(upbeat piano music) - [Narrator] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat piano music) (upbeat electronic music) (upbeat electronic music continues) (upbeat electronic music continues) (upbeat electronic music continues) (upbeat electronic music continues) - Hello, and welcome to the WCTETV Middle School Academic Bowl.

We're broadcasting from the Millard Oakley STEM Center on the beautiful campus of Tennessee Tech University, and we've got a great matchup today, this is our championship round between Portland West and Upperman Middle School.

So the loser of today's match will take home the second-place trophy, and the winner of today's match will take home first.

We're really excited to get this match underway.

My name is Molly Risley, and I'll be your moderator.

Let's see our teams.

- My name is Liam Cornwell.

I go to Portland West Middle School, and I'm built different.

- My name is Liam Burlough.

I am from Portland West Middle School, and I have celiac disease.

- My name is Eli Freeman, and I'm from Portland West Middle School, and one cool fact about me is that my dream is to be an astronaut.

- I'm Tristan Perdue, I go to Portland West Middle, and I know every single US president.

- My name is Sean Watts.

I go to Portland West Middle School, and I play the saxophone.

- Hi, my name is Susie King.

I am the coach for the Portland West Middle School academic team.

This is only my second year, and I've really enjoyed it.

I have taught social studies for about three or four years, and my dream when I retire is to travel to all the places I've taught about.

- Hi, I'm Kristy Watts.

I'm a school psychologist at Portland West Middle School, and I'm also the assistant coach for our academic team.

- Hi, my name's Fisher Phillips, and I drum, and I'm on the Upperman fishing team.

I'm from Upperman Middle School, and I don't know.

(laughs) Yeah, that'd be good.

- I'm Sam Brown from Upperman Middle School, and a fun fact I have is that I can play soccer.

- I'm Ryan Obipec, I'm with Upperman Middle School academic team.

I'm a pod ahead.

- Hi, my name is Andrew De Julien.

I go to Upperman Middle School.

I'm in academic team.

- I am Spencer Strong from Upperman Middle School, and one fun fact that I have is I really like to play drums and the piano.

- My name is Caleb Bates, I'm an English teacher and academic team coach for Upperman Middle School, and I enjoy foraging for mushrooms.

(upbeat electronic music) - Hi, my name's William Barnes, I'm a student at the University of Tennessee, and I'm a judge for the Academic Bowl.

- Hi, I'm Frank Holloway, I'm an engineer, and I'm one of the judges in the Academic Bowl this year.

- Hi, I'm Dr. Paula Hinton, I'm a professor of history at Tennessee Tech University, and I'm one of the judges for Academic Bowl.

- All right, and as always, we're gonna start with a toss-up, so buzzers ready, everyone.

This literary term is used to describe a phrase or sentence that reads the same backward or forward.

(buzzer blaring) Upperman, Fisher.

Out of time, I'm gonna finish...

Complete the question for Portland.

Name this term that is exemplified by the phrase, "Was it a car or a cat I saw?"

Or in the word noon.

(buzzer blaring) Portland, John.

- Palindrome?

- [Molly] Palindrome is correct for 10.

Your bonuses, given a noted building or structure, for 10 points each, identify the modern-day country that it's located in.

Machu Picchu is an Incan citadel set high in the Andes Mountains in this modern-day country.

- Peru?

- [Molly] Peru is correct.

The Ottoman-era historical imperial mosque known as the Blue Mosque is found in this country.

- Turkey, maybe?

Turkey?

- Turkey is correct, so 20 on the bonus, great job.

Next toss-up.

This Supreme Court ruling found that even if facilities are equal, segregation and education has a harmful effect on students.

(buzzer blaring) That's Portland, John.

- Brown v. Board of Education?

- [Molly] Very good.

Brown v. The Board of Education.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following about famous Greeks.

What Greek is often called the father of medicine?

(people whispering) - Socrates.

- [Molly] We're looking for Hippocrates, that Hippocratic oath.

All right, and which Greek is often referred to as the father of history?

- Aristotle?

Aristotle.

- Incorrect, we're looking for Herodotus there, so no points on the bonus.

We'll move on to our next toss-up.

This word can refer to an enclosed car to carry skiers to the top of a mountain, or an open-rail car often used in the transport of coal.

(buzzer blaring) Portland, John.

- Cart?

- [Molly] Incorrect, I'm gonna keep reading for Upperman.

Name this word that may be most readily identified with a long narrow boat that is propelled around the canals of... (buzzer blaring) Upperman, Sam.

- Gondola?

- [Molly] Gondola, or gon-dola.

Gondola.

Correct.

And your bonuses, given description of a term that deals with dinosaurs, for 10 points each, identify that term.

This dinosaur had a large bony frill, and was given a name that means "three-horned face."

- Triceratops.

- [Molly] Triceratops is correct.

(indistinct) This other dinosaur's name means "tyrant lizard," and weighed over five tons.

- That's a T. Rex.

- What?

- Huh?

Spinosaurus?

- [Molly] Spinosaurus is incorrect, we're looking for T. rex.

- Oh, dude.

It'll be okay.

- Toss-up...

The next toss-up, everybody ready?

In linguistics, this term refers to languages such as Neapolitan, French and Spanish languages that are derived from the Latin... (buzzer blaring) That is Portland, John.

- Romantic languages?

- [Molly] Romance, or romantic languages, we'll take, yes.

Bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following about the creativity of Leonardo da Vinci.

Another name for the this Da Vinci work is La Gioconda.

(people whispering) - Mona Lisa.

- [Molly] Mona Lisa is correct.

This other Da Vinci work is a mural painting that survived bombings during World War II, and famously depicts a moment of betrayal.

- The Last Supper?

- That is correct, so 20 on the bonus for you.

Next toss-up.

This color lies at the center of additive color wheels because it results from mixing all three... (buzzer blaring) That is Upperman, Fisher.

- White.

- [Molly] White is correct.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, identify the science term from the following.

This term is used for energy sources such as wind, waterfalls and solar energy that can be gathered more than once.

- Renewable.

Renewable.

Renewable.

- Renewable?

- [Molly] Renewable is correct.

This other science term is used to describe animals that can live on both water and land.

- Amphibian.

- Amphibian is correct, so 20 on the bonus.

Next toss-up.

He was protected by Frederick III, and hid in the Wartburg castle after the Pope declared him a heretic in the Edict of Worms.

Earlier, he was angered at Johann Tetzel's sale of an indulgence to Leo the 10th, so he... (buzzer blaring) That is Upperman, Sam.

- Martin Luther?

- [Molly] Martin Luther is correct.

(Fisher knocking on table) Bonuses, from 1999 to 2008, the US Mint did a series of quarters honoring the 50 states.

For 10 points each, identify the state from a description of the image on the reverse of that state's quarter from this series.

This quarter from the state...

The quarter from this state has an image of Crater Lake National Park.

- Oregon?

- [Molly] Oregon is correct.

The Gateway Arch is on this quarter's reverse side, along with images of Lewis and Clark.

- Missouri.

- Missouri's correct, so 20 on the bonus there.

Good job.

Next toss-up, name the hero who turned Atlas to stone, formed the deadly vipers of the African desert, and fell in love with Andromeda.

In Greek mythology, Hermes gave... (buzzer blaring) That is Upperman, Sam.

- Perseus?

- [Molly] Perseus is correct.

- [Person] There you go.

- [Molly] Your bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following about the United States House of Representatives.

With a delegation of 53 representatives, this state has the most seats in the House.

- Is it Texas?

- California.

- Is it Texas?

- [Molly] Incorrect.

We're looking for California.

- I said that!

That each member of the house is elected to terms that are this long.

- Two years?

- Six?

- I think it's two.

- Six?

- [Molly] Incorrect, House of Representatives only get two.

- Oh.

- [Molly] So no points on the bonus... - I know!

- Next toss-up.

He wrote the book "Profiles in Courage," and was known for commanding PT-109.

Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson finished this man's term.

(buzzer blaring) That is Portland, John.

- John F. Kennedy.

- [Molly] John F. Kennedy is correct.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following about characters and their alter egos.

Barry Allen is one of the alter egos of this owner of the Speed Force.

- The Flash.

- [Molly] Flash is correct.

This alter ego of Prince Adam battles Skeletor in "Masters of the Universe."

Answer?

- No answer.

- All right, and that one is He-Man.

He-Man.

All right, so 10 on the bonus and 10 on the toss-up give you 20 there.

Next toss-up.

The material inside of them can be compressed into a point of infinite density called a singularity.

Name these objects with an... (buzzer blaring) That is Upperman, Ryan.

- Black hole?

- Black hole is correct.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following about these terms from the field of science.

This term is used for the type of simple machine associated with wedges, windshields, and blades.

- Incline plane.

- Incline plane?

- [Molly] That is correct.

This other science term is used for a conserved quantity in physics that has the types of kinetic, potential, chemical and thermal.

- Energies.

- Energy is correct, so 20 on the bonus.

Next toss-up.

This component of the eukaryotic cell stores useful material and digest waste, proteins and organelles.

(buzzer blaring) Upperman, Sam.

- Is it the vacuole?

- [Molly] Vacuole is correct.

- Yes!

(indistinct) - [Molly] Your bonuses, answer the following about the Corps of Discovery for 10 points.

The Corps of Discovery was led by these two men that were tasked by President Jefferson with exploring and mapping out the area received in the Louisiana Purchase.

- Lewis and Clark.

- [Molly] Lewis and Clark's correct.

Lewis and Clark were aided on their journey by this Lemhi Shoshone woman.

- Sacagawea.

- Sacagawea.

- [Molly] Sacagawea is correct.

20 points on the bonus.

Next toss-up.

This man... (buzzer blaring) Oh, and we are out of time for round one!

We've got Portland West with 90, and Upperman with 150.

Stay with us, and we'll be right back for the lightning round.

Welcome back!

We're getting ready to start the lightning round in our champ series at the WCTETV Middle School Academic Bowl.

Just wanna clarify for our viewers at home, should Upperman Middle School win this match, we will have to play one more match to determine first and second place.

If Portland West was to win, they will be our first-place team, and Upperman Middle will be our second-place team.

Currently, we have some new teammates joining us.

So for Portland West, we have Liam.

And for Upperman Middle, we have Spencer.

(people applauding) All right, and because Portland is a smidge behind, they're gonna get the opportunity to choose first in the lightning round.

Your options are answers that begin with M, or answers that begin with P. - M, please.

- [Molly] M. they're choosing M. So we're gonna put 60 seconds on the clock, and the good players at Portland West are gonna give me all the correct answers on this sheet that begin with the letter M, here we go.

While serving as president number 25, he was assassinated in Buffalo, New York.

- McKinley.

- [Molly] This Austrian monk is called the father of modern genetics.

- Pass.

- [Molly] He is from the planet Cybertron, and the leader of the villainous Decepticons.

- Megatron.

- Megatron.

- [Molly] In the Exodus, he led the Israelites out of Egypt.

- Moses.

- [Molly] This city is the capital city of Vermont.

- Montpelier.

- [Molly] As a baby in the Indian jungle, he is adopted by the wolf mother Raksha.

- Mowgli.

- [Molly] It is the collective name of the nine Greek goddesses who inspire artists.

- Muses.

- [Molly] It is the most populated city in the province of Quebec.

- Montreal.

- [Molly] Gift-less Mirabel belongs to this family, and sings of their magic.

- No answer.

Oh, pass.

- [Molly] This book of a prophetic oracle is the last book of the Old Testament.

- Pass.

- [Molly] This Austrian monk is called the father of modern genetics.

- Pass.

- Gift-less Mirabel belongs... (buzzer blaring) All right, and so, I got one, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

Seven for 70?

Seven right, for a total of 70, you got McKinley, Megatron, Moses, Montpelier, Mowgli, Muses, Montreal.

We did not get the Austrian monk, father of modern genetics is Gregor Mendel.

The gift-less Mirabel belongs to... ♪ The family Madrigal ♪ All right, and this book of the prophetic oracle, the last book of the Old Testament would be Malachi.

All right, so great round for Portland West, and we'll see what happens with Upperman Middle as they give us all the correct answers on this sheet that begin with the letter P. 60 seconds on the clock, here we go.

This pamphleteer advocated American independence in "Common Sense."

- Pass.

- Pass.

- [Molly] He dots...

He eats dots in a maze while avoiding Blinky, Pinky, Inky and Clyde.

- Pac-Man.

- [Molly] This ancient Egyptian plant was used to make paper, rope and baskets.

- Papyrus.

- [Molly] This Italian city is famous for its leaning tower.

- Piza.

- [Molly] This European city will host the 33rd Summer Olympic Games starting in July.

- [People] Paris.

- [Molly] This English scientist isolated the gas now known as oxygen in 1774.

- Pass.

- Pass.

- [Molly] It was a series of wars fought between Rome and Carthage from 264 to 146 B.C.

- Punic Wars.

- [Molly] This quantity whose SI unit is the pascal is usually measured with a barometer.

- Pressure.

- Pressure.

- [Molly] He killed Medusa, and married Andromeda.

- Perseus.

- Perseus.

- [Molly] He served as the 14th president of the United States.

- Pass.

- Pass.

- [Molly] This pamphleteer advocated American independence in "Common Sense."

- Thomas Paine.

- This English scientist isolated the gas now known as oxygen in 1774.

(buzzer blaring) All right, we're out of time, and I got eight for 80?

Eight for 80, all right, so we got Thomas Paine, Pac-Man, papyrus, Piza, Paris, Punic Wars, pressure, and Perseus.

Franklin Pierce is our 14th president, and Joseph Priestly isolated the gas now known as oxygen.

So that's 80 points, bringing you guys up to 230, and Portland West is at 160, and we're gonna jump right into the final part of this game, so buzzers ready.

Here we go with the toss-up.

This man illustrated and wrote "The Grouchy Ladybug," as well as his most famous book about an insect who eats five oranges... (buzzer blaring) That is Upperman, Sam.

Time, I'm gonna finish reading it for Portland West.

Five oranges and a pickle before becoming a butterfly, name this illustrator of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar."

Time, that fella is Eric Carle.

Eric Carle.

Next toss-up.

This material can be classified by grain size, and includes gravel, sand and silt.

What term refers to these materials that are left as a product of weathering?

(buzzer blaring) That is Upperman, Andrew.

(indistinct) Incorrect, I'm gonna keep reading For Portland.

Weathering and erosion, and are transported... (buzzer blaring) Portland, John.

- Sediment.

- [Molly] Sediment is correct.

Your bonuses, given a clue about a species from the "Star Trek" universe, for 10 points, identify the alien race.

Ronald Reagan said this alien race reminded him of Congress but the "Star Trek" creators based this species on the culture of Soviet Russia and Communist China.

- Romulans.

- Incorrect, we're looking for Klingons there.

This other alien species was the first to discover warp drive, and the most popular character of this alien race was Mr. Spock.

- Romulans.

- [Molly] Incorrect, it is Vulcan, so no points on the bonus there, next toss-up.

(indistinct) Get your pencil and paper ready for this math toss-up.

Billy needs to buy a new aquarium for his fish.

The pet-shop owner said that the tank should have a volume of no less than 960 cubic inches.

If he finds an aquarium that has a rectangular base measuring 10 inches by 12 inches, how many inches high must it be to meet the minimum specifications?

(buzzer blaring) Upperman, Ryan.

- Eight.

- [Molly] Eight is correct.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following about famous quotes.

Vince Lombardi stated, "Winning isn't everything.

It's the only thing."

Lombardi was head coach of this team that won both of the first two Super Bowls.

- Was it the Packers?

(indistinct) Packers.

- [Molly] Packers is correct.

- Oh!

- [Molly] At the 1980 Winter Olympic Games, broadcaster Al Michaels asked, "Do you believe in miracles?"

In the closing seconds of the hockey match between the two teams representing what countries?

- USA and Russia.

- USA and Russia.

- [Molly] That is correct.

- Oh.

- [Molly] All right, so both questions on the bonus gives you 20, plus 10 on the tossup is 30.

Next toss-up.

Opposed by Tertium quids, this author of the "Kentucky Resolution" succeeded Patrick Henry as Virginia governor in 1779.

His... (buzzer blaring) Portland, Eli.

- Henry Clay.

- [Molly] That's incorrect, I'm gonna keep reading for Upperman.

His Secretary of the Treasury was Albert Gallatin, and his time in office saw the Embargo Act, First Barbary War, and Louisiana Purchase.

Name this third US President.

(buzzer blaring) Upperman, Andrew.

- Thomas Jefferson.

- [Molly] Thomas Jefferson is correct.

Here are your bonus questions, given a description of a common punctuation mark, for 10 points each, identify the punctuation mark.

This punctuation mark is typically made on a keyboard by holding the Shift key, and pressing the number-eight key.

- Ampersand.

- Ampersand?

- [Molly] Ampersand is incorrect, it is asterisk.

(Andrew exclaiming in realization) This other punctuation mark is written as three dots.

- Ellipsis.

- Ellipsis.

- Ellipsis is correct, so 10 on the bonus.

Next toss-up.

While flowering plants typically grow from seeds, Bryophytes grow from these unicellular structures.

(buzzer blaring) That is Upperman, Andrew.

- Spores.

- [Molly] Spores is correct.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, identify the following about the country of India.

This nonviolent leader led a salt march in 1930 to protest British taxes.

- Gandhi.

- [Molly] Gandhi is correct.

Rains are brought to India by the seasonal wind of Southern Asia that blows from the southwest in summer, and from the northwest in winter.

(indistinct) - No answer.

- [Molly] That is monsoon, so 10 on the bonus and 10 on the toss-up.

- I said that.

- Next toss-up.

She was an advocate for women's suffrage, and co-founded the women's rights journal The Revolution.

(buzzer blaring) That is Upperman, Sam.

- Anthony?

- [Molly] Anthony is correct.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, identify the following concerning the dead in Greek mythology.

This river of hate wound around Hades five times, and the dead souls had to be ferried across it to get to the underworld.

- Styx.

- [Molly] Styx is correct.

This name was given to the souls or spirits of the dead in the underworld that were considered to be mere shadows of their living beings.

- No answer.

- What are shades?

So we got 10 on the bonus, we'll go to our next toss-up.

High populations of these cell structures are found in muscle cells because they're always undergoing some type of movement.

Known as the powerhouses of the cell... (buzzer blaring) That is Portland, John.

- Mitochondria.

- [Molly] Mitochondria, mighty mitochondria.

Your bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following basic math problems.

This is the number of seconds in one hour.

- 36,000.

Wait, no.

Wait.

- In an hour.

- 3,600.

- 3,600.

- [Molly] 3,600 is correct.

This is the number of yards in 720 inches.

Answer?

- 60.

- [Molly] Incorrect, we're looking for 20.

So you got 10 on the bonus, and 10 on the toss-up for a total of 20.

Next toss-up.

A prologue is an introduction to a poem or play.

What word beginning with the same letter is the preliminary statement in a book by its author or editor that sets forth its purpose and scope?

(buzzer blaring) That is Portland, John.

- Preamble.

- Preamble is incorrect.

Can you take it?

Upperman.

Time, we're looking for preface.

Preface.

So we'll go to our next toss-up.

The solid shell of our planet is just 25 miles thick under each continent, and rests... (buzzer blaring) Portland, Liam.

- The crust.

- [Molly] Crust is correct.

Good buzz.

(indistinct) Here are your bonuses.

Given a listing of prominent cities that are all within the same country, for 10 points each, identify the country.

Which country has the cities of Perth, Darwin, and Adelaide within its borders?

- Australia.

- [Molly] Australia's correct.

This other country contains the cities of Sao Paolo, Manaus, and Recifi.

- Brazil.

- Brazil is correct, 20 on the bonus.

All right, next toss-up.

This 1679 law gave every prisoner the right to obtain a document ordering that the prisoner be brought before a judge to specify the charges against the prisoner.

Name the legal phrase that is Latin for, "You have the body."

(buzzer blaring) Upperman, Andrew.

- Habeas corpus.

- [Molly] Habeas corpus is correct.

- Good job.

- [Molly] Your bonuses, for 10 points each, answer the following about fictional places from the "Harry Potter" series of books.

It is the School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, founded in A.D. 1000, that Harry Potter attends in JK Rowling's "Harry Potter" series.

- Hogwarts.

- [Molly] Hogwarts is correct.

Bordering Hogwarts School is this dangerous woods that is alive with monsters.

- The Forbidden Woods.

- Forbidden Forest!

- [Molly] That is incorrect, so you got 10 on Hogwarts, Forbidden Forest was what we needed for part B.

Next toss-up.

These things may be set apart from one another by a blank line or by indenting the beginning of each one of these.

(buzzer blaring) Upperman, Ryan.

- Paragraphs.

- [Molly] Paragraph is correct.

(buzzer blaring) All right, and that last toss-up gives you 10, brings us to the end of our rounds.

We've got a final score... Stay seated please.

We've got a final score of Portland West, 220, and Upperman, 350, which now means both of these teams have a loss, and we've gotta play one more round to determine our winner.

So come back and see our championship game.

(upbeat electronic music) (upbeat electronic music continues) (gentle electronic music) (gentle electronic music continues) (playful percussive music) (upbeat piano music) - [Narrator] This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from viewers like you.

Thank you.

(upbeat piano music)