>> Join us tonight as Lenox Memorial High School goes up against Northampton High School, the historic 65th season of Western New England's award winning high school quiz show continues tonight as schools match wits.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA 180 years of commitment to the public, schools and colleges our communities deserve.

>> I've been able to take all these experiences and really build myself as a person.

You're treated like a young professional the second you walk in here, we drop this beat like.

>> Hold up.

>> Good evening and welcome to As Schools Match Wits coming to you from the campus of Westfield State University.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Once again high schools from throughout our region are going head to head in qualifying matches to see who can score enough points to finish in the top eight and compete in this season's championship tournament.

In tonight's matchup, we have Lenox Memorial High School going up against Northampton High School.

Let's meet the teams starting with Northampton High, coached by Scott Mahar.

>> Hi I'm Homer Lepore, junior from Northampton High.

Hi.

My name is Tate Lawson.

I'm a senior at Northampton High School.

>> My name is Mazen Abdullah and I'm a junior at Northampton High.

>> Hi.

My name is Zahra Usman and I'm a senior in Northampton High.

I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge our alternate law.

>> And for Lennox Memorial, coached by Matt Gottfried and Charles Mattina.

>> Hi, I'm John Kowalski, and I'm a senior at Lenox Memorial High School.

>> Hi, I'm Rose Dupuy, and I'm a junior from Lenox Memorial Middle and High School.

>> Hi, I'm Ava Mosesian, and I'm a senior from Lenox Memorial.

>> Hi, I'm Caleb Ketchen.

I'm a sophomore at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School.

And at this time, I would also like to acknowledge our alternate fund award.

>> We start off each match with the challenge round.

Both teams will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for ten points each.

Good luck to both teams.

Here we go with first question of the evening.

Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, and Santa Rosa are all islands found off the coast of what US state?

>> Lenox, California.

>> Yes.

That's right.

In what system of the human body is the cerebellum a part of Northampton?

>> The brain.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Lenox Memorial.

Can you answer the question?

>> Nervous system.

>> Nervous system?

Yes, that is correct.

Spell the US state whose capital city is little Rock.

>> Lenox a r k a SAS.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Which of Johannes Kepler's laws of planetary motion states that a line segment joining a planet and the sun sweeps out equal areas during equal intervals of time?

Is it the first, second or third law?

Northampton.

>> Second.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Next question.

The Battle of Germantown took place during what US war?

Lenox.

>> American revolutionary.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

What Shakespeare tragedy features an English king with three daughters.

Northampton.

>> Hamlet.

>> Hamlet.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

The three daughters are.

Goneril, Regan and Cordelia.

All right.

Lennox, can you answer the question?

>> King Lear?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Next up in NCAA track and field, the longest distance for a sprint event is which of the following.

300m.

400m or 500m?

>> Northampton 400.

>> Yes.

That's right.

In what year did Neil Armstrong make his historic walk on the moon?

Lennox?

>> 1969?

>> Yes.

That's right.

When texting the letters Idk or an abbreviation for Northampton.

>> I don't know.

>> I don't know.

You did know.

Nice job.

If you had a Cessna 172, you would most likely fly it.

Northampton.

>> Plane.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

Would you most likely fly it, drive it or sail it?

All right, Lennox, can you answer the question?

Fly it, fly it.

Yes.

So tough one Northampton.

But let's move on to the next one.

Cosecant is the reciprocal function of what?

>> Lennox sign.

>> Sign is correct.

Which of the following South American countries does not border Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia or Venezuela?

Northampton.

>> Venezuela.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Listen to this literary line.

The cold passed reluctantly from the earth, and the retiring fogs revealed an army stretched out on the hills, resting.

It's from the novel the Red Badge of Courage.

By what?

Northampton.

>> Edgar Allan Poe.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Good guess though.

All right, Lennox, can you can you answer the question?

>> Yes.

>> That would be Stephen Crane is the right answer.

In 1903, Edwin and Alice Stead Binney developed what famous brand of wax crayons that are still being produced today.

>> Crayola?

>> Yes, Northampton.

That is correct.

An MRI is a medical technique used in radiology to generate pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes inside the body.

>> Northampton resident imaging using MRI.

>> MRI.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

Let me finish the question in that sentence.

What are the letters?

MRI, an abbreviation for?

All right.

Lenox, can you answer radio imaging?

>> Magnetic radio imaging.

>> Magnetic resonance imaging.

Very close.

Charles Darwin, with the help of Alfred Russel Wallace, published the book On the Origin of Species, which introduced the idea of evolution by natural selection.

Was the book published in the 1700s, 1800s or 1900s.

>> Lenox 1800s.

>> Name the capital city of the State of Delaware.

Lenox.

>> Dover.

>> Dover is right.

If a circle has a diameter of ten, what is the exact area of that circle in terms of pi?

>> Northampton 100 pi.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Lenox.

Can you answer 25 Pi?

25?

Yes.

That's right.

Listen to the sentence.

Being judicious with your words online can help avoid negative consequences.

Spell the word judicious.

>> Lennox j u d I e I o us.

>> Yes.

That's right.

Here's the next one.

Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first Lennox Mount Everest.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

They became the first known humans to reach the summit of Mount Everest.

In which of the following years is the question?

1933, 1943 or 1953?

Northampton.

Can you answer?

1953 yes, 1953 is right.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

Let's take a minute now to meet the team from Northampton High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Northampton, what's your favorite after school activity?

>> My favorite after school activity is rock climbing and Hadley, my favorite after school activity would be playing fantasy soccer.

>> My favorite after school activity would be swimming.

>> My favorite after school activity is representing my peers on our school student union.

>> Let's move on now to the first lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz.

In answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

Your team loses five points.

Well, your team will be hard to beat if you can come up with the word or phrase that rhymes with the word beat, you have 90s starting right now.

Something that isn't finished.

>> Northampton incomplete.

>> Yes, that's right.

Wavering cry made by a sheep or goat.

Lennox.

>> Bleat.

>> Bleat is correct.

Something no longer useful is said to be this.

Northampton.

>> Obsolete.

>> Obsolete is correct.

You turn this up when it's cold.

Northampton.

Heat.

Yes.

A printed statement verifying payment receipt.

Receipt?

Adjective meaning free from dirt and disorder.

Lennox.

>> Neat, neat.

>> Neat neat is correct to cancel, erase or remove.

Delete.

Please wait till your school is identified.

To win over another team.

Lennox.

>> Defeat.

>> Defeat defeat is right.

What one does on Twitter Northampton.

>> Tweet.

>> Tweet is correct.

The name for frozen rain Lennox sleet.

Sleet is correct.

Material consisting of mineral aggregate and cement.

>> Northampton concrete.

>> Yes that's right.

Popular sport involving shooting at clay targets.

>> Northampton skeet.

>> Skeet is right.

The traditional ask for Halloween candy.

Northampton.

>> Trick or treat.

>> Trick or treat is a small species of parrot with long tail feathers.

Northampton parrot.

Parrot I heard first parakeet is the right answer.

It's the largest of the Greek islands.

>> Northampton, Crete.

>> Crete is right.

A bedding cloth sometimes made of linen.

Lenox cheat sheet is correct soil that contains about 25% of organic matter.

>> Peat?

>> Yes, the answer is peat.

However, Lenox, you did not quite get that buzzer in on time.

And that bell does mark the end of our first lightning round.

Let's move on now with the capitalization round.

That's where teams get the chance to pick a category and a point value.

They'll need to answer a qualifying question first before they can continue on for points.

Now, if they fail to answer that qualifying question correctly, their opponents will have the opportunity to capitalize and get those points.

All right.

At the moment, Northampton, you are a little bit behind.

Also means, as the rules state, you also get the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

What's it going to be?

>> Social studies for 30.

>> Social studies for 30.

You pick the Westfield State University entrance exam question right off the bat.

Answer the qualifier in all the category questions correctly and your team wins an additional ten points.

All right.

Here we go.

Take a look at your screens.

The purpose of this government run volunteer program is to promote world peace and friendship through community based development and intercultural understanding.

What is it?

>> The Peace Corps?

>> Yes.

That's right.

Let's move on.

In this category, sticking with peaceful organizations aimed at improving the world, these are for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

First formed in 1909, the goal of this African American civil rights organization is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of rights of all persons.

>> NAACP.

>> Yes, you are correct.

That is the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

Next question.

In 1972, the Don't Make a Wave committee officially changed its name to the name of this worldwide environmental organization whose goal is to ensure the ability of the Earth to nurture life in all its diversity.

Name this organization.

>> Greenpeace.

>> Yes, Greenpeace is right.

Finally, let's try this one.

Also created in 1961, this human rights organization stated objective is to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated.

Name this organization.

>> Safe passage.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

It's Amnesty International.

So close.

Such a great job.

On the other answers, though.

All right, Lennox, your turn to please pick a category and a point value.

>> World events for 30, please.

>> World events for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

When British explorer John White returned to this new world settlement in 1590, a settlement he had helped to establish three years earlier, he found no trace of any settlers, but only the word Croatoan carved in the fort's gatepost.

What settlement is this?

>> Roanoke?

>> Yes, that is correct.

Otherwise known as the Lost Colony.

Let's move on in this category.

More about the Roanoke Colony for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

First, the colony was established on Roanoke Island in what is today part of Dare County.

In what U.S.

state is it, Virginia, Maryland or North Carolina?

>> North Carolina?

>> Yes, that's right.

This first attempt to establish a permanent British settlement in the New World was sponsored by this British monarch.

>> Name her Queen Elizabeth the First.

>> Yes.

That's right.

And finally issued in 1937.

The US postage stamp shown here commemorates the 350th anniversary of the birth of what child?

The first born to British parents in the New World, Virginia Dare.

Yes, you are correct.

Very nice job, Northampton.

Once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> General knowledge for 30.

>> General knowledge for 30.

To qualify, take a look at your screen once again.

What 16th letter of the Greek alphabet also is a mathematical constant.

That is, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.

>> Pi.

>> Let's see how well you know the Greek alphabet.

We'll show you a picture of the letter.

You provide its name.

These are for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen again.

First one.

Name this letter.

>> Alpha.

>> Alpha is correct.

Try this one.

>> Epsilon.

>> Epsilon.

>> Iota is the right one.

All right.

How about this letter?

>> Omega?

>> All right.

Lennox, once again, your turn.

>> Social studies for 25, please.

>> Social studies for 25 to qualify.

What European country is bordered by France and the West, Germany and the North, Austria and Liechtenstein in the east.

And by Italy in the south.

>> Switzerland.

>> That's right, let's move on.

In this category, in addition to Switzerland, there are six other European nations.

Names that begin with the letter S, which one is described by each of these short clues?

These are for five points, each, first situated on the slopes of Mount Titano.

This nation is surrounded on all sides by the Republic of Italy.

Name this country San Marino.

Yes, that's correct.

Next one.

For most of the 20th century, this Central European country was part of Yugoslavia.

It gained independence in 1991.

Name this country.

>> Serbia.

>> Serbia.

>> Correct answer.

There is Slovenia.

Let's try this one.

About 15% of this European nation lies within the Arctic Circle.

Name it.

>> Sweden.

>> All right.

How about this one?

What nation's capital is Bratislava?

>> Slovakia?

>> Slovakia is right.

And finally, name the country that occupies about 85% of the Iberian Peninsula.

>> Spain.

>> Spain.

Yes.

Nice job Northampton.

Once again, please pick a category and a point value.

>> Math and science for 30.

>> Math and science for 30.

Qualifying question concerned primarily with learning.

What structure of the brain helps humans retain short and long term memory?

It's typically the first region to suffer damage from Alzheimer's disease.

Is it the hypothalamus, hippocampus or cerebral cortex?

>> Cortex.

>> Cerebral cortex.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Lenox Memorial.

Can you capitalize.

>> Hippocampus?

>> Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

More about the parts of the brain.

These are for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

What part of the brain directs involuntary functions such as heartbeat and respiration?

>> Motor cortex.

>> Motor cortex.

>> That would be the medulla.

Let's try this one.

What part is responsible for balance and coordination of fine movement?

>> I think that's the motor cortex.

>> Motor cortex.

>> Cerebellum is the right answer.

Finally, let's do this one.

What part of the brain controls actions such as eating and drinking and helps regulate sleep?

>> Do it again.

Motor cortex.

>> Good guess.

However, correct answer is hypothalamus.

All right, Lennox, your turn once again to please pick a category and a point value.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30, please.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30 to qualify.

Released in theaters in 2017, Dead Men Tell No Tales was the title of the fifth installment of what movie franchise?

>> Pirates of the Caribbean?

>> Yes, you are correct.

Let's move on.

Let's see how much you know about the cast of Pirates of the Caribbean.

This is for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

This actress appeared in the first four Pirates movies playing the role of Elizabeth.

Name this actress Keira Knightley.

Yes, Knightley is the right answer.

This actor has appeared in four of the five Pirates movies, playing the role of Will Turner.

Name this actor.

>> Bloom Orlando Bloom.

>> Yes, that is correct.

And finally, this actor played the lead role of captain Jack Sparrow in all five of these movies.

Name this actor Johnny Depp.

Yes, of course, Johnny Depp.

That is right, North Hampton.

Once again, your turn.

>> General knowledge for 25.

>> General knowledge for 25.

We have a video qualifying question, so please take a look at your screen.

>> What's up guys.

This is Chris Murphy with the Boston Red Sox.

And with your qualifying question, major League Baseball tracks a multitude of statistics on its players, such as home runs, stolen bases, and strikeouts, to name a few.

To calculate a player's batting average, you must divide their number of hits by their number of at bats to qualify.

During his last season in 2016, Red Sox legend David Ortiz had a batting average of 315 and 537 at bats.

How many hits did he have that season?

Rounded to the nearest whole number?

>> Um, I don't know.

Uh, 400.

500.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

Okay, Lennox, can you capitalize?

315 is the right answer there?

Let's move on with Lennox once again to please pick a category and a point value.

>> A world events for 25, please.

>> World events for 25.

To qualify.

Take a look at your screens.

Which of these events from general history did not occur in the 1960s, the Cuban Missile Crisis, building of the Berlin Wall, the Apollo 13 aborted moon landing, or the Woodstock Music and Art fair.

>> Berlin Wall.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

Northampton.

Can you capitalize Apollo 13?

Yes.

That happened in 1970.

Let's stay with the 1960s.

These are for ten points each.

First, in August of 1963, the March on Washington advocated for the civil and economic rights of African Americans at the Lincoln Memorial.

The historic I Have a Dream speech was given by what?

Civil rights advocate.

>> Doctor Martin Luther King junior.

>> Yes, you are correct.

In 1967.

The first ATM was opened at Barclays Bank in London, England.

What do the letters ATM represent?

>> Something machine.

Automatic transaction machine.

>> Automated teller machine is the right.

That was close.

And finally, for five points.

Now, at his inauguration on January 20th, 1969.

What?

president promised peace with honor to end the Vietnam War.

>> Nixon.

>> Yes, that is correct.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a moment now to meet the team from Lenox Memorial High School.

>> Hi, I'm Mackenzie Gaudet from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Lenox Memorial, would you rather never use social media or never watch TV?

>> Probably never use social media because I feel like I'd be a lot more productive.

>> I would never use social media because it would improve my productivity and attention span.

>> Um, I would probably never use social media because I don't really need it, and I would much rather watch TV.

>> I'd rather never use social media because you can never get Ahold of me anyway.

>> Moving on now to the final lightning round of the match.

Each team will have a chance to buzz in and answer questions for five points each.

Buzz in answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly and your team loses five points.

Well, we're not done with this match yet.

Each answer in this round contains the letter sequence O somewhere in it, as in the word done.

You have 90s starting right now.

It's a small piece of rock.

Lenox.

>> Stone.

>> Stone is correct.

The opposite of later.

Lenox.

What sooner is the right answer to put something off to a later date?

Northampton.

>> Postponed.

>> Postponed is right.

Someone who's truthful is said to be this.

Lenox.

>> Honest.

>> Honest is correct.

A violent rotating windstorm.

Northampton.

>> Cyclone.

>> Cyclone is correct.

It's where you go to score a touchdown.

Northampton.

>> End zone.

>> End zone is right.

A sweet substance made by bees.

>> Lennox, honey.

>> Honey is correct.

Amethyst, Sapphire and diamonds are examples.

>> Gemstone.

>> Gemstone is right.

Instrument played by John Coltrane and Clarence Clemons.

Northampton.

>> Saxophone.

>> Saxophone is right.

A chair for a King or Queen.

Northampton.

>> Throne.

>> Throne is correct.

It's dollars and cents.

Northampton.

>> Money.

>> Money is right.

The team going up against your team.

Northampton.

>> Lennox O.

>> Correct answer is opponent a sweet, juicy muskmelon known for its mild flavor.

>> Lennox honeydew.

>> Honeydew is correct.

Examples of these are.

Ulna and tibia Northampton bone.

Pennsylvania is known as the.

What?

>> Keystone.

>> Keystone is correct.

A brass musical instrument with U-shaped slide.

Northampton.

>> Trombone.

>> Trombone is right.

A significant event in one's life.

Lennox.

>> Milestone.

>> Milestone is correct.

Ah, that bell marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of our match.

What a really great matchup tonight.

I have to say, Northampton, you really brought it when it came to especially the lightning rounds a job well done.

Both of you are really Powerhouses in as schools match wits.

Traditionally.

Lenox Memorial.

You are the winners tonight.

Congratulations to you.

We will see how this season shakes out for the top eight, and to see the rest of this season's roster.

And for more information, be sure to log on to our web page at npr.org.

Or you can look for us on Facebook and Instagram.

I'm your host, Beth Ward.

Good night, and be sure to tune in again next time as schools match wits.

>> With.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are working together to ensure that all students have the resources they need to succeed.

The MTA, a diverse union of education workers committed to the public schools and colleges our communities deserve.

>> To excel is so recognized that you want to continue to grow and transform and evolve into a better person.

Westfield State is a fit for me because it's a campus that's big enough to host a community in which I can get to know different kinds of people.

>> The impact I want to leave at Westfield State is to be a leader, to get involved.

Each person has their own excellence.

>> Hold on.

Drop this beat like.

Drop like that.

>> Do you want to see when your school's match is scheduled?

Want to know who the past ASM champions are?

Have a question you'd like to see us ask?

Then log on to the As Schools Match Wits web page at npr.org.

You can see this season's roster, a listing of past ASM champions, and even submit a question of your own, which may be used in a future episode.

It's all just a mouse click away.