-Students from Sidwell Friends... ...South Lakes... ...and McDonough meet today on "It's Academic."

♪♪ Hello, everybody.

I'm Hilary Howard.

Welcome to "It's Academic," 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.

-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.

♪♪ MITRE -- solving problems for a safer world.

-And now it's time to meet the teams.

We begin with Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C. Jonathan, Iman, and Owen, hello.

Welcome to "It's Academic."

Hi.

[ Laughs ] Team 2, from South Lakes High School in Reston, Virginia.

Charlie, Daniel, Abigail, welcome to "It's Academic."

-Hello.

-Hello.

-And Team 3, McDonough High School from Pomfret, Maryland.

Julie, Skylar, Laila, how you doing?

Great to have you here.

-Hi.

-Hi.

And now that we've met everybody, it's time to jump into this opening round, where questions are worth 20 points.

Nothing off for a wrong answer.

Sidwell Friends, you're up first.

Jonathan, Iman, and Owen, here we go.

Hidden in this theatrical phrase is the name of what Biblical giant killed by David using a rock with a sling?

-Conferring -- Goliath?

-Yeah, Goliath.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- Goliath.

-Yeah, it's Goliath.

stingyboss.com -- you might use this Internet address to reach what stingy boss who had a change of heart after seeing Tiny Tim in Dickens' "A Christmas Carol."

-Conferring -- Scrooge?

-What do we think?

-Scrooge?

-Scrooge.

-Final answer -- Scrooge.

-Ebenezer Scrooge.

Yes.

No, he didn't.

Please correct this sentence by changing one word.

-Conferring -- "Wild"?

-"Wild," yeah.

-Final answer -- "Wild."

-Yes.

"Call of the the Wild" is right.

Of these three scientists, which one was noted for his heliocentric theory.

-Conferring -- Copernicus?

-Yeah.

-Yep.

-Final answer -- Copernicus.

-Copernicus is right.

This saying disavowing responsibility comes from what Eastern European country whose capital is Warsaw?

-Conferring -- Poland?

-Poland.

-Yep.

-Our final answer -- Poland.

-Poland is right.

And that means you've got them all, Sidwell Friends.

200 points.

How about we meet Team 2?

South Lakes High School from Reston, Virginia.

Charlie, Daniel, Abigail, let's do this.

Hidden in this sentence is the name of what starchy vegetable whose failure caused a famine in Ireland in the late 1840s?

-Conferring -- potato?

-Potato.

Yeah, potato.

-Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

-Final answer -- potato.

-Yeah.

The Great Potato Famine.

Auto-reply from Animal Girl -- "Away with the troop."

This might have been an away message from Dian Fossey, who studied troops of what animal, the largest of the apes?

-Conferring -- gorilla?

-Conferring -- gorilla?

-Yes, gorillas.

-Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

-Final answer -- gorillas.

-Yeah, it was gorillas.

I'm sure that's not right.

Change one word and make it correct.

-Um... -"Comedy," I believe.

"Weathercast" to "Comedy."

-Yes, yes.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- "Comedy."

-Yes, it is.

Which of these Latin terms refers to a basic legal safeguard that protects citizens from being illegally imprisoned?

-Conferring -- habeas corpus?

-I believe so.

-I think so.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- habeas corpus.

-I believe you're right.

This statement comes from Angela Merkel, the former chancellor of what country whose major cities include Hamburg?

-Conferring -- Germany?

-Conferring -- Germany?

-Yes, yes.

-Final answer -- Germany.

-Germany -- that means you got them all right.

Nicely done, South Lakes.

200 points.

Alright.

Time to play with McDonough High School from Pomfret, Maryland.

Julie, Skylar, Laila, here's your first question -- Within this phrase, you can find the hidden name of what mythical King of Phrygia who was noted for his golden touch?

-Conferring -- Midas?

-Yes.

Midas seems right.

-Yes, Midas.

-Final answer -- Midas.

-Yeah.

charon.com -- Had the Internet been available then, this might have been a website for Charon, the mythical boatman who ferried dead souls across what river of Hades?

-Conferring -- the Styx?

-Yes.

-Final answer -- Styx?

-Yes, it is.

During the 1850s, the short-lived Native American political party was called the Know blank.

Fill in the blank.

-Conferring -- Know Nothing Party?

-Yes.

-Final answer -- Know Nothing Party.

-Yeah.

Very good.

Which one of these birds is traditionally associated with Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom?

-Conferring -- owl?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Final answer -- owl.

-Yeah.

In the 1970s, the Shah of Iran used these words to describe what Middle East gulf that borders both Iran and Iraq?

-Conferring -- the Persian Gulf or the Gulf of Kuwait?

-Um...Persian Gulf, I believe.

-Persian Gulf.

-Or would it be the Gulf of Kuwait, 'cause -- -I need your answer, please.

-Final answer... Persian Gulf, Kuwait Gulf?

-Yes.

Tell me.

-Final answer -- Persian Gulf.

-Oh, I am so glad you got there, because it is the Persian Gulf.

Awesome job, McDonough.

You got them all.

200 points.

And that marks the end of the opening-round.

"Picture Perfect" 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.

♪♪ -It's time for the "Picture Perfect" round, where answers are worth 20 points up or down, 10 points up if you pass.

Sidwell Friends, you're up first.

This is Rubens' painting of Aurora, the Roman goddess associated with what time of day mentioned in the first line of our national anthem?

-Conferring.

-Dawn?

-Yeah.

That's it.

-Conferring -- dawn -- Final answer -- dawn.

-You're right.

Dawn's early light.

-If X equals 27, what is the value of this expression?

-Conferring -- 13?

Final answer -- 13.

-Yeah.

This French postman posed several times for what Dutch artist who did a famous portrait of himself with a bandaged ear?

-Conferring -- Van Gogh?

-Van Gogh, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- Van Gogh.

-Vincent Van Gogh is right.

You did it again, Sidwell.

Got them all.

260 points.

South Lakes, it's your turn to play the "Picture Perfect" round.

Here we go, guys.

This lion is by himself, but lions usually travel in packs called by what "P"-initialed word?

-Conferring -- pride?

-Conferring -- pride?

-Yes.

-Pride.

-Final answer -- pride.

-Yeah.

Pride is right.

What is the area of this trapezoid in square units?

-Well, I think -- -Conferring -- 8?

No, 20.

Sorry.

-Is it?

-Is it 20?

-Okay, I'm gonna count you down.

-In 3...2...1.

The answer is 16. called "Yellow Haystacks," this 19th-Century painting is by what French artist who did his best work in Tahiti?

-Conferring... -Answer?

-Do you have an idea?

-And 3...2...1.

It's Gauguin.

You've got 200 points, South Lakes.

Alright, McDonough.

You are up.

Here's the first question.

This is a photograph of the huge red spot on what planet, fifth from the Sun?

-Conferring -- Jupiter?

-Jupiter, yes.

-Final answer -- Jupiter.

-Yes.

-Please evaluate this expression.

11 factorial divided by 10 factorial, giving your answer as a positive integer.

-Conferring -- would this just be 11?

-Yes.

-Yes?

Okay.

Final answer -- 11.

-Yeah.

That's 11.

-For over 300 years, this painting was falsely attributed to what Dutch artist whose last name is Van Rijn?

-Could it be Vermeer?

-I'll go with Vermeer.

-Yeah.

-Answer?

-Final answer -- Vermeer?

-No.

It's Rembrandt.

But you did a good job, McDonough -- 220 points.

And that is 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, you might want to know something interesting.

-Hello.

I'm David Rubenstein.

Did you know in 1915, auto industrialist Henry Ford launched a Peace Ship filled with prominent peace activists in hopes of persuading warring nations to mediate an end to World War I?

Unfortunately, it didn't work.

Ford returned home, and the war continued until 1918.

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

♪♪ -Well, we've made it to halftime, which means the "Packet Round."

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

Zippo off for a wrong answer.

Yay!

So feel free to guess.

And if you get every answer right, there's a 25 point bonus!

Sidwell, you're up first -- Jonathan, Iman, and Owen.

But before we begin the round, we're going to learn a little more about you.

And we're going to start with the captain.

Hiya, Jonathan.

What should we know about you?

-I love working out, I love lifting, and I also love doing my schoolwork.

-I like lifting, too.

It makes me happy.

But what's your favorite subject?

-Probably math or physics.

-Alright.

Nice.

Well, it's great to have you on the show.

Iman, tell us what your interests are.

-I'm a really big fan of cooking and swimming and cycling, as well.

-Nice.

And I have to ask what you like to cook best.

-I love to cook Italian food, pasta.

-I'll give you my number [laughs] and you can cook for me, and we can eat together.

It's great to have you here.

And hello, Owen.

Hi.

-Hi.

I'm also a swimmer, like, Iman.

I also like to camp, backpack, hike.

-What's been your favorite hike so far?

-As a Boy Scout, I went to Philmont, New Mexico, and we went on, like, a 70-mile backpacking trip.

And that was really fun.

-Wow.

That's awesome.

Well, it's great to have all of you guys.

And now I can ask you some questions.

How about that?

Here's your first one, Sidwell.

-The book "Red Moon Rising" isn't about the moon, but rather the Soviet Union's 1957 launch of what first artificial satellite?

-Conferring -- Sputnik?

-Sputnik, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Our final answer is Sputnik.

-Yep.

-When Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands, he found tortoises and finches, but not what breed of dog that named his ship?

-Conferring -- -Beagle?

-Conferring -- Beagle?

-Final answer -- Beagle.

-Beagle it is.

Here's your science question -- It takes a vertical column of about 76 centimeters of which of these to balance atmospheric pressure?

-Conferring -- mercury.

-Mercury, yeah.

-Yeah, I was gonna say -- yeah.

-Final answer -- mercury.

-Mercury it is.

-Tourists now enjoy visiting Machu Picchu, once known as the lost city of what Indian civilization of Peru?

-Conferring -- the Inca, I believe?

-Yeah.

Inca.

-Wait, wait.

Are you sure it's not the Mayans?

-No, the Mayans were more north.

-Fine.

Go -- yeah, yeah, sure.

-Final answer -- Inca.

-Yeah, it's Inca.

-Cool.

Poet Vachel Lindsay helped launch the career of what man, the early-20th Century African-American poet who wrote the famous line, "What happens to a dream deferred?"

-Conferring -- we read this in English class.

What's his name?

-It's Hughes, I think.

-Hughes -- yeah, Langston Hughes.

-Okay.

Final answer -- Hughes.

-The wonderful Langston Hughes.

Yeah.

Here's your math question -- What is the value of this expression in its most simplified form?

-Conferring -- 1/2, I think?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

For sure, yeah.

Wait.

-Okay.

Final answer -- 1/2.

-1/2 -- yes.

The only president who also served as a Supreme Court justice was what 27th Chief Executive, elected in 1908?

-Conferring -- -Taft.

-Taft?

Okay.

Final answer -- Taft.

-It is Taft, which means 25-point bonus.

Sidwell.

You got them all.

425 points.

[ Siren wailing ] Alright.

Time to meet Team 2, from South Lakes High School.

And we begin with the captain.

Hello, Charlie.

Tell us a little about yourself.

-I just finished up working on the fall play.

-Oh.

What was it?

-It was a "Peter Pan" prequel called "Peter and the Starcatcher."

-[ Laughs ] And what was your role?

-I was the set-construction lead for tech.

-Cool.

Well, it's wonderful to have you.

And that must have been a lot of fun, I bet.

Daniel, how about you?

-I've been doing some tutoring recently, and I'm a junior at South Lakes, as well.

-I love that you're tutoring.

Tell me, what do you tutor students in?

-I've been mostly tutoring math.

I help them with their classes if they need any help, help go over their tests.

And it's really lovely to see them improve and, like, see them just do better in their work and see them understand the concepts of math.

It's a very magical thing for me.

-Well, it's great to have you here, Daniel.

And Abigail, hello.

What sort of things are you doing?

-I've been tutoring music, actually, at my local church, and currently I'm preparing for our winter concert.

-Oh, wow.

So all of you guys are performers in some various way.

What's your winter concert going to be?

-It's an orchestra concert, so I'll be playing violin.

And we'll be doing a selection of some classic winter songs.

-Very good.

Well, it's great to have you guys here.

And now I get to ask you questions.

Here's the first one, South Lakes.

Herpetologists were shocked several years ago when a python burst while trying to swallow what six-foot-long reptile similar to a caiman or a crocodile?

-Conferring -- alligator?

-Conferring -- alligator?

-I think so, too.

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- alligator.

-Bad move for that python, huh?

During the Civil War, the Union Army launched a campaign in Virginia with what name that identifies land surrounded on three sides by water?

-Conferring -- the Peninsular campaign?

-Yep.

-The Peninsular campaign.

-Correct.

Here's your science question.

Which of these is the compound commonly called laughing gas?

-Conferring -- nitrous oxide, I think?

-I think -- -That sounds right to me.

-Final answer -- nitrous oxide.

-Yep.

You got it.

-Over the 100-plus years, it was in effect, more than 2 million people received land under what land-grant act signed into law in 1862?

-Conferring -- Homestead Act?

-Yeah, the Homestead Act.

-I think that's the one.

Yeah.

-Final answer -- Homestead Act.

-Correct.

The band The Grateful Dead struck the right note with what author of "A Song of Ice and Fire," who credited them for influencing his work?

-Conferring -- George R.R.

Martin?

-That's the one.

Final answer -- George R.R.

Martin.

-That's the one.

Here's your math question.

-What is the number of degrees in angle X if the adjacent exterior angle is 135 degrees?

-Conferring -- 45, I think?

-Yeah, it's 45.

-Yeah.

45.

-45 is right.

-Final answer -- -It was at the 1814 Battle of Horseshoe Bend that a Cherokee warrior saved the life of what American military leader who went on to become our seventh president?

-Conferring -- Andrew Jackson?

-Yep.

Andrew Jackson.

Final answer -- Jackson.

-Andrew Jackson.

With that answer, you earned yourselves a 25-point bonus.

Awesome.

[ Siren wailing ] With a score of 365 points.

Time to meet the team from McDonough High School in Pomfret, Maryland.

And we begin with you, Julie, because you're the captain.

And what I love about your team is you call yourselves the Framily.

Why is that?

-Our school mascot is the Rams.

We're the McDonough Rams.

So our principal likes to call us the Framily.

-[ Laughs ] That's great.

Now, tell us a little bit about yourself.

-Aside from "It's Academic," I also participate in marching band and math team, and I'm part of our school's FFA chapter.

-Alright.

Well, it's great to have you with us, Julie.

Hello, Skylar.

Tell us about yourself.

-I'm in the biomed program.

I'm also in the drama club and our... And I'd love to give a great, big thank you to our parents for supporting us on our journey on "It's Academic."

-Wonderful.

-Great to have you, Skylar.

And last but certainly not least, hello, Laila.

What should we know about you?

-Aside from "It's Academic," I participate in marching band the math team, and I am a historian for the drama club.

And I would like to give a big thanks to our alternate, Noah, and the rest of our "It's Academic" family.

-You guys do a lot.

[ Laughs ] You really do.

That's wonderful.

And now here's your first question, McDonough.

Standing near a road in modern Greece is a statue of the ancient runner Pheidippides, who is identified with what 26-mile race?

-Conferring -- marathon?

-Yes, marathon.

-Final answer -- marathon.

-Marathon it is.

To tour Latin American countries whose names begin with the letter "P," a traveler would go to Panama, Peru, and what country where Asunción is capital?

-Conferring -- Paraguay?

-Yeah.

-Final answer -- Paraguay.

-Correct.

Here's your science question.

When liquids or gases are heated, which of these terms refers to the movement which takes place within the fluids?

-Conferring -- convection currents?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Final answer -- convection current.

-You've got it.

-The book "Four Wings and a Prayer" is not about airplanes.

It's about the monarch variety of what lepidopterous insects?

-Conferring -- butterfly?

-Yes, yes.

-Final answer -- butterfly.

-It's butterfly.

Not Oxford, England, but Oxford, Mississippi, was home to what Nobel Prize-winning author of "The Sound and the Fury"?

-Conferring -- is this Faulkner?

William Faulkner?

-I believe so.

-Okay.

Final answer -- William Faulkner.

-Yes, it is.

Here's your math question.

Solve for X.

-Conferring -- X equals 5?

-Yes.

-3x, yeah.

Okay.

Final answer -- X equals 5.

-X does equal 5.

-Daniel Webster, a noted orator himself, edited the inaugural address given by what ninth president in 1841?

-Conferring -- William Henry Harrison?

-Yes.

-Right.

-Final answer -- William Henry Harrison.

-It is William Henry Harrison.

And with that correct answer, you have gotten yourselves a 25-point bonus and a score of 385 points.

[ Siren wailing ] Well-done, McDonough.

And that is the "Packet Round."

Next, we're turning up the temperature, because it's time for the "Lightning Round."

Okay.

In this "Lightning Round," you've got 45 seconds to answer up to 10 questions.

They're worth 20 points up or down.

No penalty if you pass.

Sidwell, of course you're up.

Jonathan, Iman, Owen, here we go.

All your answers must end in the letter "C," as in "panic."

In 3...2...1.

This is the second-largest ocean.

-Pacific.

-Pacific.

-Atlantic.

No.

This poisonous element has the symbol AS.

-Arsenic.

-Yes.

-This is the highest mountain in the Alps.

-Mont Blanc.

-Yes.

This ship hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage in 1912.

-The Titanic.

-Yes.

This formula is for the acid H2SO4.

It's called?

-Pass.

-Sulfuric acid.

In this series of ancient wars, Rome defeated Carthage?

-Punic wars.

-Yes.

This is the official language of Egypt, Jordan, and other Mideast countries.

-Arabic.

-Yes.

Montezuma was the leader of this Mexican civilization.

[ Buzzer ] -Aztec.

-And that's the end of the round.

-Sidwell, nice job.

505 points.

Okay, South Lakes, your turn to play the "Lightning Round."

Charlie, Daniel, Abigail, here we go.

All your answers must end with the letter "K," as in "ink."

In 3...2...1.

This type of boat is associated with the biblical Noah.

-Ark.

-Yes.

-This insect transmits Lyme disease.

-Tick.

-Yes.

This is the capital of Belarus.

-Minsk.

-Yes.

He was the pirate captain in "Peter Pan."

-Hook.

-Yes.

This young, Jewish girl kept a World War II diary.

-Frank.

-Yes.

-He was our 11th president.

-Hancock?

-Polk.

He and Meriwether Lewis explored the Pacific Northwest.

-Clark.

-Yes.

-All hadrons contain this subatomic particle.

-Quark.

-Yes.

This sprite plays a major role in "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

-Puck.

-Yes.

-This chess piece moves in straight lines.

-Rook.

-Yes, it's rook.

You got through them all, South Lakes.

Fabulous way to do that "Lightning Round."

525 points.

McDonough, you are up for this "Lightning Round."

Julie, Skylar, Laila, here we go.

All your answers must end in the letter "R," as in "car."

In 3...2...1.

The stegosaurus was this type of prehistoric animal.

-Dinosaur.

-Yes.

This was the royal title of Russia's Nicholas II.

-Czar.

-Yes.

This English physician developed the smallpox vaccine.

-Pass.

-Jenner.

-This metallic element has the symbol Cu.

-Copper.

-Yes.

He was our 31st president.

-Hoover.

-Yes.

This French scientist made milk safe to drink.

-Pasteur.

-Yeah.

He wrote "The Catcher in the Rye."

-Salinger?

-Yes.

He lost the Battle of Little Bighorn.

-Custer.

-Yes.

One of the Gemini.

He's the brother of Pollux.

-Castor.

-Yeah.

Marty Walsh is secretary of this Cabinet department dealing with workers.

Labor.

-Yes.

Yeah.

Man, you blew through that labor around.

Fabulous job, McDonough.

565 points.

And now the judges are going over the scores, so in just a minute, we will let you know who's coming back for the playoffs.

But before that, we would really love for you to consider giving back to your community, like some of our really 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 Nurgul, and I'm a student at Northwest High School in Germantown, Maryland.

Though I've volunteered with a lot of different organizations, the one that's impacted me the most has been my time with the Shady Grove Hospital.

Through this time, I helped nurses get accustomed with their routines, take care of patients, and get patients what they needed.

Through this, I learned a lot about myself, and I learned a lot about how to give back to my community in a way that helps people, especially through the tumultuous times of COVID.

I learned how to make special connections and how to volunteer in ways that were important to me.

-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.

-The scores are now official.

And before I give them, I want to let you know this was a really close game, each of the teams above 500 points.

So you should all feel really proud of what you brought today.

Alright.

Here we go.

First, congratulations to Sidwell Friends from Washington, D.C. Jonathan, Iman, and Owen, 505 points.

Second, congratulations to South Lakes from Reston.

Charlie, Daniel, and Abigail, 525 points.

And coming back for the playoffs, McDonough High School from Pomfret, Maryland.

June, Skylar, Laila, 565 points.

Amazing job, everybody.

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

We're really happy you were with us today, matching wits with these very impressive students.

-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.

-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.

-Hey, please join us next time, when Bullis, Sandy Spring Friends, and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School compete in a playoff match -- the first playoff match here on "It's Academic."

I'm Hillary Howard.

See you then.

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