-Students from Montgomery Blair... [ Cheers and applause ] ...Blake... [ Cheers and applause ] ...and Sandy Spring Friends... [ Cheers and applause ] meet today on the championship round of "It's Academic"!

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ ♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] Hello, everybody.

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'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.

[ Cheers and applause ] -[ Chuckles ] [ Cheers and applause continue ] We are so excited because we are here for this championship show.

And it is going to be good because all of these students are very smart.

We begin, guys, as we always do, with a Fast Start.

In this round, questions are worth 10 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

And for you at home, the students don't see what you do on those screens.

Here we go.

Instead of looking at lakes, how about answering some questions about them, as lakes are the subject of this Fast Start?

In 1813, a major naval victory -- Blair.

-Lake Erie.

-Yeah.

That's it.

The 1837 Battle of Lake Okeechobee -- Blake.

Answer.

-Florida.

-No.

Seminole.

Sorry.

"The Lady of the Lake" is a poem by -- Blair.

Answer.

-Tennyson.

-No.

Sir Walter Scott.

This South American lake is the highest -- Blake.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -Titicaca.

-Correct.

The world's longest bridge over water crosses Lake Pontchartrain in this -- Yes.

Blair.

Answer.

-Louisiana.

-Yeah.

This Minnesota Lake is the headwater of -- Sandy Spring.

-Itasca.

-Correct.

This Vice President was at New York's Lake Tear of the Clouds -- Blake.

Answer.

Three, two, one.

-Rockefeller.

-Theodore Roosevelt, when he learned President William McKinley was dying.

Formed by the Hoover Dam, this lake is one of -- Blake.

-Mead.

-Yeah.

The Russian lake -- this one is the deepest -- Blake.

-Baikal.

-Baikal is right.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky created -- Blake.

-"Swan Lake."

-"Swan Lake" is right.

And that does it for our Fast Start.

[ Cheers and applause ] Let's look at these scores.

Montgomery Blair, 110.

Blake, 120.

Sandy Spring Friends, 110 points.

Good way to start.

And now, of course, it's time for the Mix & Match round.

But first we get to meet these students again, beginning with Montgomery Blair.

By the way, all of these teams are from Montgomery County.

Montgomery Blair, home of the Blazers.

Hey, Justin.

-Hello.

My name is Justin.

I'm a junior at Montgomery Blair, and this is my second year on "It's Academic."

-Awesome.

Sophia.

-Hello.

My name is Sophia.

I am also a junior at Montgomery Blair, and this is also my second year on "It's Academic."

-And hello, Gugan.

-Hello.

My name is Gugan.

I'm also a junior at Montgomery Blair, and this is my first year on "It's Academic."

-And we're so happy to have you.

Guys, questions are worth 20 points.

As you know, nothing off for a wrong answer.

Hidden here is the name of what Middle East sultanate whose capital city is Muscat?

-Oman.

-Yeah.

It may come as a shock to learn that the word "battery" refers to a group of what kind of ferocious B-initialed fish found in tropical waters?

-Barracuda.

-Barracuda.

Yeah.

No.

Not really.

Please change to the opening line from "Moby-Dick" by eliminating what word?

-"O'Reilly."

-Yeah.

Complete this variation of an old saying by adding what word, referring to two liquids blended to form a single homogeneous mixture that can become supersaturated?

-Solution.

-Solution is the right answer.

Which of these three languages is widely spoken in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan?

-First one.

[ Indistinct whispering ] -First one.

-Yep, you've got it.

Well, we at "It's Academic" would argue with this statement from what dramatist who lived to be 94 and wrote such plays as "Pygmalion" and "Major Barbara"?

-Shaw.

-Yeah.

And that does it.

Nicely done.

Montgomery Blair, 230 points.

[ Applause ] Now to team two, from Blake in Silver Spring, home of the Bengals.

Hey, Fred.

-Hello.

I'm an 18-year-old senior.

And this is my 11th appearance on the show.

-Awesome.

Nathan.

-Hi.

I'm an 18-year-old senior.

And this is my fourth and final year on "It's Academic."

-And we'll miss you.

Nikhil.

-Hi.

I'm a 17-year-old senior.

And like Nathan, this is also my fourth year and final year.

-And we'll also miss you, Nikhil.

Here are your questions.

Instead of a guava, see if you can find in this phrase the hidden name of what capital city of Nicaragua?

-Managua.

-Yeah.

This book is by what woman who founded an order of nuns to serve the poor in India, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, and achieved sainthood in 2016?

-Mother Teresa.

-Yes.

This may sound good, but it's not correct.

Please eliminate one word and fix this title of Laura Esquivel's popular book.

-"Chips."

-Yes.

Awake or asleep, you can complete this sentence by adding what kind of domestic feline that comes in Siamese, Persian, and calico varieties?

-Cat.

-Yeah, it's cat.

Which of these three seas is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean and is named for the masses of seaweed that float on its surface?

-The first one.

-Yep.

The Sargasso Sea.

This pun comes from what British writer, the author of "Through the Looking-Glass"?

-Carroll.

-Lewis Carroll is right.

Nice, Blake.

240 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] From Sandy Spring, Maryland, Sandy Spring Friends.

Hi, Justin.

-Hi.

My name is Justin.

I'm a junior, and this is my second year on "It's Academic."

-Great.

Diego.

-Hi.

I'm Diego.

I'm an 18-year-old senior.

And this is my second and final year on "It's Academic."

-Sadly, but also wonderful because you're moving on.

And, Nate.

-Hi.

I'm Nate.

This is my first year on "It's Academic," and I'm a junior.

-All right, guys.

Take a straight path here, and you can find the name of what capital city of Croatia?

-Zagreb.

-Correct.

If you walk along the seashore, you may see these objects, as they're examples of what hard, protective exoskeletons created by small animals?

-Shells.

-Yeah.

It's shells.

The title of this Harper Lee novel is not quite right.

Please fix it by eliminating one word.

-"Night."

-Yes.

To complete this quote from a reluctant churchgoer, add what kind of fish that can be rainbow or steelhead?

-Trout.

-Trout?

-Yep.

It's trout.

Which of these places was important in the Vietnam War?

-Khe Sanh?

-Yeah.

-Khe Sanh.

-Correct.

These are the words of what French-Algerian author whose works include "The Stranger" and "The Plague"?

-[ French accent ] Albert Camus.

-Yeah.

Very nicely said.

Thank you so much.

Sandy Spring Friends, 230 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] I love the energy here today.

Stick around.

We'll be right back with Picture Perfect.

-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.

♪♪ [ Cheers and applause ] -They're applauding because we're about to embark on the Picture Perfect round.

Teams, you know how this works.

Questions are worth 20 points up or down.

Once again, the first team that buzzes in gets to answer.

This is an 18th-century drawing of a deer hunt on what island, once known as -- Blake.

Answer.

Three, two, one.

-Taiwan.

-Ooh, under the wire.

The absence of capital letters here might -- Blair.

-Cummings.

-Yeah, you've got it.

This is what Chinese-born architect who designed -- Blake.

-I. M. Pei.

-Yes.

The East Building of the National Gallery of Art.

And it is lovely.

Choice.

In the coordinate plane, would you -- Blake.

-Third quadrant.

-[ Chuckling ] Third quadrant is right.

The "K" in the designation -- Blake.

-Karakoram.

-Karakoram.

Yes.

...in the designation of K2 -- asking for, of course, where it is.

During the 1991 Persian Gulf War, dolphins were used to find mines using what biosonar -- Blake.

-Echolocation.

-You're right.

After the Civil War -- Blake.

-Buffalo soldiers.

-[ Chuckles ] Very nice.

Congress established African-American regiments.

It was in 1866.

This green gemstone comes from Zabargad, an island in -- Blake.

Answer.

Three, two, one.

-Indonesia.

-No.

In the Red Sea, separating Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

And that does it for the Picture Perfect round.

Let's check those scores.

[ Cheers and applause ] Montgomery Blair, 250 points.

Blake, 340 points.

And Sandy Spring Friends, 230 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] These students are so capable and so fortunate to have the supportive team behind them.

Let's get to business and meet them.

We begin with Montgomery Blair.

Tell us who's with you, Sophia.

-Behind, we have our awesome coach, Mr. Rada, and our principal, Mr. Yates.

And I would also like to thank all of our other amazing coaches -- Mr. Hammond, Mr. Schafer, and Ms. Partan for all of their support.

-Awesome.

Great to have you guys again.

Over to Blake.

Nathan.

-Yeah.

Behind me is our principal, Ms. Snead, and our coaches, Mr. Caulfield and Mr. Kalina.

And I also want to thank all of our alternates and parents and teachers for helping to prepare us for today.

-Beautiful.

And, again, so good to see you guys.

Over to Sandy Spring Friends.

Diego.

-Behind me is our wonderful coach, Eduardo Polón, who's been running this program for 10 years now.

And although he couldn't make it today, our assistant coach, Dr. Mark Ehlers, who also helps us very much.

-All right.

Thank you so much, everybody.

[ Cheers and applause ] ♪♪ Here at "It's Academic," we love the packet round because each of the teams gets to pick a packet for the other.

In this round, we begin with Montgomery Blair.

Blake, which packet will they answer questions from -- one, two, or three?

-Number one, please.

-Number one -- said so decisively.

High on USA Today's list of the greatest movie villains of all time is what "Star Wars" villain, the Dark Lord of the Sith?

-Darth Vader.

-Yeah, it's Darth Vader.

After passing a test that honeybees failed, it appears that what W-initialed insects similar to a bee are capable of logical thinking?

-Wasps.

-Yeah, isn't that cool?

The English began observing January 1st as New Year's Day after being ordered to do so in 1067 by what Norman conqueror?

-William the Conqueror.

-You've got it.

Here's your science question.

One gram of ice will absorb how many calories from its surroundings when it melts?

-80.

-80.

-80 is right.

The 9th-century Zanj Rebellion, which involved thousands of African slaves, took place in what present-day Middle East country, whose cities include Basra and Mosul?

-Iraq.

-Iraq.

-Iraq.

-It is.

Ta-Nehisi Coates took the title of his prize-winning book "Between the World and Me" from a poem by what author of the memoir "Black Boy"?

-Richard Wright?

-Yeah.

Richard Wright.

Here's your math question.

This expression simplifies to what positive value?

-One half.

-One half.

-One half.

-One half is right.

What man passed up a chance to play football for the Green Bay Packers and instead went into politics, becoming our 38th president?

-Ford.

-Gerald Ford is right.

You've got a 25-point bonus, Montgomery Blair.

Well done.

[ Cheers and applause ] Blake is up next.

Sandy Spring Friends, which packet -- two or three?

-Ah, two.

-Two.

Okay.

In 1998, researchers found five previously missing pages from the World War II diary of what young Jewish girl?

-Anne Frank.

-Anne Frank.

Yeah.

Austria's name begins with and ends with the letter "A," as does the name of what North African country bordered by Libya?

-Algeria.

-Yes.

The town of La Crosse, Kansas, has an entire museum displaying what sort of wire developed by Joseph Glidden to keep livestock from straying?

-Barbed wire.

-That's it.

Here's your science question.

For physical processes in large isolated systems, which of these is most unlikely?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -The third one.

-That's right.

Decrease of Entropy.

During the Revolutionary War, American soldiers got a weekly allotment of what non-edible commodity which is made through saponification?

-Soap.

-Soap.

Yes.

Dante's "Divine Comedy" is divided into three parts -- "Paradiso," "Purgatorio," and what other section whose name is synonymous with an enormous fire?

-"Inferno."

-"Inferno" it is.

Math question.

What is the value of this expression, giving your answer as an integer?

-81.

-Yep.

After his wife died shortly before he became president, what 21st chief executive honored her memory by placing a rose by her portrait every day?

-Arthur.

-Arthur.

Isn't that sweet?

And you know what else is sweet?

25-point bonus.

Blake, 525 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] Packet number three, Sandy Spring.

The title of astronomer Carl Sagan's book "Pale Blue Dot" was inspired by a photograph taken by Voyager 1 of what planet, third from the Sun?

-Earth.

-Earth.

-Beautiful.

Earth.

Yeah.

John F. Kennedy's famous World War II PT boat was identified with what number that can be expressed in Roman numerals CIX?

-109.

-Yeah.

In determining the value of diamonds, jewelers use four factors called the four C's -- cut, color, clarity, and what unit of weight?

-Carat?

-Yeah.

-Carat?

-It is.

Here's your science question.

Michelson and Morley investigated the ether theory of light propagation by using which of these instruments?

[ Indistinct whispering ] -The third one.

-Yep.

That's right.

Interferometer.

The "Shahnameh," the world's longest poem by a single individual, was a 30-years effort by a poet in what ancient empire centered in Iran?

-Persia.

-Persia.

-Persian Empire.

-Yep.

You're right.

Possibly the first computer to gain the status of a fictional character is what computer that's vital to the plot of Arthur Clarke's "2001: A Space Odyssey"?

-HAL 9000.

-HAL 9000.

Still terrifying, if you ask me.

Here's your math question.

Solve for X, giving your answer as a positive integer.

-13.

-Yes.

To help pay for college, what 36th president worked as a fourth-grade teacher and janitor at a Texas elementary school?

-Lyndon B. Johnson.

-Yes, you are right.

Another 25-point bonus.

Sandy Spring Friends, 415 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] We've got a pretty close game.

Stick around because you know what's next?

It's the Grab Bag.

-Hello, I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt arranged for the placement of the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin because he could see it there from the White House?

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

[ Cheers and applause ] -We know that you're waiting on the Grab Bag.

But first, we're going to learn a little bit more about these students, just in terms of, you know, what their most meaningful experience has been, either on "It's Academic" or during the school year.

And we begin with Montgomery Blair.

Justin, what do you have for us?

-I remember there was one episode last season where I ran over from a different all-day quiz competition midway through to come do this, and then ran all the way back.

And it was quite an experience to play with all the different teams.

-All right.

Great.

Sophia.

-Well, this isn't particularly one moment, but I just have to say, like, practicing with the rest of our club back at school, that's always really enjoyable.

-That's wonderful.

Gugan.

-Probably the most memorable thing from this competition is not being prepared to, like, respond about what I'd like to do in my life, and, like, making stuff up.

-[ Laughs ] Okay, so we'll accept that.

That's very good.

Thank you.

Over to Blake.

Hiya, Fred.

-It's got to be winning last year.

-Oh, how'd that feel?

-It was great, and it was, like, really surreal.

I mean, I just never thought we'd get to that point.

-Yeah.

That's beautiful.

And here you are again in the championship round.

Nathan.

-I remember in sophomore year, our first taping back at the studio from after when we did online.

-Oh, after the COVID shows.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, that was a big shift, huh?

-Yeah, it was.

-Nikhil.

-I would probably just say the same thing as Fred.

But, also, you know, it's just fun to just hang out with everyone and just practice and, you know, get better together.

-Yeah, it's fun for me, too, you know?

-Yeah.

-I like that, too.

Over to Sandy Spring Friends and Justin.

-I remember earlier this year, both my mom, my dad, and my sister came to support me, but also my cousins.

-Giving you some good energy.

-Yeah.

-Diego.

-I think it's really special getting to play against, you know, two fantastic programs, and especially Blake is right down the road from where we are, and it's incredible that we get to share this with you guys.

-That's great.

Hiya, Nate.

-None of us could do this without each other.

I don't know certain questions.

They don't know stuff.

We rely on each other, and I feel like that adds a certain emphasis and a certain joy that you can't really get anywhere else.

-That's beautiful.

And we like that, too.

So now that we've heard about all of those wonderful experiences, we have another one for you.

And it's this Grab Bag round that eventually will determine who walks away the champion of this season.

Ready, guys?

Let's recap the scores before we jump in.

Montgomery Blair, 435 points.

Blake, home of the Bengals, 525 points.

Sandy Spring Friends, 415 points.

[ Cheers and applause ] And now that we've got that settled, questions are worth 20 points up or down.

First team to buzz in gets to answer.

Here we go.

Several ships were sunk when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, but the ship lying beneath the Pearl Harbor Memorial is -- Blake.

-Arizona.

-Yes.

"The Rise of Nine" is the third book in what Pittacus Lore series about a group of extraterrestrials who fled Earth to escape another alien race?

The answer is the Lorien Legacies.

In 1809, the remains of what U.S. general who had won the Battle of Fallen Timbers -- Blake.

-Wayne.

-Yeah.

"Mad Anthony" Wayne.

On your screens.

The blobfish, which was voted the ugliest animal in the world, belongs to a family known as fatheads, and is found near what T-initialed Australian -- Yes, Sandy Spring.

-Tasmania.

-Correct.

Rather than a simple thank-you note, a magic carpet was supposedly sent to the biblical King Solomon by the Queen of -- Blake.

-Sheba.

-Sheba's right.

Poet Lord Byron was English, but when he signed his -- Blake.

-Greece.

-No.

When he signed his full name, it was "Noel" -- included.

Composer Rimsky-Korsakov was -- Yes, Blake.

-"Flight of the Bumblebee."

-No.

-Said the musical key of E major was equivalent to the blue of what gemstone?

The answer -- sapphire.

On your screens.

The man who said this was what American author who wrote "Travels with Charley" -- Blair.

Answer.

Three, two, one.

-Twain.

-Nope.

John Steinbeck.

"Word Freak" is a book about serious players of what board game where -- -Scrabble.

-Sandy Spring.

Yes.

In degrees, what is the smallest positive angle whose tangent is undefined?

Blake.

-90.

-Correct.

-Tailfins on aircraft inspired designers to add tailfins to what luxury cars named for the French explorer?

Blake.

-Cadillac.

-Cadillac it is.

On your screens.

This is the town hall in Kaunas, one of the oldest cities in -- Montgomery Blair.

-Lithuania.

-Yes, you've got it.

The Three Kings, or Wise Men who bring gifts to the infant Jesus are also identified by what other word?

Blair.

-Magi.

-Yeah.

That's right.

Composer Darius Milhaud might have been pressed for time when he wrote a seven-minute opera about what mythical Greek hero who killed the Minotaur?

Yep.

Sandy Spring.

-Theseus.

-Yes.

That's it.

What author broke the mold when he created the fictional Glass family?

Blake.

-Salinger?

-Yeah.

On your screens.

This is what Chief Justice who presided over Andrew Johnson's -- Blair.

Answer.

-[ Speaks indistinctly ] -No.

Salmon Chase -- over the impeachment trial.

Obviously good at multitasking, what woman managed to care for her 15 children and still help found the colony of Rhode Island?

Blake.

-Hutchinson.

-Yeah.

[ Buzzer ] And there's the buzzer, ending our 64th season.

Stick around.

We're going to have these official scores in just a minute.

-I'm Angus King, and I'm a U.S. senator from Maine.

But more importantly for today, I was one of the first contestants on "It's Academic" back in the '60s.

I represented Hammond High School.

And believe it or not, our team won the regional tournament that year.

I believe it was the first time.

Now, I can't take a lot of credit because we had the smartest guy in the world on our team.

Sharon and I basically answered a few questions here and there, but George answered most of the questions.

"It's Academic" was a great experience.

It's amazing that the program has run and delighted audiences and students throughout the region for these many years.

So great to be with you again.

Angus King, "It's Academic" class of '62.

[ Cheers and applause ] -Hey, before we do the scores, I want to take a moment to share something personal.

I've been doing "It's Academic" for more than 13 years, and I am ever more inspired by all of these students -- not just because they value knowledge and have a wonder about the world around them, but because they're really good people.

[ Cheers and applause ] And now to the numbers!

We begin with Montgomery Blair, home of the Blazers -- Justin, Sophia, Gugan, 435 points, winning a 25-point bonus... [ Cheers and applause ] ...with a special plaque for their school.

From Sandy Spring, Maryland, Sandy Spring Friends, home of the Wildebeests -- Justin, Diego, Nate, 475 points, getting a bonus.

[ Cheers and applause ] Here's another interesting tidbit.

Since I've been doing this show, Blake High School, home of the Bengals, has won seven times.

[ Laughs ] This is the seventh time they're taking this trophy back for their school.

Fred, Nathan, Nikhil, 625 points.

Well done.

[ Cheers and applause ] I cannot impart how proud we are to do this show and that all of you believe, as we do, that education is important.

Thanks so much for being with us.

See you next season.

And remember, everybody... -It's academic!

-It's academic!

-Bye-bye.

[ Cheers and applause ] -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.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪