-Students from Sherwood, Parkdale, and Lake Braddock meet today on "It's Academic."

[ Applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ Hello, everybody.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Welcome to "It's Academic," the world's longest running TV quiz show, now in its 65th year, produced by Altman Productions, and the great 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're going.

-In how we think.

-But the same in our dreams for tomorrow.

-Driven by the pull 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.

[ Applause ] -Hillary: Hello again.

We are so happy that you have chosen to be with us to watch these amazing students today.

And we will begin, teams, as we always do with a Fast Start where questions are worth 10 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer, and you guys at home, these students don't see what you do on the screens.

Ready?

All answers will have something to do with the color green.

-Braddock.

-Hulk.

-The Hulk, yes.

-Sherwood.

-Denmark.

-Yeah, you've got it.

-Sherwood.

-Ethan Allen.

-Ethan Allen is right.

-Sherwood.

-Wisconsin.

-Correct.

-Sherwood.

-Shamrock.

-Yeah.

-Parkdale.

-Nigeria.

-Nigeria is right.

Ding, ding, ding, ding.

Stephen King.

-Sherwood.

Answer.

Three, two-- -Boron?

-Yeah, boron.

Nice.

-Sherwood.

-Avocado.

-Yeah.

-Sherwood.

-Emerald.

-Emerald City, yes.

In "The Wizard Of Oz."

Wow, what a way to begin.

Let's check those scores, everybody.

Sherwood, home of the Warriors, 170 points.

Parkdale, home of the Panthers, 110 points.

And Lake Braddock, home of the Bruins, 110 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] So I told you, we've got some fabulous students here today.

So let's meet them.

Beginning with Sherwood, a high school from Montgomery County.

Hello, Ziv.

-Hi.

I'm a senior at Sherwood, and I love watching history documentaries, but I also am really interested in cult documentaries as well.

-Awesome.

Well, it's good to see you again.

-Hiya, Catherine.

-Hello.

I'm also a senior at Sherwood High School, and I'm a pianist.

I've played since I was 11.

-Lovely.

And, hiya, Natnael.

-Hi, I'm Natnael.

I'm a senior at Sherwood, and I enjoy watching historical movies, specifically like World War II era.

-Ah, great, I think I remember that.

All right, guys, here are your questions.

They are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

Fossil Vera Found.

You can find 20 points if you find in this phrase what precious metal whose chemical symbol is AG.

-Silver.

-Yes.

Which one of these words would best describe someone -who is nimble?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Agile.

-Yeah.

You won't need your ID to fill in the blanks here to name what Greek God of the sea, the counterpart of the Roman Neptune.

-Poseidon.

-Poseidon's right.

No, that would make an English teacher shudder.

Please fix it by changing one word.

-Tinker Bell.

-Yeah, Tinker Bell, the sweet Tinker Bell.

If you want to find out who will win this game, you might ask which of these mythical figures who could foretell the future.

-Oracle.

-Oracle's right.

Long before this phrase was used in the movies, it appeared in what ancient Homeric epic that preceded "The Odyssey"?

-"The Iliad."

-"The Iliad" is right.

Nice.

Sherwood 290 points.

[ Applause ] Over to Parkdale High School from Prince George's County.

Hello, Isatu, good to see you.

-Hi.

I'm a senior at Parkdale, and I really love baking brownies.

-Brownies?

And you didn't bring us any?

Rosa, hi.

How are you?

-Hello, I'm Rosa, and I'm a senior at Parkdale High School, and I play on my school's tennis team.

-Yeah.

That's great.

Hiya, Lorenzo.

-How are you?

-Hi, I'm Lorenzo.

I'm also a senior at Parkdale High School, and I'm on our school's tech crew for drama club.

And, I also like working with the team like everyone else.

-Yeah, that's a nice thing to be able to do.

Like these teams, right?

Okay, here we go, guys.

Taste Elk Soup.

You'll taste 20 points if you find in the sentence the name of what strong metallic alloy whose main components are iron and carbon.

-Steel.

-Steel is right.

If you gave someone a plausible explanation, that explanation could best be described with which of these words.

-Believable.

-Believable.

Yeah.

Homeland, blank, blank, Council.

What same word fits in both blanks to name a U.S.

cabinet department and an important United Nations Council.

-Security?

-Yes.

No.

Can you change one word to make that right?

-Um, we would change pepper to salt.

-That's it.

Of these three elements, which one takes its name from the Greek word for stranger and is classified as a noble gas?

-Xenon.

-Xenon it is.

These words exemplify the determination of what first African American player in modern day Major League Baseball?

-Jackie Robinson.

-Jackie Robinson is correct.

Nice job, Parkdale.

230 points.

[ Applause ] Over to Lake Braddock High School in Fairfax County.

Hello, Asher.

-Hello.

My name is Asher.

I'm a junior at Lake Braddock Secondary School, and on Sundays I volunteer as a mantra team for my religious school.

And I help teach the fourth grade.

-How lovely.

Ben.

Hi.

-Hi.

My name is Ben.

I'm a junior at Lake Braddock, and I enjoy solving Rubik's Cubes for fun.

-Yeah.

How long does it take you?

-Uh, consistently.

I can do it in under 30 seconds.

-All right.

Good to see you.

And, how are you, Jacob?

-I'm doing good.

-Good.

-I play tennis for my high school.

As well, my brothers and my dad plays.

-Oh, that's a nice family sport.

All right, guys, here's your first question.

Mombasa or Tangiers?

Whatever city you choose, see if you can find the hidden name of what major artery of the body.

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Answer, guys?

in three, two, one.

-It is the aorta.

-Oh.

It's a compliment to call someone astute, because astute is a synonym for which of these words?

-Shrewd?

-Uh, yeah.

Yes.

That's right.

This Greek letter fits right into what word for the huge Egyptian statue near the pyramids?

-Sphinx?

-Yes.

No, she wasn't.

Please fix that by making it correct.

-Change Reading to Underground.

-That's it.

Which of these three vitamins is most essential to the formation of healthy bones and is often added to milk?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Vitamin D.

-Vitamin D it is.

These are the honorable words of what fifth president associated with the doctrine establishing our foreign policy in the Americas?

-Monroe.

-You are right.

It was James Monroe.

Lake Braddock, 210 points.

[ Applause ] That does it for the Mix & Match round.

Picture Perfect is next.

See you in a minute.

♪♪ -In 1961, nine high school students walked into a TV studio in Washington, D.C.

to film the very first episode of "It's Academic."

-Good evening, and welcome to "It's Academic," the weekly program... -Little did they know that over the course of the next 65 years, thousands of high school students would follow them onto the set and into broadcast history.

-I think what has kept "It's Academic" on the air for so long, you had strong support from the schools and we've had a strong community support.

-There aren't a ton of outlets to, like, be competitive in an academic setting.

-It teaches composure, knowledge, wisdom.

-And it's like an engaging, fun quiz show.

But it also teaches you so much about the world and so many different facets.

-Today, "It's Academic" is celebrating 65 years, and is the world's longest running TV quiz show.

Thank you, students, schools, viewers and fans.

And remember, "It's Academic."

♪♪ -Welcome back, guys.

It's time for the Picture Perfect round.

You know how this works.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

Tulips like these were brought to Europe from what Turkish-- Sherwood?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Answer.

Three, two-- -Istanbul.

-No.

Ottoman Empire is what we were going for.

Located off Washington State, these islands share their name with what Puerto Rican capital city?

-Yeah, Sherwood.

-San Juan.

-Correct.

Choice.

The Venus flytrap, and other meat-eating plants, are described as carnivorous.

-Yes, Sherwood?

-Carnivorous.

-Yeah.

That's right.

What is the area of the large trapezoid if its altitude is three?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Anybody?

-Three.

-No, 24.

Frederick Douglass had to mortgage his home to support.

what newspaper in which he continued-- -Parkdale.

-"The North Star."

-Yeah, you're right.

Make room to rearrange the letters here, and you'll name what last Russian royal dynasty?

Sherwood?

-Romanov.

-Correct.

The famous naval battle between the USS Constitution and the Guerriere occurred during what, early 18th-- -Yes, Sherwood.

-War of 1812.

-The War of 1812 is right.

This is artist Hamilton Fields' view of what large waterfall?

-Sherwood.

-Niagara Falls.

Niagara Falls is right.

And that does it for the Picture Perfect round.

Let's check these scores.

[ Applause ] Sherwood, 350 points.

Parkdale, 250 points, and Lake Braddock, 210 points.

Let's hear it.

[ Applause ] Okay, now I have a question for you out there.

Ready?

What enzyme with 267 amino acids has a 1,013 letter name?

This is what it's called for short, by the way.

And we will have that answer for you after we meet the coaches.

And we begin with Sherwood High School.

Catherine, who's with you?

-So we have our coaches, Mr.

King and Mr.

Allen.

Um, and we'd like to thank them so much for all of the practices that they do with us, um, to get us where we are.

And we'd also like to thank Kenzy, our alternate in the audience, for being here to support us today, as well as the family and friends who have come to cheer us on.

-Beautiful.

Well, it's really good to have all of you guys here.

Over to Parkdale and Rosa, who's standing behind you?

-Behind us we have our wonderful coach, Mr.

Dummitt.

And we'd like to thank him for staying late, despite his daughter being in after care still, we -- for our practices.

And we would also like to thank our lovely alternate in the crowd, Shantal, and all the family and friends out there, too.

-All right, nice.

To Lake Braddock.

Ben, who's behind you?

-Uh, we'd like to thank our coach, Mr.

Holtzman, uh, who holds practices for us each week.

We'd also like to thank our wonderful principal, Miss Kearns, for showing up today.

We'd also like to thank our alternate Lucas in the audience.

And lastly, we'd like to thank our families and friends -who came to watch us.

-Awesome.

Really good to have all of you guys here.

Thank you so much.

[ Applause ] And now I've got that answer about the enzyme with more than 1,000 letters in its name.

This was a really awful question, guys, I'm so sorry.

Because the truth is I can't pronounce it.

And if I could, it would take up too much on the screen for you to even know what it was, you have to look it up.

That was so unfair.

But there you have it.

And with that, we begin the Packet round.

Sherwood, you will answer questions first from one of these packets.

Parkdale, which packet should they answer questions from?

-Packet number three.

-Packet number three.

If you get all the questions right, you know what's coming, don't you?

-25 point bonus.

-Yeah, that's it.

Here we go.

You want to be cautious if you visit the Albuquerque Museum that has the largest live collection of what snakes whose varieties include the diamondback?

-Rattlesnake.

-It's rattlesnake.

Canada has both a House of Commons and a legislative body.

with what same name as our congressional body with 100 voting members?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Senate.

-Yep, it's the Senate.

Covering almost a million square miles, what large sea separates Europe from Africa?

-Mediterranean.

-Mediterranean it is.

Here's your science question.

When a weatherman draws isobars from one point on a map to another, he is connecting places where which of these is the same?

-Barometric pressure.

-You're right.

The UN General Assembly first met in 1946, 26 years after the opening of what earlier international peace organization that the US did not join?

-League of Nations.

-You're correct again.

The composer, Verdi based one of his operas on what Shakespeare tragedy about a jealous Moor who kills his wife, Desdemona?

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -"Twelfth Night"?

-Nah, "Othello."

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression.

-10.

-10, yeah.

That was fast.

"If you don't want to use the Army, I should like to borrow it."

This is what an exasperated Abraham Lincoln said to what Civil War General known as "Little Mac"?

-McClellan.

-McClellan is right.

Good job, Sherwood.

490 points.

[ Applause ] Parkdale, your turn to play.

Lake Braddock, one or two?

-Uh, two.

-Two.

After Alexander the Great died, his corpse was preserved in a large jar filled with what sweet substance created by bees?

-Honey?

-Yeah.

Isn't that amazing?

People had a lot to say about one of the world's first talking dolls, which was created by what American inventor better known for his incandescent light bulb?

-Edison?

-It's Edison.

New Jersey's own.

Some congressmen protested the $275,000 appropriation that allowed Captain John Ericsson to build what Civil War ironclad ship that fought to the Merrimack?

The answer is... -The Marine?

-No, but... It's called the USS monitor.

The battle of the Monitor and the Merrimack.

Here's your science question.

Which one of these acids would most likely be found in sour milk?

-Lactic acid.

-Lactic acid it is.

18 U.S.

presidents served in office during the long reign of what 19th century British Queen?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Victoria.

-Victoria it is.

Among the lords of literature is the lord in the title of what William Golding novel about a group of boys stranded on an island after a plane wreck?

-"Lord Of The Flies"?

-Yeah.

What a horrifying book that was, right?

Terrible.

Okay, here's your math question.

If lines AB and CD are parallel, how many degrees are there in angle X?

-60?

-Yes.

The Galapagos Islands were first visited in 1535 by a Catholic priest on his way to Peru to settle a dispute involving what Spanish conqueror of the Incas?

The answer is Pizarro.

Nice job, Parkdale.

370 points.

♪♪ Now, packet number one for Lake Braddock.

Researchers say that if you've recently eaten bananas, you are more likely to attract what insects, some of which cause malaria?

-Mosquitoes.

-Mosquitoes, yeah.

Don't eat bananas if it's summertime outside.

The shock of the century is the subtitle of a book about what First artificial satellite launched by the Russians in 1957?

-Sputnik.

-Sputnik it is.

Quasimodo is the hunchback hero in Victor Hugo's novel whose title names what great Paris cathedral?

-Notre Dame?

-Yes.

Here's your science question.

Of these three substances, which one is not usually formed when the compound cupric oxide is reduced by hydrogen?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Go for it.

Answer.

-Carbon.

-Yeah, carbon.

Once a bishop in what is now Algeria, a fourth century Catholic saint gave his name to what Florida city, the oldest in the United States?

-Saint Augustine.

-You're right.

In 1825, rumors flew concerning a romance between American author Washington Irving and what British woman who had written "Frankenstein"?

-Mary Shelley.

-Mary Shelley's right.

Here's your math question.

Solve this pair of equations for X.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -X equals two.

-X equals two.

What American naval hero of the Revolutionary War lost his own ship, but captured the British ship Serapis in 1779?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Lafayette.

-Nah, John Paul Jones.

But you did a good job.

Lake Braddock, 350 points.

That does it for the Packet round.

[ Applause ] The Grab Bag round is next.

Stay with us.

-Did you know that in the Bahamas, there's an island only inhabited by pigs?

Tourists can visit, but they can't stay.

Only pigs can.

They like to relax by swimming in the ocean.

And, of course, they don't wear swimsuits.

Now you know.

♪♪ -We've reached the Grab Bag round, which is so exciting because really, anything can happen.

Guys, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

-Are you ready?

-All: Yes.

All right, here we go.

Hundreds of students belong to a squirrel feeding club.

At what state university located in Ann Arbor?

-Yep.

Braddock.

-Michigan.

That's right.

Choice.

If you burn hydrogen and air, which of these is the primary substance that's formed?

Carbon dioxide.

-Braddock.

-Water.

-That's right.

Water.

Good job.

One of the most famous letters in America was the letter Doctor Martin-- -Lake-- -Birmingham, Alabama.

-That.

You are right.

Nicely done.

On your screens, guys.

The Saint Lucia flag depicts a black triangle representing what kind of explosive geologic phenomenon, such as-- Sherwood.

-Volcano.

-Volcano it is.

Astronauts from Apollo 12, the second mission to land humans on the moon, found part of an unmanned space probe with what name that of George Washington's early profession?

Yep, Braddock.

Answer.

Three, two, one.

Surveyor.

There are over a million references on Google to what Dostoyevsky novel about a murderer named-- Yes, Sherwood?

-"Crime And Punishment."

-You've got it.

If a line segment joining the midpoints of two sides of a triangle is 18 inches, what's the length of the third side of the triangle?

[ Laughter ] Sherwood's like, "I'm not even gonna go close to that buzzer."

The answer is 36.

On your screens.

An Argentine author made this remark regarding what islands the subject of a 1982-- -Braddock.

-Falk-- -The Galapagos.

-Falk-- -Oh, no.

Falklands?

-You said Falklands first, Asher.

-He said Falklands.

-Okay.

Very good.

Good job.

The Roman Emperor Claudius was supposedly the last man to have understood the language of... -Latin.

-Brad -- No, Etruscans.

What pre-Roman peoples?

President Garfield's son James later became an advisor to President Theodore Roosevelt and served as secretary of what cabinet department that's in charge?

Braddock.

-State?

-Nope.

Interior of our parks.

In charge of our national parks.

Choice.

Which one of these types of nuclear emissions is most easily stopped by air?

Alpha particles, high energy neutrons, or gamma rays?

-Yes, Braddock?

-Alpha particles.

-Yes, you're right.

On your screens, guys.

This area is part of what South American penal colony where Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully imprisoned?

The answer is Devil's Island.

What legendary Greek slave won the undying gratitude of a lion by removing a thorn from its paw?

-Yeah, Parkdale.

-Spartacus?

-Uh, no.

Androcles.

The loud warning signal sounded by fire engines has what Same name as the mythical women who tried to lure-- -Parkdale.

-Sirens.

-Yeah, you've got it.

If the sum of the lengths of the edges of a cube is 60 inches, what's the volume of the cube in cubic inches?

[ Buzzer ] And everybody's like, "I'm so happy that was the buzzer."

That does it for the Grab Bag.

Nice job.

We'll tally up the scores and have the results for you in just a moment.

As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, here are some things you should know.

George Washington was an enthusiastic animal lover and had over 50 dogs with names like Sweet Lips, Drunkard, Tipsy and Vulcan.

Learn more about America's founding.

Stream "The American Revolution," a new documentary from Ken Burns, premiering November 16th on WETA Plus, a brand new, free and easy to use streaming service created specifically for D.C.

area viewers like you.

For more information, go to weta.org/wetaplus.

♪♪ The scores are now official.

We begin with Parkdale High School, home of the Panthers from Prince George's County.

Isatu, Rosa, and Lorenzo, 370 points.

[ Applause ] From Lake Braddock High School in Fairfax County.

Asher, Ben, Jacob, 390 points.

[ Applause ] And the guys who raked in the points.

Sherwood, home of the Warriors from Montgomery County.

Ziv, Catherine, Natnael, 530 points.

Nicely done.

[ Applause ] We are so happy you were here to celebrate these fine students and hopefully get some questions right.

See you next time.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Remember, everybody.

"It's Academic"!

Bye-bye.

See ya.

-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're going.

-And how we think.

-But the same in our dreams for tomorrow.

-Driven by the pull 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.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪