.

HANSON: No, the Mexican Revolution.

Mr.

Toffee and Mr.

Yeti are characters in what popular video game?

(bell ringing) We were looking for "Candy Crush Saga" there.

And the winning team this week is Westwood High School with 290 points.

Amherst finishes with 235.

Congratulations to both teams for a great game.

Westwood has earned the final spot in this year's tournament bracket and moves on to play Milton Academy.

It's gonna be a good one, so be sure to join us right here, next week, 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 the Museum of Science.

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