-Students from St. John's College High School... ...meet today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] 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.

-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.

-What happens when the right people connect?

Diversity challenges convention, mentors inspire greatness, and passions drive innovation.

From health to transportation and national security, cyber and AI to space and back, MITRE connects the power of government, academia, and industry to meet our nation's challenges together.

MITRE connects.

♪♪ -We are so glad that you're with us, and we're going to begin this competition with the Fast Start, where questions are worth 10 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

The students do not see what you do on the screens at home.

Let's begin.

Your answers must begin with the letter G, as in "go."

Oakton.

-Georgia.

-Georgia's right.

Yes, Independence.

-Horatio Gates.

-Yeah.

Very nice.

The answer is...

Yes, Independence.

-Gatsby?

-No.

Glass.

Yes, Oakton.

-Titan?

-Ganymede.

Answer is... Galvani.

Yes, St. John's?

-Grint.

-Yeah.

Oakton.

-Griffin.

-Yes.

This rule states, "Do unto others as you would have --" Independence.

-The golden rule.

-The golden rule is right.

And that is it for the Fast Start.

Let's recap those scores... Well, we finished the Fast Start quickly.

Now it's time for the Mix & Match round.

But before we dive into that, let's meet these teams.

We begin with St. John's College High School from right here in Washington, D.C. Hello, Peace.

What should we know about you?

-I'm Peace.

I'm a 17-year-old senior.

I play French horn and trumpet.

And I would like to thank Hillary for presenting us these questions today.

-Well, thank you so much.

Do you play jazz?

-Yes, I love to play jazz.

-Awesome.

Who's your favorite jazz artist?

-Uh...

Miles Davis, I guess.

-Oh, well.

Good choice.

Nicely done.

Margaret, hi.

-I'm Margaret.

I'm a 16-year-old junior.

I play violin, and I would like to thank our principal, Mr. Themistos.

-Beautiful.

Hello, Douglas.

-Hi.

My name is Douglas.

I'm a 16-year-old junior, and I'd like to thank our alt, Diego Orrego, and my dad for driving me.

-[ Laughs ] Yay, Dad!

Okay, guys.

"Rachel enjoys life."

Hidden in this sentence about Rachel is the name of what other woman?

A legendary beauty whose abduction caused the Trojan War.

-Helen.

-Helen of Troy.

Which of these words best describe someone who is friendly?

-Affable.

-Affable.

-Affable.

You are all affable.

Please fill in the blanks here to identify the part of your body sometimes called the windpipe.

-Trachea.

-Trachea.

-Yes.

The temperature of the surrounding ocean jumped 50 degrees when which of these volcanoes exploded in 1883?

-Krakatoa?

-Yeah.

This surprising quote is from what Viennese doctor who studied neuroses as the father of psychoanalysis?

-Freud.

-Freud is right.

St. John's College High School, 210 points.

Nicely done, guys.

[ Cheers and applause ] Welcome back, Independence.

It's really good to see you from Brambleton, Virginia.

Hello, Gavin.

What should we know about you?

-I'm a 15-year-old sophomore.

I'm a computer science student.

And I'm very thankful for Dr. Miller for being our coach this year.

-Awesome.

Well, it's good to have you.

Hi, Ava.

-Hello.

I'm Ava Turicchi.

I'm a junior this year, and I'm on a unified sports team.

-Tell me more about that.

-So the Unified Sports team works with students who are in special education and general education.

And we get to interact together and have a lot of fun.

-Beautiful.

And it's good to see you again.

Ethan, you too.

-So, I'm Ethan, I'm a junior, and I both play the clarinet in the marching band and I'm part of my Boy Scout troop.

-Wonderful.

And which do you prefer?

Is that a fair question?

[ Laughs ] -Eh, I mean, marching band's kind of made my life hectic for the past couple of months with -- what?

-- like 36 hours a week.

-Oh, yeah.

That's a lot, but good.

-Prioritize.

-Alright, guys, here we go.

"I grab oats."

You'll grab 20 points if you find in this sentence the name of what type of snake that crushes its prey by constriction.

-Boa.

-Boa.

Yeah.

If a person had a very bellicose manner, you could best describe him by which of these adjectives?

Answer?

-Pugnacious.

-Yes.

That's it.

Take a close look here and fill in the blanks to name the sensory membrane lining the inner eye that's sensitive to light.

-The retina.

-Yes.

If he were alive today, which of these men would be interested in the debates about Medicare because he was a doctor?

-Hippocrates.

-Correct.

This was the observation of what Nobel Prize winner, a Russian scientist who studied conditioned reflexes in dogs?

-Pavlov?

-I don't know.

-Pavlov.

-Yeah, it's Pavlov.

That's great, Independence, 210 points.

Good job.

[ Applause ] And now we get to meet the team from Oakton, Virginia, in Oakton High School.

That makes sense, right?

You're from Oakton.

You're named Oakton.

-Yes.

-Hello, Nathan.

Help me out here.

Tell me about yourself.

-So, my name is Nathan Kim.

I'm a 17-year-old senior at Oakton High School, and I'm a varsity debater, but more so I'd like to give a shout-out to Jenny, who is our alternate for being out here, as well as our teammates who are watching on TV.

-Wonderful.

Do you travel for debate team?

-Yes, I've traveled to UPenn and Princeton.

-Ooh, nice.

So you're pretty good.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

[ Laughs ] Alright, I like that.

Hello, Adrian.

-I'm Adrian.

I am a 16-year-old junior at Oakton High School.

I would like to thank our principal, Mrs. Lane, for coming out, as well as our coach, Dr. Fernandez.

-Wonderful.

It's great to have you with us.

And hello, Karen.

-Hi.

My name is Karen.

I'm a junior at Oakton High School, and I would like to thank our friends and family for supporting us.

-Alright, guys, here's your first question.

"Stream or seaway?"

Hidden in this watery phrase is the name of what American inventor who devised a code for use with a telegraph?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Morse.

-Yes.

If someone is said to be taciturn, you could use which of these words to describe him?

-Reticent?

-Reticent.

-Reticent?

-Yes.

Please fill in the blanks here to name what bone found in the forearm?

Answer?

Is...radius.

Which of these three bodies of water is often classified as the world's largest lake?

-Caspian Sea?

-Yes.

That's it.

This statement was part of the last letter written by what daring woman pilot whose plane disappeared over the Pacific in 1937?

-Earhart?

-Earhart.

Amelia Earhart.

-Amelia Earhart is right.

Oakton High School, 190 points.

Great job.

Don't go away because when we come back, we've got some pictures for you in the Picture Perfect round, so stick around.

[ Applause ] -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.

-And now a question for you, our audience.

What normally monogamous birds, owls, sparrows or hawks, will divorce when the breeding isn't going too well?

Well, the answer is barn owls.

And in their case, the male is the one who generally gets to keep the nest.

[ Laughs ] Now back to our teams.

Well, as promised, we have the Picture Perfect round.

And in this round, guys, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

All the clues are on your screens.

Here we go.

A 19th century artist painted these railroad surveyors near what Great Lake with a five-letter name?

Oakton.

-Huron?

-Yeah.

This 16th-century ivory horn comes from what West African country where Freetown is capital?

St. John's.

-Sierra Leone?

-Yeah, you've got it.

This ruby was once owned by Tamerlane, the 14th-century ruler whose conquests included what Persian city now the capital of Iran?

Yes, St. John's.

-Tehran.

-Yeah.

What is the least common denominator of these two fractions?

Independence.

-One fourth.

-It's 12.

-Oh.

-This peaceful scene reflects the waters of what smallest Central American country whose capital is Belmopan?

Yes, St. John's.

-Belize.

-Yeah.

The main figure in this painting is what legendary Greek hero whose mother dipped him in the river -- Yes, St. John's.

-Achilles.

-Very good.

These water towers can be seen in what small Arab country whose invasion by Iraq in 1990 led to -- Oakton.

-Kuwait?

-Kuwait is right.

And that's the end of the Picture Perfect round.

Let's recap the scores... Well done, guys.

[ Applause ] Alright.

So, you know, these students know a lot.

Let's meet the people who prepare them for "It's Academic."

We begin with St. John's.

Margaret, who's with you today?

-Our coach, Mr. Zacher.

-Alright.

What do you want to tell us about him?

-Mr. Zacher is overall just a great guy.

He's a wonderful coach, and he's very encouraging.

-Alright.

Well, we're really glad you're here, Mr. Zacher.

Independence.

Ava, who's with you?

-So, while our coach, Dr. Miller, couldn't be here today, we're so grateful for the parent volunteers who are here with us.

-And who are they?

-That would be my mom.

[ Laughter ] -Thanks, Mom.

[ Laughs ] And anybody else?

-Their parents.

-Oh.

Alright.

You can't just billboard your mom and leave their parents out.

That would not be cool.

Okay, well, we're really glad they're with us.

Good to have them.

And Oakton.

Who's with you, Adrian?

-We have our principal, Mrs. Lane, with us.

-And what should we know about Mrs. Lane?

-Uh, she's a great principal.

-And your coach?

-Dr. Fernandez is our coach, and she also teaches AP bio.

She's a great coach.

-Alright.

Very good.

Well, now that we've met the teams behind the team, let's do this Packet round.

We begin with St. John's.

Independence gets to choose which packet they'll answer questions from -- 1, 2 or 3.

-Packet 2.

-Packet 2.

Right smack dab in the middle.

Alright.

Questions are worth 20 points as you know, nothing off for a wrong answer.

And if you get all the questions right, there is a... -25 bonus.

-Yes!

Come on, guys, can you say it with her?

-25-point bonus.

-Thank you!

Alright, here we go.

The ancient Mesopotamians were the first to predict what phenomenon which occurs when one celestial body is obscured by another?

-Eclipse?

-Yes.

During the Civil War, two new states joined the Union -- West Virginia and what western state whose capital is Carson City?

-Nevada.

-Nevada.

-Nevada is it.

Here's your science question.

Quantum physics asserts that momentum and position cannot simultaneously be determined with perfect accuracy.

This principle is associated with which of these scientists?

-Heisenberg.

-It is Heisenberg.

Lost in a storm in 1694, the British ship HMS Sussex was carrying 10 tons of gold coins to pay off enemies of what French Sun King?

I need his number.

-Which one?

-Louis XIV.

-The XIV.

-Yep, Louis XIV.

Author Suzanne Collins tasted success with what hugely popular series of novels that includes "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay"?

-The Hunger Games.

-Yeah.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression, giving your answer as an integer.

-4.

-4?

-Yes.

The president who served the shortest term was what ninth president who caught a cold at his inauguration and died 31 days later?

-Harrison.

-Harrison.

And with that, St. John's College High School, 430 points and a 25-point bonus.

Way to do it, guys.

455 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Okay, it's Independence's turn to play.

Oakton, 3 or 1?

-1.

-1.

Alright, here we go.

The first time a U.S. president played host to a foreign queen was in 1866, when Andrew Johnson welcomed Queen Emma of what Pacific islands that would later become a state?

-Hawaii.

-Hawaii is right.

In addition to petroleum, the Gulf of Mexico is an offshore source for what element with atomic number 16 and symbol S?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Sulfur.

-Sulfur is correct.

Here's your science question.

In air, which of these gases is capable of uniting with the greatest number of different metals?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Oxygen.

-Oxygen is right.

In 1976, bicentennial celebrations were nationwide, but the 1876 celebration centered in what city where the Declaration of Independence had been signed?

-Philadelphia.

-Philadelphia is correct.

An attack by a giant squid provides excitement in what Jules Verne novel about Captain Nemo's voyage in a submarine?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -"20,000 Leagues Under the Sea."

-You're right.

Here's your math question.

Taking positive roots, what is the value of this expression, giving your answer as an integer?

-10.

-Yes.

Several U.S. presidents have found themselves in hot water.

But what 29th president was scalded when the Teapot Dome scandal boiled over?

Answer?

-Coolidge.

-No.

Harding.

But you did a really good job, Independence, 310 points.

Great.

[ Applause ] And now packet number 3 for Oakton.

Well before the convenience of today's high-speed highways, thousands of pioneers traveled what 19th-century trail named for a Pacific Coast state?

-Oregon Trail.

-Yes.

-During World War II, Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the son of former President Teddy Roosevelt, was the first U.S. general to wade ashore during what military event of June 6, 1944?

-D-Day?

-Yeah.

Here's your science question.

By a process known as saponification, soap can be made by the reaction between sodium hydroxide and which of these compounds?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Fats?

-Yeah, fats.

Nice.

If you were looking at a satellite image of Baghdad, you'd see what river that later merges with the Euphrates?

-Tigris.

-Correct.

Shakespeare's Henry V speaks of "we happy few, we band of brothers," but what unhappy brothers appear in the title of a Dostoyevsky novel?

Answer in three, two, one.

-Karamazov?

-Yes.

That's it.

Nicely done.

You pulled it out.

Here's your math question.

Solve for X.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -3.

-3 is right.

According to legend, what seventh president planted a magnolia tree on the white House lawn in memory of his wife Rachel?

-Andrew Jackson?

-Andrew Jackson -Andrew Jackson is right.

And, ladies and gentlemen, we have another 25-point bonus.

Oakton High School, 395 points.

Way to do it.

[ Cheers and applause ] Speaking of way to do it, we have the Grab Bag round next, so stay where you are.

♪♪ -Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst offered a future President Eisenhower a job at three times his army pay if he would leave the military and become a journalist?

Ike turned the offer down.

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

-Now, this question is for you, our viewing audience...

The answer -- Rabbit Hash, Kentucky.

No human has been elected mayor there since the 1990s.

Woof!

Now back to the game.

[ Applause ] Welcome back.

This has been a very competitive match so far.

Let's recap the scores before we jump into the Grab Bag round.

St. John's College High School, 455 points.

Independence, 310 points.

Oakton, 395 points.

[ Applause ] So that's good.

We're very happy about that.

In this round, of course, for the Grab Bag, anything can happen.

Questions are worth 20 points up and down.

There will be some pictures on your screens and I'll tell you when to look.

So here we go, guys.

Though Beijing gets the headlines, it is not China's largest city.

That distinction goes to what other metrop-- Oakton.

-Shenzhen?

-Oh, no.

It's Shanghai.

Next question.

Just what is it that the letter P stands for in the organization known as OPEC or O.P.E.C.?

Yes, St. John's.

-Petroleum.

-Petroleum is right.

What king of England was called "The Bad" by his subjects, who thought he did not measure up to his brother Richard the Lionhearted?

Independence.

-John.

-Yeah.

"I am the literary equivalent of a Big Mac and fries."

Food for thought is provided by this statement from what author of horror novels like "The Mist" and "Under the Dome"?

St. John's.

-Stephen King.

-Yes, it is.

How many degrees are there in an exterior angle of a regular octagon?

Answer?

45 degrees.

In Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night," Sebastian and Viola are brother and sister, as are Laertes and what ill-fated girl in "Hamlet"?

-Ophelia?

-Yeah.

Very good, Oakton.

The newest cabinet department is which one created in 2002 after the 9/11 attack?

Yes, Oakton.

-Homeland Security.

-Correct.

On your screens...

This descriptive comment comes from what ancient Greek -- Oakton.

-Plato.

-Yeah.

Nicely done.

Tchaikovsky, who wrote six symphonies, shared his birthday with what German composer who wrote four symphonies and a famous lullaby?

Yes, St. John's.

-Brahms.

-Brahms is right.

Choice -- How many electrons are there in the outer shell of calcium?

One, two, or six?

Answer, anybody?

Going once, going twice.

St. John's.

-Six?

-Two.

Sorry about that.

Because Charles Darwin thought scholars at Oxford were not receptive to his ideas, he left his personal papers to what rival English university?

-Oxford?

-No, Oxford was the clue.

The answer was Cambridge.

On your monitors.

-Gotcha.

-This is a section of a painting of the Civil War battle that took place August 1864 in what Alabama bay?

Independence.

-Mobile.

-Pardon me?

-Mobile.

-Yeah, that's very good.

This is a section of a painting -- [ Buzzer ] And that is the end of the game.

Our judges are tabulating the scores and we'll let you know what they are next.

[ Applause ] -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.

-Hello, I'm Avery and I go to Meridian High School.

Last year when I was living in France, I had the incredible opportunity to be able to be part of Compassion Without Borders.

Compassion Without Borders is a charity organization that aims to help refugees living in Paris.

Part of what our goals were and what we did was we did fundraising, we had food drives and clothing drives, and it was really amazing to be able to see the impact of our work and to help our local community.

-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.

[ Applause ] -That was a great competition, a really competitive game.

The judges have looked over the scores and they are now official.

We begin with Independence High School from Brambleton, Virginia.

Gavin, Ava, Ethan, 350 points.

Nice job, guys.

[ Applause ] From Oakton High School in Oakton, Virginia, Nathan, Adrian, Karen, 415 points, and they won that 25-point bonus.

Way to go, guys.

[ Applause ] And coming back for the playoffs, the team from St. John's College High School here in D.C. Peace, Margaret, and Douglas, 495 points.

Beautiful.

[ Applause ] Now, that's what I call a good competition.

Stick around because we have more in just one moment.

-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.

-What happens when the right people connect?

Diversity challenges convention, mentors inspire greatness, and passions drive innovation.

From health to transportation and national security, cyber and AI to space and back, MITRE connects the power of government, academia, and industry to meet our nation's challenges together.

MITRE connects.

♪♪ -That's it for us.

We are so grateful to you, our incredible viewers for being here.

Cannot wait to see you next time.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Bye!

See ya.

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