(upbeat music) - [Hillary] Students from Wootton High School, (upbeat music) Falls Church High School, (upbeat music) and BASIS Independent McLean meet today on "It's Academic".

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Hello everybody, I'm Hillary Howard.

Welcome to "It's Academic," produced by Altman Productions in association with David M. Rubenstein Productions.

- [Announcer] 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.

(inspirational music) - [Narrator] 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.

(inspirational music) Mitre, solving problems for a safer world.

- And now, it is time to meet these teams.

We begin with Wootton High School in Montgomery County.

Adam, Rayan, Xavier, welcome to "It's Academic".

Hi.

- Hi Hillary.

- Hey, from Falls Church High School in Fairfax County.

Rose, Victor, Ariel, good to see you on "It's Academic".

- Hi Hillary.

- [Hillary] Hey.

- Hi Hillary.

- And finally, BASIS Independent McLean, Cavan, Nathan, Rithik.

Awesome that you're with us this morning.

- Hi Hillary.

- Good morning, Hillary.

- Hi.

Okay, in this opening round, as you probably know, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

And we begin with you, Wootton High School.

Adam, Rayan, Xavier, here's your first question.

"Radio wavelength".

If you are on the right wavelength, you can find the hidden name of what Midwestern state that's a leading producer of corn?

- Conferring.

Iowa.

- Iowa.

- Yeah.

- Final answer, Iowa.

- Yeah, it's Iowa.

"Blank Madre, blank Nevada".

What same word precedes these two names to identify mountain ranges in Mexico and California?

- Conferring.

Sierra.

- Sierra.

- Sierra.

Sierra.

- Final answer, Sierra.

- Yeah, Sierra.

- "Tan door".

The letters in this phrase can be rearranged to name what type of severe windstorm, such as that which carried Dorothy's house to the land of Oz?

- Conferring, Tornado.

- Conferring, tornado.

- Tornado.

- Yeah, okay, final answer.

Tornado.

- You got it.

- "Dodecagon, Octagon, Pentagon".

Please arrange these geometric figures according to their number of sides, beginning with the one with the fewest sides.

- Conferring, it's pentagon, octagon, dodecagon.

- Pentagon, octagon, dodecagon.

- Yeah, that's it.

"Nothing can withstand reason and experience."

If you reason correctly, you can identify the author of these words written by what Austrian doctor who founded psychoanalysis?

- Conferring.

Freud.

- Freud.

- Yes.

- Final answer, Freud.

- Sigmund Freud is right.

You got 'em all, Wootton.

200 points.

Team two, you're up from Falls Church High School.

Rose, Victor, Ariel.

Here's the first question: "Yale adds professor".

You'll be ready to go to Yale if you can find in this sentence the name of what heavy metal often used as a shield against X-rays?

- Conferring, lead.

- Yeah.

- Lead.

- Lead.

Final answer.

- Lead is right.

"Iron blank, bamboo blank."

What same word would you put in these blanks to name the imaginary barriers that separated communist from non-communist countries during the Cold War?

- Wall?

- Curtain?

- Conferring, curtain.

- Yeah, I agree with curtain.

- Yeah, me too.

- Final answer, curtain.

- Curtain, final answer.

- You're right.

Curtain.

"Craft in one ode".

You can show your craft by rearranging the letters here to name what articles under which our country was governed before the constitution?

- Confederation?

- Conferring, confederation.

- Yep.

- Confederation.

Final answer.

- Yes.

"West Virginia, Arizona, New Hampshire".

Please arrange these three states in the order in which they joined the union, starting with the earliest.

- West Virginia joined in the beginning technically as part of Virginia, but I'm not sure if that's what it means.

- But that wasn't, no.

'Cause they weren't their own state.

- Yeah, so I would say.

- [Hillary] Answer?

- Final answer, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Arizona.

- Well done.

"What I don't know isn't knowledge".

This confident statement was made by a 19th century professor at what English University?

The traditional rival of Cambridge.

- Oxford?

- Conferring, Oxford.

- Conferring, Oxford.

- Oxford, final answer.

- Final answer- - It is Oxford.

Falls Church, way to start this off.

200 points.

Team three, you are up from BASIS Independent McLean.

Cavan, Nathan, Rithik, here is your first question.

"A formal psychic".

Study this phrase and see if you can find hidden within it, what European mountain range that makes up a good bit of Switzerland.

- Alps.

- Conferring, the Alps.

Conferring, the Alps.

Alps, final answer.

- Yeah, that's it.

"Blank Compromise".

Fill in the blank with the name of what Midwestern state, and you'll name an 1820 compromise that led to the admission of that state to the union.

- Conferring, Missouri.

- Conferring, Missouri.

- Missouri, yeah.

- Missouri.

Final answer.

- That's it.

"A tune of gasoline".

Tune in here and rearrange this anagram to name what international peacekeeping organization that preceded the UN?

- League of Nations.

- League of Nations.

- Yeah.

League of Nations.

- League of Nations.

Final.

- You got it.

"Vulcanized Rubber, Jet Propulsion, Moveable Type".

Each of these inventions took place in a different century.

Please arrange them in chronological order.

- So movable type first, then vulcanized rubber, then jet propulsion.

- Yeah, it's gotta be, yeah.

- Conferring.

Yeah.

Moveable type, then vulcanized rubber, then jet propulsion.

- Yes.

"Is he lucky?"

Before he would promote a man to the rank of general, this question was always raised by what French military leader who became emperor of France in 1804?

- Napoleon.

- Bonaparte.

- Yeah.

- Napoleon Bonaparte.

- Yeah.

Very nicely done.

You got 'em all, BASIS Independent McLean.

200 points.

And that's the end of the opening round.

"Picture Perfect" up 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.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Okay, it's time for the "Picture Perfect" round.

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

10 points off if you pass.

Wootton, let's play.

This old print shows a union ship being attacked by a confederate ship named for what city, now the capital of Tennessee?

- Conferring, Nashville.

- Conferring- - Nashville.

- Yep.

- Yeah, Nashville.

- Nashville, final answer.

- It is Nashville.

Which of these numbers is the largest?

- I think it would be number two.

- I say three.

- No, because it's being multiplied by eight fifths.

- Oh, okay.

- [Hillary] I need an answer, guys.

- Number two, final.

- You've got it.

Six divided by five eighths, yes.

This is what Civil War General, who lost a political battle when he ran against Abraham Lincoln in the 1864 presidential election?

- Conferring, McClellan.

- McClellan.

- Sure.

Yeah.

- Okay.

Final answer, McClellan.

- That is a good answer for a good round.

Wootton, you've got 260 points.

Okay, Falls Church, you're up for this "Picture Perfect" round.

Here's the first clue.

During World War I, Canada relied on recruitment posters because plans to draft soldiers were rejected by what Canadian province with a French speaking majority?

- Conferring, Quebec.

- Conferring, Quebec.

- Conferring, Quebec.

- Yeah.

Quebec, final answer.

- [Hillary] Yes.

Solve for x.

- Conferring, negative three?

- [Hillary] Yes.

- Final answer negative three?

- It is negative three.

President Truman and General MacArthur met quite amicably just months before Truman fired the general in the midst of what Asian war?

- Conferring, the Korean War.

- Yeah.

- Yep.

- Korean War.

Final answer.

- Yes, it is the Korean War.

Well done, Falls Church.

260 points.

Team three, it's your chance to play.

BASIS Independent McLean, here we go.

First question.

This bird with its crown of feathers is native to what Pacific Island where Papua is located?

- Guinea.

- New Guinea.

- New Guinea.

Yeah.

- New Guinea.

- [Hillary] Yes.

Solve for x.

- 12.

- Yep.

- 12.

- Yes.

It's 12.

Called the Great Romantic Hero of World War I, this is what Englishman who led the Arabs in revolt against the Turks.

- T.E.

Lawrence.

- That's correct.

- T. E. Lawrence.

- You've got it.

Nicely done, BASIS Independent McLean.

260 points.

Well, that's it for the "Picture Perfect" round.

In just a minute we'll learn more about our amazing students and dive into the packet round.

But first, here is something really interesting.

- Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that a giraffe, the world's tallest animal, has a tongue one and a half feet long?

Among other things, the giraffe uses it to clean its ears and its nose.

Giraffes have plenty of time for hygiene, since they only sleep about 30 minutes in a 24 hour period.

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

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Okay.

It is halftime, which means the packet round.

As you know, in this round, correct answers are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer, which is great.

And if you get every answer right, there is a 25 point bonus.

Wootton High School, you are up first.

Adam, you're the captain, so before we jump into the round, we really wanna learn about you.

What are you up to these days?

- One of my favorite hobbies to do is to play Tetris, but more specifically classic Tetris from the 1980s.

(Hillary laughs) - The old days.

- Better than the modern.

Yeah.

- Well, it's really nice to have you with us.

And Rayan, how about you, tell us about yourself.

- Something about me is that I used to live in California before I lived here.

- How long?

- For about nine years.

- Oh, what part?

- San Diego.

- Nice.

Oh, San Diego's nice.

I wouldn't mind living in San Diego.

Great to have you with us, Rayan.

And last but not least, hello Xavier.

What should we know about you?

- My favorite subject is definitely biology.

I love biology so much.

I love, like, plants and stuff.

It's so fun.

- That's beautiful.

Are you good at identifying plants?

- I'm not good at identifying them, but I do love the sort of chemicals and that sort of, the more molecular parts of it.

- Very cool.

Well, it's wonderful to have you with us, and now we get to do the packet round.

So, let's dive in, Team Wootton.

An Arabic word meaning desert was appropriately given to what largest desert that sprawls across much of North Africa?

- Conferring, Sahara.

- Conferring, Sahara.

- Sahara.

Yeah.

- Yeah.

Sahara.

Final answer.

- Yes, it's Sahara.

In 1851, before instant communications were available, Reuters' new service sent word of stock prices from city to city by what kind of birds?

- Conferring, this is... - Conferring, pigeon?

- Pige- - You believe it is?

- That's my guess.

- Yeah, that's my best guess.

- Okay, final answer, pigeons.

- Pigeons is right.

Here's your science question.

"Protons, neutrons, electrons".

Although alchemists dreamed of turning lead into gold, we now know that transmutation involves a nuclear change.

In particular, a change in the number of which of these?

- Conferring, protons.

- Okay, protons.

- Proton.

- Final answer.

- Protons is correct.

Historians no longer use the phrase, "Mr. Polk's war" to designate what conflict of the 1840s?

- Conferring, Mexico-American War?

- That's my guess.

- I believe so.

- Okay.

Final answer, Mexico-American War.

- That is right.

Ancient Romans sometimes enjoyed eating what same sort of mouse that slept through the Mad Hatter's Tea Party in Wonderland?

- Conferring, - Conferring... - Rabbit?

- Mouse.

- Mouse.

- What type of mouse?

- Hmm.

Like a- - [Hillary] Answer?

- Mad (indistinct)?

- In three, two, one.

The answer is dormouse.

- We'll pass.

- Here's your math question.

If x equals five, what does y equal?

- Conferring, five.

- Conferring, five.

- Yeah, five.

- Five is correct.

- Five, final answer.

- That's it.

In March 1776, George Washington's army gained important fire power with weapons acquired from what New York fort captured by Ethan Allen?

- Conferring, - Conferring, - Ticonderoga.

- Ticonderoga.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- Sure.

- Final answer, Ticonderoga.

- Yeah, it's Ticonderoga.

Nice job, Wootton.

You've got 380 points.

Now it's time to meet Team Two from Falls Church High School in Fairfax County.

Hello Rose, you're the captain, so of course we begin with you.

What should we know about you?

- Hi.

- Hi.

- I play in the Falls Church High School Orchestra.

- What do you play?

- I play viola.

- Ah, viola's a beautiful instrument.

I love it.

You must love it when it reverberates, right?

You feel it through your whole body?

- Definitely.

- (laughs) Great to have you, Rose.

Hello, Victor, tell us what you're up to.

- Hello.

Recently I've been playing the new Pokemon game that came out.

- Really?

- So- mhm.

It's a pretty fun game.

- Wait, so you're in it or you play it?

- Oh, no I'm not- I play it.

- (laughs) Oh, okay.

Great to have you with us, Victor.

And Ariel, how are you doing today?

- I've recently started building Lego models.

- [Hillary] Really?

- That's my hobby.

- Wow.

And what was your last model?

- The last one I built was a Porsche.

- Really?

Wow.

Lovely.

And now, of course, we get to play this game.

Here's your first question in the packet round.

Obviously, having enough room was not an issue as there were places for 150 knights at what circular item of furniture at King Arthur's court?

- A table.

- Conferring, the round table.

- The round table.

- The round table.

Final answer.

- The famous round table.

According to classical myth, hope still remained after all the evils of the world flew out of a box opened by what mythical woman?

- Pandora.

Conferring, Pandora.

- Conferring, Pandora.

- Pandora.

Final answer.

- Yes.

Here's your science question.

"Temperature.

Density.

Electrical conductivity".

Which of these would be measured to test a solution for ionization?

- Conferring, - Conferring, electrical conductivity.

- I believe electrical conductivity.

- Yeah, me too.

- Yeah.

Electrical conductivity, final answer?

- Yeah, that's it.

There weren't any mastodons in Macedon, the realm of what ancient Macedonian conqueror who was called The Great?

- Conferring, Alexander.

- Alexander, Conferring.

- Alexander.

Final answer.

- Yeah.

According to legend, a pet house fly was given a funeral costing over $100,000 by what ancient Roman author of the Aeneid?

- Homer?

Is it- conferring, Homer?

- Homer?

- I don't know any other one.

- Homer.

Final answer.

- Nah, it's Virgil.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression, giving your answer as an integer.

- Deferring to Victor.

- (chuckles) One second.

- Deferring to Victor as well.

- [Hillary] Answer?

I need an answer, guys.

In three.

- Final answer, 80?

- Nah.

It's 96.

In 1660, Hugh Peter was beheaded, then drawn and quartered for his role in the execution 11 years earlier of what Stuart King of England?

- [Hillary] Answer?

- Hugh James.

Final answer.

- Nah, it's Charles the First, but you did a nice job, Falls Church.

340 points.

All right.

How about we meet Team Three from BASIS Independent McLean.

Kevin, you're the captain.

Tell us what you're into these days.

- This being my senior year, I don't really have so much time to be into much.

I'm about up to here with college applications.

(Hillary laughs) - What do you plan to major in?

Do you have any idea?

- I think I'm, right now I'm leaning towards majoring in mathematics.

- Oh, that's fabulous.

That's great.

You know, it's so unfair that we expect teenagers to know what they wanna do for the rest of their lives.

(laughs) Right?

It's like, what's your major gonna be now?

Great to have you with us, and Nathan, how are you doing?

What should we know about you?

- I'm very grateful for our school's role in supporting our team this season.

- That's great.

How has its academic enhanced your life or your education?

- Well, it has given me a ton of knowledge that I've been able to apply to a ton of different AP courses and stuff like that.

- Well, that's great.

It's really nice to have you with us, Nathan.

And finally, hello, Rithik.

- Hey, Hillary.

One thing that I've really been spending a lot of time doing lately is investing in the stock market.

- Wow.

How have you been doing?

- Oh, well, the market's terrible right now, but I'm not losing money, so I'm happy.

- So you're all right.

You're doing well.

(laughs) - Yeah.

- Well, it's good to have you with us, Rithik.

And now, team, we've got some questions to ask in this packet round.

Here's your first one.

Ingenious tax collectors imposed a tax based on the quality of one's clothing in what Virginia Colony founded in 1607?

- Jamestown.

James- - Jamestown.

- Yeah, Jamestown.

- Jamestown it is.

In ancient Greece, the region named Laconia had as its capital, what Greek city state where military training was required for all boys?

- Sparta.

- Sparta.

- Sparta.

- Yeah.

Science question.

"Dispersion, Reflection, Refraction".

To a person viewing an ore in water, that ore seems to be bent at the surface.

This phenomenon is due to which of these?

- Refraction?

- Think so?

Yeah.

- Or... - [Hillary] Answer?

- Refraction.

- Yeah, it's refraction.

One of the moons of Jupiter is named Callisto, honoring a nymph who served what classical goddess of the hunt?

- Athena.

- Artemis?

- Artemis.

- Oh, sorry, yeah.

Artemis.

- Yeah.

Artemis.

- [Hillary] Yeah.

Artemis.

Centuries ago, the Japanese poet Basho described the forests of Japan using what verse form that has 17 syllables?

- Haiku.

- Haiku.

- Haiku.

- Haiku.

- Haiku is right.

Here's your math question.

Evaluate this expression, giving your answer as an integer.

- Four.

- Four.

- Four.

- Four is right.

President Ronald Reagan listed among his favorite historical figures, what Spanish explorer who first sighted the Pacific Ocean in 1513?

- Balboa.

- Balboa.

- Balboa.

- Balboa is right.

And BASIS McLean, you just got yourself a 25 point bonus.

Amazing job, guys.

You have a score of 425 points.

And that's the packet round.

Next, we're going to turn up the temperature as that clock ticks down for the lightning round.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) We have reached the lightning round.

In this round, you have 45 seconds to answer up to 10 questions.

They're worth 20 points up or down, no penalty if you pass.

Wootton High School, you're up.

Adam, Rayan, Xavier.

Here we go.

All questions in this round have to do with fictional animals.

In three, two, one.

This blackbird titles a poem by Edgar Allen Poe.

- Raven.

- The Raven.

- Yes.

Black Beauty is this kind of domestic animal.

- Horse.

- Yes.

Ode to a Nightingale is by this 19th century English romantic poet.

- Keats.

- Yes.

A pig named Snowball appears in this George Orwell book.

- Animal Farm.

- Yes.

This girl owns Crookshanks the cat.

- Pass.

- Hermione.

Elsa in "Born Free" is this kind of wild animal.

- Pass.

- Lion.

This dog belongs to the Darling family in Peter Pan.

- Pass.

- Pass.

- Nana.

Babar is this kind of animal in a children's story.

- Elephant.

- Elephant.

- Yes.

Shelob in the... (buzzer sounds) All right, let me finish that question.

It was, "Shelob in the Lord of the Rings is this kind of creature."

The answer was spider, but Wootton, you did a great job.

480 points.

Falls Church.

It's your turn for the Lightning Round.

Rose, Victor, Ariel.

Here we go.

All answers in this round relate in some way to fictional animals.

In three, two, one.

Kermit is this amphibian from Sesame Street.

- The frog.

- Frog.

- [Hillary] Yes.

Curious George is this kind of primate.

- Monkey.

- Yes.

Captain Flint is a parrot that belongs to what character in Treasure Island?

- Pass.

- Long John Silver.

Sven is this kind of animal in the film Frozen.

- Reindeer.

- Reindeer.

- Yes.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is this animal in a Kipling story.

- Mongoose?

- Yes.

A tiger named Richard Parker appears in this book.

- The Life of Pi.

- Pass.

- Yes.

This donkey is a character in Winnie the Pooh.

- Eeyore.

- Eeyore.

- Yeah.

This bear symbolizes forest fire safety.

- Smokey.

- Smokey?

- Yes.

Wilbur in Charlotte's web is this animal.

- Pig.

- Yes.

This dog greets Odysseus when he returns home.

(buzzer sounds) - Pass.

- And the answer is Argus.

But you got through all 10 questions, Falls Church, nicely done.

500 points.

BASIS Independent McLean, you are up in this lightning round.

Cavan, Nathan, Rithik.

Have fun.

All questions in this round have to do with fictional and mythical animals.

In three, two, one.

This dog belongs to Charlie Brown in Peanuts.

- Snoopy.

- Yes.

This owl is Harry Potter's pet.

- Hedwig.

- Yes.

Bagheera from the Jungle Book is this animal.

- Leopard.

- Panther.

The dog Cujo titles a book by this modern author of horror stories.

- King.

- Yes.

Jiminy is this creature in Pinocchio.

- Cricket.

- Cricket.

- Yes.

Aslan in the Chronicles of Narnia is this animal.

- Lion.

- Yes.

Shadowfax is this animal in the Lord of the Rings.

- Pass.

- Horse.

This mythical three-headed dog guarded the entrance to the underworld.

- Cerberus.

- Yes.

This wild bird title is a Henrik Ibsen work.

(buzzer sounds) - Wild duck.

- Oh, just after the buzzer.

But you know what, BASIS Independent McLean?

You did well.

525 points.

Now the judges are going over the scores.

In just a minute, we will let you know who's coming back for the playoffs.

But before that, we would really like you to consider giving back to your community, like some of our very impressive students.

- 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, my name is Mahfuz Saliz, I'm a student that goes to Montgomery Blair High School.

I volunteer with Difference Makers, and Difference Makers is an organization that helps with food pantry, recycling initiatives, and also helping with organizing events.

I think it's great to help your community and also feels good, and you'll know that you, and you know that you're making a difference.

- 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.

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - All right.

The scores are now official.

First, congratulations to our team from Wooten High School in Montgomery County, Adam, Rayan, and Xavier, 480 points.

Second, congratulations goes to Falls Church High School from Fairfax County, Rose, Victor, and Ariel.

500 points.

Coming back for the playoffs after a very close game today, BASIS Independent McLean.

Cavan, Nathan, and Rithik.

Fabulous job.

525 points.

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

Really happy you were with us today, matching wits with our students.

- [Narrator] 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.

(inspirational music) - [Voiceover] At Mitre, we're committed to solving some of our biggest challenges in national security, cyber, aviation, 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.

(inspirational music) - Please join us next time when we have Einstein, Bishop Ireton, and Loudoun Valley High Schools competing right here on "It's Academic".

I'm Hillary Howard.

See you then.

Bye everybody.

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

(upbeat music)