-Students from Wootton, Gonzaga, and James Madison here today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ ♪♪ Hello, everybody.

Welcome to "It's Academic," the world's longest running TV quiz show, now in its 65th season, produced by Altman Productions, as it always has been, 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 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.

♪♪ [ Applause ] -We are so glad that you've joined us for "It's Academic."

We love knowing that you are there.

So we begin, guys, as we always do, with the Fast Start.

Questions worth 10 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

And you guys watching, they do not see what you do on the screens at home.

We begin this Fast Start round with questions all of whose answers begin with the letter Q. That's Q as in quiz.

-Yes, Madison.

-Quart?

-Correct.

-Gonzaga.

-Quincy?

Yeah.

Doha is the capital of this-- -Madison.

-Qatar.

-Correct.

These are the large exterior muscles at the front of the-- -Madison.

-Quads.

Correct.

People and animals will sink if they step into this-- -Yes, Wootton.

-Quicksand?

-Correct.

This equation has the form a-- -Yes, Madison.

-Quadratic.

Very nicely done.

This bell ringer is the protagonist in Victor Hugo's-- -Wootton.

-Quasimodo.

-Quasimodo's right.

-Yes, Madison.

-Quarks?

-Yes.

Yep, Madison.

Answer.

-Silver?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, Madison.

-Quack.

Quack, it is.

And that was our very fast Fast Start.

Let's recap these scores.

Wootton 120 points.

Gonzaga 110 points.

James Madison 170 points.

♪♪ All right, let's meet the teams.

We begin with Wootton High School from Rockville, home of the Patriots.

Hello, Nasrin.

How you doing?

-I'm well.

How are you?

-I'm very well.

What should we know about you?

-Um, I'm a senior in high school.

I am a voracious reader.

I enjoy -- I enjoy baking and kayaking in my free time.

-Lovely.

I like kayaking, too.

-Hi, Anika.

-Hi.

I am Anika.

I am also a senior at Wootton and this is my third year doing "It's Academic."

-And it's always good to see you.

-You've got a great smile.

-Thank you.

-You're welcome.

Hello, Reyansh.

-Hi, I'm Reyansh.

I'm a junior at Wootton High School, and I'm into computers a lot.

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

They're worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

Farm or seminary?

You won't have to choose if you find here the hidden name of what?

American who invented the telegraph?

Oops.

It's just for Wootton.

But I love your enthusiasm, Madison.

[ Laughter ] Uh, what American who invented the telegraph and developed a code to use with it?

-Morse?

-Yeah.

Clever, similar, analogous, ancient.

Which two of these words can be classified as synonyms?

-Similar and analogous?

-Correct again.

The Battle of Pinkie.

This 1547 battle resulted in England defeating what neighboring Highlands region where Edinburgh is capital?

-Scotland.

-Yes.

March 21st, 1965.

On this day, over 3,000 civil rights demonstrators began a historic march from Selma, Alabama -to what Alabama capital?

-Birmingham.

-No, Montgomery.

Grant pardons, make treaties, appoint ambassadors.

According to the Constitution, the president does not need the advice and consent of the Senate to do which of these things?

-Grant pardons.

-Yep, that's it.

All human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and... To complete this observation from one writer, at what quality left in Pandora's box after all the evils had escaped?

-Hope?

-Hope it is.

Nicely done.

Wootton 220 points.

[ Applause ] Now to Gonzaga High School here in D.C., home of the Eagles.

-Hiya, John.

-Hello, I'm John Rice.

I go to Gonzaga College High School.

I'm a sophomore.

I have a lawn care business.

In my free time, I love to play piano.

-All right.

Good to have you.

Hello, Paul.

-Hi, I'm Paul.

I'm a senior at Gonzaga.

This is my third year on "It's Academic."

and I run cross country.

-And how far do you go?

-Usually a 5K.

-All right, that's good.

Better -- Better than me.

How are you, Christian?

-Hi.

I'm Christian.

I'm a junior at Gonzaga.

Um, I play rugby, and I am the president of my school's medical club.

-Oh, that's really cool.

Do you find that rewarding?

-Yes, it's very rewarding.

-All right, here we go.

Eiffel on your list.

The Eiffel Tower belongs on any list of great structures.

But hidden within this phrase is what kind of crime that's more serious than a misdemeanor?

-Felony?

-Yep, it is.

Insubordination, benevolence, kindness, attrition.

Of these four words, which two would be classified as synonyms?

-Kindness and benevolence.

-Kindness and benevolence?

-You've got it.

Consummate wisdom.

This phrase appears on the tombstone of what Secretary of the Treasury sent to his grave by a duel with Aaron Burr?

-Alexander Hamilton.

-Right.

-August 28th, 1963.

It was on this date that what civil rights leader gave his powerful "I Have a Dream" speech?

-Martin Luther King, Jr.

-Yes.

-Aegean Sea, Caspian Sea, North Sea.

Which of these three bodies of water -separates Greece from Turkey?

-Aegean.

-Yes.

That's right.

"Courtesy is the true alchemy.

Turning to blank all it touches."

To complete these words from novelist George Meredith, add what metal whose symbol is Au?

-Gold.

-Yeah.

Turning to gold all it touches.

I like that.

And that does it for you, Gonzaga.

Nice job.

230 points.

[ Applause ] To James Madison from Vienna.

Hello, Alexander.

-Hello.

My name is Alex.

I'm a senior in -- at James Madison.

And I'm involved in the theater program helping to design and construct their sets.

-Oh, that's really cool.

What you doing this year?

-We're -- In four and a half weeks, we're doing a production of Shakespeare's -"A Midsummer Night's Dream."

-Wonderful.

Good to have you.

-Hiya, Kennedy.

-Hi, I'm Kennedy.

I'm a junior at Madison.

This is all of our first year of doing "It's Academic."

And I'm currently studying to become an EMT.

-Cool.

That's wonderful.

Hey, Vera.

-Hi.

I'm Vera Symons-Campbell.

I'm a junior at James Madison.

In my free time, I really like to read.

-What do you like to read?

-Um, mostly like literature.

I've been getting into horror lately, too.

-Ooh, nice.

Okay, guys.

Your questions.

Hopscotch, I learned you can skip to 20 points if you find in this phrase the name of what South American country?

Oh, it's only for Madison, Gonzaga.

But again, I appreciate the enthusiasm.

Um, the name of what South American country where Santiago is the capital?

-Chile.

-Chile's right.

Reprove, censure, explain, endure.

Of these four words, which two are synonyms?

-Reprove and censure.

-That's it.

"The Story of My Life."

These words are the title of an autobiography of what American woman who overcame both deafness and blindness to become a renowned author and speaker?

-Helen Keller.

-That's it.

September 13th to 14th, 1814.

It was the British bombardment of Fort McHenry on these two days that inspired what man to write "The Star-Spangled Banner?"

-Uh, Henry?

-No.

Francis Scott Key.

You knew that.

Measles, Yellow Fever, Diphtheria.

Army doctor Walter Reed helped bring which of these diseases under control by proving it's transmitted by mosquitoes?

-Yellow Fever.

-That's it.

"He who climbs Mount blank once is a wise man.

He who climbs it twice is a fool."

To complete this old Japanese saying, place in the blank space what highest mountain in Japan?

-Fuji.

-You've got it.

Nice.

James Madison, 270 points.

[ Applause ] Stick around.

We have the Picture Perfect round.

It is next.

♪♪ 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."

♪♪ [ Applause ] -[ Laughter ] -Seriously, that is one of the funniest things that has ever happened on this show.

Thank you, Warhawk.

I appreciate that.

Yay!

[ Applause ] All right, guys, now that we've had that sort of excitement and fun, it's time to do the Picture Perfect round.

You know how it works.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer, so keep on hitting that buzzer, guys.

This time you don't have to show any restraint.

Here we go.

After the Spanish-American War, cigar boxes were decorated with pictures of Admiral Dewey celebrating his naval victory.

In what?

Philippine Bay?

Madison.

-Manila.

-Manila it is.

Tidy Name.

Please rearrange the letters in this tidy anagram to name -what explosive-- Gonzaga.

-Dynamite.

-You're right, Gonzaga.

Nice.

This statue of a runner is from what?

Ancient Greek city state whose rulers included Leonidas?

-Yes, Gonzaga.

-Sparta.

-Correct again.

Given this right triangle, what is the length of side-- -Yes, Madison.

-Five?

Five is right.

This vase pictures Typhon, a monster imprisoned under what still active-- -Madison.

-Edna.

-Edna is right.

Sicilian volcano.

The Hindenburg explosion was due to a spark igniting what gas?

-Yes, Madison.

-Hydrogen?

-Hydrogen it is.

This is what Russian pilot, who in 1961-- -Yes, Madison.

-Yuri Gagarin.

-Yeah.

Well done.

Attributed to Rembrandt, this writer is from what Eastern European country whose heroes Pulaski and Kosciuszko came to our aid?

-Madison.

-Poland.

Poland is right.

Nice job.

Let's recap these scores.

Wootton 220 points.

Gonzaga 270 points and James Madison 390 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ And now I have a question for you.

Think about that and we'll have the answer in a minute.

But first we are going to Meet The Coaches that helped these teams prepare for "It's Academic."

And we begin with Wootton High School.

Anika, tell me about the guy standing behind you.

-Hi, um, this is our amazing coach, Mr.

Anderson.

This is his first year coaching and we are so grateful to him.

-That's wonderful.

Really good to have you.

-Welcome to "It's Academic."

-Thank you.

And over to Gonzaga.

Paul, who's with you?

-Uh, this is our coach, Mr.

Kilner.

Um, we'd like to thank him for helping us along.

And our alternate Henry.

-Beautiful.

Over to James Madison.

Kennedy, who's standing behind you?

-This is Mr.

Lebendig.

He's our coach, and he's also Vera and my Lang teacher.

-It's really good to have all of you.

Thanks so much for supporting your teams.

[ Applause ] And now the answer to that question, guys.

Althaiophobia means... Any guesses, teams?

Anybody?

Anybody?

Fear of marshmallows.

Who knew you could be scared of marshmallows?

But there you have it.

And now we can go and begin the Packet round.

You guys know how this works.

Wootton, you get to answer questions first.

Gonzaga, you get to choose which packet they answer questions from, one, two, or three.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Two.

-Two.

So, questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

And if you get all of them right, there is a... -20-- -25-point bonus.

-A bonus.

-Yeah.

Boom!

Here we go.

In 1893, Queen Liliuokalani was overthrown by the sugar planters in what Pacific Island group now part of the United States?

-Hawaii.

-Hawaii is right.

And you don't even have to buzz.

In 2007, Chris Warner became the first person from Maryland to climb both Mount Everest and what second highest mountain in the world?

-K2.

-K2 is right.

According to some estimates, over 40% of Americans are descended from immigrants who entered this country through what New York island -and its harbor?

-Ellis Island.

-Yeah, that's where we're from.

Here's your science question.

Quantum Mechanics.

Periodic Table.

Light Amplification.

Mendeleev, Moseley, and Meyer all worked on the development of which of these?

-Periodic table.

-Correct.

The 1840s belief that the United States was naturally supposed to reach the Pacific Ocean was given what two-word name?

-Manifest Destiny?

-Yes.

Literature is filled with various small folk, including what small people who tie Gulliver down in "Gulliver's Travels."

-The Lilliputians -Yeah, here's your math question.

Solve for Y.

-Negative seven?

-Negative seven.

-Negative seven it is.

When General Eisenhower became Army Chief of Staff in 1945, he succeeded what other general who later became Secretary of State and created the European Recovery Program that bears his name?

-Marshall?

-Marshall is right.

Whoo, Wootton, you've got that 25 point bonus!

-Way to go.

-[ Bell chimes ] [ Applause ] Gonzaga College High School, you're up.

James Madison, which Packet will they answer questions from?

-Three.

-Three.

In his book "Gravitational Collapse," John Wheeler popularized what two-word term referring to imploding stars so dense not even light could escape their gravitational pull?

-A black hole?

-Yeah.

-Weighing over 1,000 pounds, what stone discovered in Egypt in 1799 is worth its weight in gold to linguists studying hieroglyphic writing?

-Rosetta Stone.

-Yes.

A few years ago, a Connecticut newspaper published an apology for a nasty editorial it had written in 1800 opposing the election of what third president?

-Jefferson?

-Jefferson.

Isn't that something?

Here's your science question.

Theodolite.

Foucault Pendulum.

Hygrometer.

Which of these is an instrument often displayed in museums and used to illustrate the daily rotation of Earth?

-The Foucault Pendulum.

-You've got it.

Starting in the far north and extending south to Kazakhstan, what mountain range is usually considered the boundary between Europe and Asia?

-Ural?

-Yes.

-"The Happy Prince" is actually a sad story by what Anglo-Irish author who also wrote "The Importance of Being Earnest."

-Oscar Wilde.

-Yes, it was!

Oh, my gosh!

That was amazing.

Here's your math question.

Well, it looked like you didn't know it, so, right?

-I didn't.

-It was amazing.

Which of these numbers is evenly divisible by six?

-998?

-No, it's 996.

Across the Bering Strait from Siberia is an Alaskan peninsula named for what Secretary of State who purchased Alaska?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Answer.

-Aleutian.

-No.

William Seward, but that was a good guess.

Gonzaga 390 points.

[ Applause ] And finally packet uno for James Madison.

Team, The Patriots Bell Tower is part of what Pennsylvania's site where the Continental Army suffered a harsh winter?

-Valley Forge?

-Yes.

-People who snack on chicken wings may be unaware that DNA evidence indicates chickens are related to what kind of huge meat-eating dinosaurs like those in Jurassic Park?

-T-Rex.

-Yeah.

Solar energy is an important concern today, but in ancient times, it was the concern of what classical god of the sun?

-Apollo?

-Yeah.

That's it.

Here's your science question.

Increase.

Decrease.

Remain constant.

If the mass of a body increases, its inertia will do which of these?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Increase?

-Yep.

According to the title of one Stephen King bestseller, Hearts are in what legendary island that supposedly disappeared beneath the sea thousands of years ago?

-Atlantis?

-Yeah.

-The line from the musical "My Fair Lady," "In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly happen," is an example of what literary device involving the repetition of consonants?

-Alliteration?

-Yeah.

Here's your math question.

Solve for y.

-[ Indistinct whispering ] -Answer... -...is?

-Five?

Nah, it's eight.

The horses the Spanish brought to Florida became the most prized possessions of what Florida Indians, whose leaders later included Osceola?

-Seminoles.

-Very nicely done.

James Madison 530 points.

[ Applause ] The Grab Bag round is next.

See you in a minute.

Did you know that Italian inventor On another ship three days earlier?

Good choice.

In 1915, he just missed being aboard the Lusitania when it was sunk by a German U-boat.

Perhaps he should have changed travel agents.

Now you know.

♪♪ [ Applause ] All right, it's time for our free for all the Grab Bag round.

You know that questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

Teams.

"The Road Ahead" was the title of a futurist book, published in 1995 by what noted philanthropist and co-founder of Microsoft?

-Gonzaga.

-Bill Gates.

-Yeah, you've got it.

Although the papacy goes back many centuries, the flag of Vatican City dates only from what year that saw the great stock market crash in New York?

-Yep, Madison.

-1929.

-That's it.

It would take you hundreds of hours if you were to listen to all the music by what composer whose works include "The Messiah"?

-Yep, Madison.

-Handel.

Yes.

On your screens.

When in Washington Croatia's ambassador lives in this residence far from what capital city of Croatia?

-Gonzaga.

-Zagreb.

-Correct.

During the Civil War, the Union Navy pursued a Confederate ship all the way to what huge rock monolith at the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea?

-Madison?

-The gates of Hercules?

-No.

The Rock of Gibraltar.

Giving your answer in degrees.

How big is an angle in which one half is its supplement?

Any takers?

The answer... Yes, Wootton.

-90?

-No, it's 60.

In 2013, six women managed to squeeze through a 7.5-inch crack in a cave wall to retrieve the bones of a new species in what country where Pretoria and Cape Town are.

-Yes, Madison.

-South Africa.

-Yep, that's right.

On your screens.

This is a quote from what American scientist who like Albert Sabin, developed a polio vaccine?

-Yep, Wootton.

-Salk.

-Yeah.

That's it.

Instead of a filibuster, the House of Representatives prevented debate on slavery during the 1830s by enacting what sort of rule that sounds like a cloth placed over-- -Yes, Wootton.

-[ Indistinct ] -No.

Gag rule.

The Samoan language is the origin of a word meaning mark that describes what art permanently marking human skin?

-Yes, Madison.

-Tattoo.

-Tattoo is right.

James Baldwin's book "The Fire Next Time" provided the inspiration for what 2015 Ta-Nehisi Coates work that took the form-- -Yep, Gonzaga.

-"Between The World And Me."

That's nice.

Yes, well done.

On your screens.

This portrait is the work of what American artist whose name sounds like the non-commissioned officer rank above a corporal?

-It is.

Yes, Madison?

-Sergeant.

-Yes, Sergeant.

James Sergeant.

Choice.

The wavelength of ultraviolet radiation is longer than the wavelength of radio waves, gamma rays, or infrared rays.

Yes.

Wooten.

Answer.

-Gamma rays?

-Yeah.

You got it.

What ancient domed-building in Rome has a name that indicates it was erected-- Yes, uh, Gonzaga.

-Pantheon.

-Pantheon is right.

Well done.

By the year 2050, New Zealand hopes to get rid of the rats and possums that are killing what birds?

New Zealand's... -Wootton.

-Kiwi.

-Kiwi's right.

Here El Greco painted his view of what-- [ Buzzer ] -Wootton.

-Uh, I don't know.

-[ Laughter ] -The answer was Toledo.

Toledo, Spain.

Well done.

That does it for our Grab Bag round.

We will have these scores for you in just a moment.

I'm Hillary Howard, host of "It's Academic."

And I've got a question for you.

The answer is WETA Plus.

That's right, WETA Plus is a free and easy to use streaming service created specifically for D.C.

area viewers like you.

With WETA Plus, you can watch local shows like "It's Academic."

or PBS hits like "Masterpiece," wherever and wherever you want on your TV or on the go.

WETA Plus is free and available to download on all major streaming devices and smart TVs.

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

♪♪ The scores are now official.

We begin with Wootton High School, home of the Patriots.

Nasrin, Anika, Reyansh 425 points, winning that 25-point bonus.

[ Applause ] From Gonzaga College High School in Washington.

John, Paul, Christian 470 points.

[ Applause ] And Blowing it up first time on "It's Academic," James Madison High School from Vienna Alex, Kennedy, Vera 610 points.

Way to go.

[ Applause ] Special thanks to the Warhawk who made us all laugh today.

See you next time.

I'm Hillary Howard.

Remember, everybody, "It's Academic."

Bye-bye.

-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 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.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪