-Students from Sherwood... ...National Cathedral... ...and Dominion meet today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ -Hello everybody.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Welcome to "It's Academic," the world's longest running TV quiz show, produced by Altman Productions in association with David M. Rubenstein Productions, and WETA.

-Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following... George Mason University.

All Together Different.

-Call us different.

-Different in where we come from.

-Where we going.

-And how we think.

-But the same in our dreams for tomorrow.

-Driven by the pool of possibility.

To inspire.

-To think fearlessly.

-To protect and to heal the planet.

We know the world will change.

-Together... -We will be the ones to change it.

-Call Mason different.

-Altogether.

-Different.

-Hey, guys, we get to see all of these teams compete today.

We're very happy about that.

And we begin, as we always do, with a fast start.

Questions are worth 10 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

The students don't see what you do on the screens at home.

Here we go.

Eight is Enough.

All your answers here must have exactly eight letters.

See if you can identify the following persons, all of whose last names are eight letters long.

Yep.

Sherwood.

-Crichton.

-Yeah.

Michael Crichton.

Yep.

National Cathedral.

-Thurgood Marshall.

-Yeah.

Yeah, National.

Cathedral.

-Sullivan.

-Yep.

That's it.

The answer is Goethals.

John Burgoyne is the answer.

Yep.

Sherwood.

-Garrison.

-Correct.

Yep.

Sherwood.

-Thatcher.

-Thatcher is right.

Yep.

Sherwood.

-Banneker.

-Banneker is right.

And that is the end of our fast start.

Let's recap these scores.

140, Sherwood, 120, National Cathedral, and 100 points for Dominion.

So now we get to meet the teams before we do the mix and match round.

We begin with Sherwood from Sandy Spring, Maryland.

Hey, Lucy, what should we know about you?

-Hi, I'm Lucy, I'm a junior at Sherwood High School, and I love to play the flute.

-Oh.

How long have you been playing?

-Since third grade.

-And what's your favorite kind of stuff to play?

-Ooh, I love baroque music.

-Yeah?

-Nice.

So you're good with the high notes.

-I try.

-I used to play flute a bazillion years ago.

Now I can't get a sound out of it, but I was bad at the high notes.

-Oh, yeah.

Hi, Yosef.

-Hi, I'm Ziv, I'm a junior at Sherwood also, and I run cross country.

-Nice.

You've been doing that a while?

-Yeah, since I was a freshman.

-Uh-huh.

What's your favorite distance?

-Um, I like running 5K.

-A 5K?

All right.

Well, it's good to have you.

And hello, Nati.

-Hi, my name is Nati.

I'm a junior at Sherwood.

My favorite movie's "Tora!

Tora!

Tora!"

-Oh, wow.

And that's unusual for someone of your age.

-I like World War II.

-What is it about -- Huh?

You like World War II.

History.

Yeah, it's -- it's pretty interesting.

Guys, your first question.

Chic or Neat?

It will be neat if you can find the name of what part of the eye that covers the iris and pupil and can be transplanted.

-Cornea.

-Cornea, it is.

Prophetic, profligate, profound.

A person who is very extravagant and wasteful can best be described by which of these adjectives.

-Profligate.

-That's right.

All wars are popular for the first blank days.

You can complete this quotation from historian Arthur Schlesinger by inserting what number equal to the number of days in the month of April.

-30.

-Yes.

Noah's ship, part of a circle.

Here you have clues for what two words that sound alike but are spelled differently.

-Arc.

-Arc is correct.

-The English church shall be free.

This promise was included in what document signed by King John in 1215.

-Magna Carta.

-Magna Carta is right.

Nicely done, Sherwood.

240 points.

And now to team two.

National Cathedral School from Washington, D.C., home of the Eagles.

Hey, Jane, tell us something about yourself.

-I'm Jane, I'm a sophomore at NCS, and I dance and do theater.

-Ah.

Which do you like better?

-Or both?

-I really like both of them.

-Uh-huh.

And what kind of dance do you do?

-Uh, I do a lot of genres, but I'd say my favorite is lyrical.

-All right.

Well, it's very nice to have you and Chloe.

Hi.

-Hi, I'm Chloe, I'm a junior at NCS.

I love music, I do violin -- I play violin and viola, and I also play field hockey.

-And are you doing classical pieces with violin and viola?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Nice.

And finally we get to say hello to Babiha.

How are you doing?

-I'm good.

How are you?

-I'm well, thank you.

Tell us something about yourself.

-So my name is Babiha.

I'm a junior at National Cathedral School, and I perform a style of Indian dance called bhangra.

-Oh, wow.

And tell us about that.

-I would say it's a very, like, energetic sort of dance originating from northern India.

-All right, guys, I've got some questions for you.

It's possum terrain.

Check out this terrain and see if you can find the hidden name of what South Carolina fort where the Civil War began.

-Sumter.

-Yes.

-Unappreciated, unfeeling, unselfish.

Which of these words best describes someone who is callous?

-Unfeeling?

-That's it.

You can complete this comment from Martin Luther by adding what cardiac organ of the body that has atria and ventricles.

-The heart.

-Yeah.

Tool to lift a car, knave in a deck of cards.

Here you have clues for what two homonyms, words that sound alike but are spelled differently.

-Jack.

-Jack is correct.

Character is much easier kept than recovered.

This is a quote from the American Crisis by what Revolutionary War pamphleteer who also wrote Common Sense.

-Thomas Paine.

-Thomas Paine is right.

Nice.

National Cathedral, 220 points.

And now from Sterling, Virginia, Dominion High School.

Hiya, Roshan.

Tell us about yourself.

-Hi, I'm Roshan and I am a freshman at Dominion.

I like to run also.

Yeah.

And do you run far?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

You like that?

All right.

Good to have you.

Hi, Evie.

-Hi, I'm Evie, I'm a sophomore to Dominion High School, and I love to do taekwondo.

-Taekwondo?

And you've been doing that, I remember last time you said you've been doing it for a while, right?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, you have, like, an accomplished belt, right?

-Yeah, I just got my second degree black belt like a week ago.

-Wow, that's really cool.

So you can kick some butt.

Yeah, yeah.

And finally.

Joseph.

Hi, Joseph.

-Hi.

How are you?

-I'm very well.

Thank you.

Happy to see you.

-I'm Joe, I'm a junior at Dominion, and I perform in the marching band.

-Nice.

What do you play?

-I'm a bass trombone.

-All right.

Is it fun to march and play?

-Yeah.

But it's kind of, like, annoying because it's, like, uncomfortable.

-All right, the truth on "It's Academic."

Here we go, guys.

Be safe, Murray!

You'll be safe if you can find in this sentence what other name for the thigh bone.

-The femur?

-Yes.

-Ghost, fight, traffic accident.

If you saw an apparition on the way to school, you would have seen which of these?

-A ghost.

-Yes.

-The creator made Italy from designs by... To complete this quote, add the name of what Renaissance Italian artist who painted the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

-Michelangelo.

-Yep.

That's it.

To stop temporarily, a cat's feet.

Here you have definitions for what two words that are pronounced alike but spelled differently.

-Paws.

-Yeah.

I look upon war with horror.

These were the sentiments of what Union General who nonetheless led his troops on a destructive march through Georgia to the sea.

-Answer.

-Ulysses S. Grant?

-Nah, it was Sherman.

William Tecumseh Sherman.

But you did a nice job.

Dominion, 180 points.

That does it for mix and match.

Picture Perfect round 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.

-You guys ready to look at some pictures?

Yes.

All right, here we go.

In this round, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

And again the first team that buzzes in gets to answer.

This is a microscopic view of the structure of what alkaloid?

That's the stimulant in coffee and tea.

Yep, Sherwood.

-Caffeine.

-Caffeine is right.

-A long dispute means both parties are wrong.

This statement was made by what 18th century French philosopher who wrote Candide.

Yeah.

Sherwood.

-Rousseau.

-No, it was Voltaire.

To prevent its use by pirates, a captured American frigate was set ablaze in 1803, in the harbor of what North African city, now Libya's capital.

Yup.

Cathedral.

-Tripoli.

-Tripoli is right.

Nice.

This expression is equal to four when x is equal to what positive integer?

Sherwood.

Answer?

In three, two, one, the answer is five.

Just six years ago, when this photograph was taken, this is what Irish author who would later write works like Ulysses and Finnegan's Wake.

Sherwood.

-Joyce.

-Joyce is correct.

These seals are enjoying the sun by what lake?

The largest and deepest in Russia.

Yup.

Cathedral.

-Lake Baikal.

-You are right.

Ptyalin, pepsin, sucrase, choice.

The enzyme in saliva, which changes -- Yes.

Sherwood.

-Sucrase.

No.

We're looking for ptyalin, which changes starch into maltose is which of these.

This grim picture of a skull with a cigarette is by what Dutch artist who later cut off his ear and Cathedral.

-Van Gogh.

-Van Gogh is right.

And that does it for the Picture Perfect round.

Let's take a look at the scores.

The Sherwood Warriors, 220 points, the National Cathedral Eagles, 280 points, and the Dominion Titans, 180 points.

Well, we have reached the packet round.

And before we dive into the packet round, we're going to meet the coaches and administrators who are here backing you guys up with lots of support.

We start with Sherwood.

Ziv, tell us who's with you.

-Hi.

So we would like to thank our sponsors, Mr. Allen and also Mr. King, who sadly couldn't be here today.

But they both teach AP gov at Sherwood and they're just a great help.

And then also our alternate Evelyn is with us.

You got a whole team over there.

Very happy to have you all.

Over to National Cathedral.

Chloe, tell us about yours.

-Here with us today is our coach, Mr. White, and our alternate, Annika.

We're really grateful for both of them for coming out and supporting us today.

-And so are we.

And finally, Dominion.

Evie, tell us about who's with you.

-Yeah.

Here today we have our coach, Mrs. Gilman, our principal, Doctor Brewer, and our alternate Callie.

-Awesome.

Beautiful.

Thanks, everybody.

Well, now that we've made those introductions, we can proceed with da da da da, the packet round.

Sherwood, you go first.

National Cathedral.

Will they answer questions from packet one, two, or three?

-Three.

-Three.

As you know, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

If you get all of the questions right, of course, there's a lovely 25 point bonus.

Sherwood, a mountain climber who wanted to scale the highest peak on every continent, would include the Vinson Massif on what coldest continent?

-Antarctica.

-That's right.

Archaeologists found the words Quintus loves Drusilla scrawled on the wall in what ancient city destroyed, along with Herculaneum, by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D. -Pompeii?

-Yeah.

The color of Jupiter's moon Io is thought to be caused by vast amounts of what non-metallic element once known as brimstone, whose atomic number is 16 and whose symbol is S. -Sulfur.

-Sulfur is right.

Here's your science question.

Prion.

Potash.

Pyrite.

Which of these is an exceptionally small microorganism that can cause degenerative nerve disease in humans?

-Prion.

-Yeah.

That's right.

During the American Revolution, the British had to give orders in German after hiring thousands of what German mercenaries named for the area which they came from.

-Hessians.

-Yeah.

England's Oxford University might attract students who like novels such as The Sound and the Fury by what author from Oxford, Mississippi.

Answer.

-Steinbeck.

-Nah.

William Faulkner.

Here is your math question.

Please perform the indicated operation.

-1,000.

-Yeah.

After sailing all over the world on his ship, the Golden Hind, what English sea dog died on an expedition to the West Indies in 1596?

Answer in three, two.

-Blackbeard.

-Nah, a nice guess, though.

It was Drake.

Thank you so much, Sherwood, for that comedy relief.

I liked it.

340 points.

Now to National Cathedral Dominion, packet one or two?

-Packet one.

-Packet one.

All right.

You said that rather mischievously.

Okay, here we go.

What number gun salute does the president of the United States traditionally receive?

-Three.

-No.

21.

That 21 gun salute.

You knew that one.

In choosing a title for a novel, Thornton Wilder borrowed a phrase from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar to beware the Ides of what month?

-March.

-Yeah.

A group of paintings called Gems of Brazil, pictures not gems, but what smallest birds?

The answer is... -Sparrow.

-Hummingbirds.

Here's your science question.

Plasma, erythrocytes, platelets.

Which of these terms names the non-living part of the blood which remains when the cells are removed?

-Plasma?

-Yep.

That's it.

In 1923, the University of Pittsburgh gave an honorary degree to what Polish born French woman?

The co-discoverer of radium.

-Marie Curie.

-Yeah.

A book called Catching Fire was a hot item among fans of what trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

-Hunger Games.

-Yeah, here's your math question if lines A, B, and C are parallel, what's the value of angle x in degrees?

-50 degrees.

-50 is right.

It wasn't until 1995 that the Mississippi Legislature voted to abolish slavery.

That's because the state had never ratified what number Constitutional amendment that did.

-13th.

-13th is correct.

And that was nicely done.

National Cathedral 400 points.

That leaves packet number two for Dominion.

Which I presume is the one you wanted, Evie.

Okay, here we go.

Those who try to predict the future by reading tea leaves say it's a good omen if the leaves form the shape of what tool linked to the Norse god Thor.

-A hammer?

-Yep.

That's it.

Because paper wasn't invented yet, ancient Egyptians wrote on what P initialed plant material made from the flattened stems of a type of reed.

-Papyrus?

-Yeah.

The first wife of England's King Henry VIII was the daughter of what Spanish royal couple famous for financing Columbus's voyage to the New World.

-Catherine.

-No.

Ferdinand and Isabella.

Here's your science question.

Ammonia, baking soda, vinegar.

Which of these substances is normally acidic?

-Vinegar.

-That's it.

After the First World War, the body of an American unknown soldier was brought home aboard what ship named for the capital of Washington state.

Answer is Olympia.

A collie named Lassie became an early TV star, but a dog named Buck became famous because of what novel by Jack London.

The answer is the Call of the Wild.

Here's your math question.

What is the value of this expression?

-One.

-One is right.

George Meade won the Battle of Gettysburg, but what other general named George commanded Union forces at the Battle of Antietam in 1862?

The answer?

-[ Speaks indistinctly ] -No.

It was McClellan.

Dominion Titans 260 points.

Keep it here.

We have the grab bag round coming at you next.

-Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know Doctor Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham after betting that he could write a book of 50 words or less.

He won.

And so did the millions of children who love that book.

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

-Well, we've made it to the grab bag round.

Guys, are you ready for the grab bag?

-Yes.

-All right.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team that buzzes in gets to answer.

Here we go.

The first Hollywood feature film that was entirely computer generated was what, 1995 -- Sherwood.

-Toy Story.

-Toy Story is correct.

Referring to Pearl Harbor, President Franklin Roosevelt said December 7th, 1941 was a date that would live in what?

Sherwood.

-Infamy.

-In infamy, yes.

Stained glass windows and flying buttresses are characteristic of what type of architecture seen in medieval cathedrals?

-Gothic.

-Yep.

Dominion.

That's right on your screens.

Turkey's Topkapi Palace overlooks the Golden Horn and what strait that connects the Black Sea and the Sea of -- Sherwood.

-Isthmus?

-No.

The Sea of Marmara, Bosphorus is what we were looking for.

What man was born in Virginia, served as governor of Tennessee, and was later elected the first -- Sherwood.

-Andrew Jackson.

-Sam Houston who was first elected the first president of Texas.

In flowers, the two structures in the embryo sac, which fused to help form the endosperm nucleus, are called antipodal nuclei, polar nuclei, or synergetic nuclei?

Anybody?

Polar nuclei.

A pumpkin is thrown at Ichabod Crane in Washington Irving's story the legend of what place?

Yes.

National Cathedral.

-Sleepy Hollow.

-Sleepy Hollow is right on your screens.

After watching the resale of one of his paintings, what 19th century French artist noted for his paintings of ballet dancers made this remark?

Yep.

Cathedral.

-Degas.

-Degas is correct.

An exhibit at Washington's Air and Space Museum mentioned what mythical son of Daedalus who's flying -- Cathedral.

-Icarus.

-Yep.

You've got it.

What is the sine of 30 degrees?

Cathedral.

-One half.

-You are right.

One foreign car that had little traction in the US was a model named for what feudal rulers of Japan?

Yes.

Dominion.

Answer three, two... -Shogun.

-Yeah.

That's right.

On your screens.

This old photograph shows the sun dance of what Native American tribe to which Sacajawea belonged.

Yep.

Cathedral.

-Shoshone.

-You're right.

Bright's disease is named for Richard Bright, a 19th century doctor who diagnosed this ailment of what nephritic organs of the body?

The answer is kidneys.

The music world hit a high note in the 1660s, when -- that sound means the end of the competition.

Yay!

Stick around.

We'll be right back with the official scores.

See you back.

-I'm David Rubenstein, and I believe giving back is something we all can do.

Many students are getting involved in their communities in important ways.

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

-Hi, my name is Cole.

I'm a senior at West Springfield High School, and I make scarves for veterans.

I grew up in a military family, and more than anything, what I took from that experience is gratitude.

I'm grateful to my dad for all the sacrifices he's made and his career as a Navy submariner, and for all the time and hard work he's put in on his deployments in an effort to ensure a safe and secure future for both our family and this country.

Crocheting scarves is kind of my little way of giving back to that community.

I donate to the charity Operation Gratitude in California, and I just like to think that my work serves as kind of a virtual hug to veterans, just like my dad.

I've contributed 50 scarves so far, which totals 150 hours, and I'm excited to reach my next milestone of 100 donations.

-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.

We begin with Dominion High School, home of the Titans from Sterling, Virginia.

Roshan, Evie, and Joseph.

300 points.

From Sandy Spring, Maryland, the Sherwood Warriors, Lucy, Ziv, and Natty.

340 points.

And coming back for the playoffs, the National Cathedral Eagles.

Whoo!

Jane, Chloe, and Babiha, 500 points.

Well done guys.

We are so happy that all of you were here with us today and can't wait to see you next week.

I'm Hillary Howard, remember everybody -- "It's Academic."

Bye bye.

See you next time.

-Support for "It's Academic" has been provided by the following -- George Mason University.

All Together Different.

-Call us different.

-Different in where we come from.

-Where we going.

-And how we think.

-But the same in our dreams for tomorrow.

-Driven by the pool of possibility.

-To inspire.

-To think fearlessly.

-To protect and to heal the planet, we know the world will change together.

-We will be the ones to change it.

-Call Mason different.

-All together.

-Different.