>> Join us tonight as Palmer High School goes up against Southwick Regional High School.

The historic 64th 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 over 175 years of fighting for the public, schools and colleges our communities deserve.

>> Westfield State University has allowed me to grow and pursue my passion to become a neurologist.

I think the quality of education is invaluable.

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 Palmer High School going up against Southwick Regional High School.

Let's take a second to meet the teams, starting with Southwick, coached by Janet Gruenwald.

>> Hello.

My name is ash Rose and I'm a junior at Southwick Regional.

>> Hi my name is Riley Moore and I'm a junior at Southwick Regional.

>> Hi my name is Maggie McCarthy and I'm a senior at Southwick Regional.

Hello.

My name is Emma Palmer and I'm a junior at Southwick Regional.

And I'd also like to acknowledge our alternate, Brian Palmer.

And for Palmer, coached by Ryan Migliozzi.

>> Hi.

I'm Arianna messer, and I'm a senior from Palmer High.

>> Hi, I'm Noah Sulkowski and I'm a senior from Palmer.

Hi.

>> My name is Shay Simkus and I'm a senior at Palmer High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Sophia Sofia Brodsky, and I'm a senior at Palmer High School.

I'd like to take this time to acknowledge our alternates, Gina Greer and Emily Mendrala.

As we do each match, we start off 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 the first question of the evening from which Shakespeare tragedy do we hear the line this above all, to thine own self be true, and it must follow as the night, the day.

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Palmer.

Macbeth.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Good guess though.

All right.

Southwark.

That means you get the chance to answer the question.

Romeo and Juliet.

Hamlet is the right answer there.

Let's try this next one.

Grab your pens for this.

A certain rectangle has an area of 95in .

If two sides of the rectangle are each 19in long, what is the length of each of the other two sides.

Time is up.

Five inches is the right answer.

Name the subtitle of the 2023 science fiction action film that was the seventh installment of the Transformers film series.

Palmer.

Age of Ultron.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Southwick.

That gives you the chance to answer.

Do you.

>> Know?

I don't know.

Transformers.

Transformers fans.

All right.

Rise of the beast is the right answer.

Let's try this one.

A music group made up of five classical musicians is called a what?

Southwick.

A band.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Palmer High School.

Can you answer as I go into.

A pen test?

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect as well.

Five musicians.

quintet is the right answer.

On February 16th, 1959, Fidel Castro was sworn in as Prime Minister.

Of what Caribbean country?

Palmer.

Cuba.

Cuba.

Yes.

That's right.

The tympanic membrane is found.

In what organ?

Of the human body.

Palmer.

Brain.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Southwick.

Can you answer?

The liver.

Correct answer is the ear.

Let's try this one.

According to the US Constitution, members of the House of Representatives from each U.S. state are elected to individual terms.

Of how many years?

Southwick.

Four.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Palmer.

Can you answer?

Two.

Two.

Two.

Yes.

That's right.

Grab your pens.

Once again, if tomatoes cost $1.50 each, how much will it cost to buy two dozen tomatoes?

Southwick, 36.

Yes.

That's right.

Nice.

Complete the following relationship.

Oklahoma City is to Oklahoma as what capital city is to the state of Arkansas.

Southwick.

Little rock.

Yes.

That's right.

On February 18th, 2021, a spacecraft containing NASA's perseverance rover and ingenuity drone landed.

On what planet?

Southwick.

Mars.

Yes.

Mars is right.

You've used a mnemonic device.

If you've ever used a rhyme or an acronym to help you memorize something, spell the word mnemonic.

Correct answer.

Mnemonic.

All right, let's try this.

At approximately 350,000mi in area, the Kalahari Desert is the seventh largest desert on Earth.

The Kalahari Desert can be found.

On what continent?

Palmer.

Africa?

Yes.

That's right.

In Greek mythology.

Demeter is the goddess.

Of which?

Of the following.

The sky and stars.

Harvest and agriculture.

Or lakes and rivers.

Southwick.

Harvest and.

Agriculture.

Yes.

That's right.

On the periodic table, what transition metals element is designated with the letters C, u. Palmer.

Copper.

Copper.

Yes.

That's correct.

Heard that one first.

That is right.

In our solar system, Callisto is one of the four Galilean moons that orbits around.

Which of the following planets.

Southwick.

Jupiter.

Jupiter didn't have to finish that one.

Nice job.

Pick up those pens once again.

What is the measure of the third angle of a triangle?

If one angle measures 85 degrees and the other 50 degrees.

Palmer.

45 degrees.

Yes.

That's right.

Brown University can be found.

In which U.S. state.

Palmer.

Rhode Island.

Yes.

that's correct.

An Appaloosa spelled a p p a l o o s a is a type of what?

A car, a horse or a fruit.

Southwick.

A horse?

Yes.

Horse is correct if you travel due north from Denver, Colorado.

What is the first state border that you'll cross?

Southwick, Wyoming.

Yes, Wyoming is right.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

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

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

We asked a team from Southwick Regional.

What's your go to comfort movie or show?

My go to movie is interstellar because of the gargantuan tobacco.

My go to comfort movie is probably How to Train Your Dragon.

It's like one of my childhood favorites and I really like the music in it.

Especially my go to comfort movie is tangled because it brings back childhood memories.

My go to comfort movie or show is Breakfast Club because it's a timeless classic.

Come.

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 and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

Your team loses five points.

Well, this round will run hot and cold.

Each answer contains the word hot or the word cold somewhere in it.

All right.

You have 90s starting right now.

When ignoring someone, you're said to be giving them this Southwick cold shoulder.

Yes.

That's right.

Telecommunication between heads of state during a crisis.

Palmer line.

Hotline is correct.

What you get when you lose your nerve.

Southwick.

Cold feet.

Yes.

That's right.

Boiled sausage served in a partially sliced bun.

Southwick hot dog.

Yes.

That's right.

Term for being fully unconscious.

Southwick.

Out cold?

Yes.

That's correct.

A term for an unsolved criminal investigation.

Southwick.

Cold case.

Correct?

Yes.

It's an alliterative term for money immediately available.

Cold cash is the right answer there.

Mattel's line of toy race cars.

Southwick hot wheels.

Yes.

That's correct.

An ailment characterized by sneezing, sore throat and coughing.

Palmer.

>> Cold?

Yes.

Common cold is the right answer.

You'll find this US National Park in central Arkansas.

That would be Hot Springs.

20th century period of tension between the US and USSR.

Palmer.

>> Cold War.

Yes.

That's right.

Term for a disagreeable subject no one wants to deal with Southwick.

Hot topic.

Hot potato is the right answer.

This drink is also known as Koko.

Southwick hot chocolate?

Yes.

That's correct.

Lacking affection, care or warmth.

Southwick.

Cold.

Cold hearted is the right answer there.

This Truman Capote novel was first published in 1966.

The answer there is in cold blood.

However, you know what that bell means.

It is the end of our first lightning round.

We continue now with the capitalization round, 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, Palmer is a bit behind just a little bit though.

That also means Palmer gets the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

What's going to be.

World events for 30, please?

World events for 30.

Here we go with your qualifying question.

Referred to as the most powerful company in the world.

What multinational technology Knology Corporation was founded on September 4th, 1998 by Stanford University PhD student Larry Page and Sergey Brin.

>> Microsoft.

Microsoft.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

Southwick.

Can you capitalize and answer the question?

And time is up.

Correct answer.

There is Google.

All right Southwick, your turn.

First time of the evening.

Please pick a category and a point value.

Math and science for 20.

Math and science for 20.

Here's your qualifying question.

Because the period from one full moon to another is approximately 29.5 days, the month of February can never have one of these colorfully defined as the second full moon in a single calendar month.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

All right, Palmer High School, can you capitalize?

Harvest moon?

Correct answer is blue moon.

All right, let's move on with Palmer.

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

Social studies for 30.

Social studies for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens, please.

Located in the northwest corner of Wyoming and in parts of Montana and Idaho.

This was the first U.S. National park.

It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress and signed into law by President Ulysses S Grant on March 1st, 1872.

Name this park.

Yellowstone.

Yes.

That's right.

All right, let's move on now.

More with U.S. national parks for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

Zion National Park is located at the junction of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin, and the Mojave Desert.

In what state will you find Zion National Park?

Arizona.

Arizona.

Correct answer is Utah.

Try this.

Established in 1902, Crater Lake National Park sits on the volcanic remnant of Mount Mazama.

Crater Lake is the deepest lake in the U.S. and sits in the caldera of the destroyed volcano.

In what state will you find?

Crater Lake National Park.

Washington.

Washington.

Correct answer is Oregon.

All right.

Finally, let's do this one.

Shenandoah National Park features the Skyline Drive roadway that runs 105 miles north to south from Front Royal to Rockfish Gap.

The park also encompasses part of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

In what eastern US state will you find?

Shenandoah National Park?

Virginia?

Yes, Virginia is correct.

Nice job.

I think that might have been a guess, but that was a nice job.

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

Um, social studies for 25.

Social studies for 25.

Here's your qualifying question.

You've likely already learned that the Nile River is the longest river on Earth.

What river is the second Longest yellow River.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Palmer High School, can you capitalize?

Mississippi.

Amazon?

Sure.

Amazon.

River.

Not quite in time.

Amazon is the right one, though.

Sorry, just not quite there.

All right, let's move on with Palmer.

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

Art, Arts and entertainment for 30, please.

Arts and entertainment for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Name the 2023 musical fantasy film that was loosely based on the 1964 children's novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Wonka.

Yes, Wonka is correct.

More about the film Wonka for ten points each, take a look at your screen first.

The film is an origin story of Willy Wonka depicting his early days as a chocolatier.

Name this actor who portrays Wonka in the film Timothee Chalamet.

Yes.

That's correct.

In the film, actress Carla Lane plays Wonka's assistant and friend who helps him battle the Chocolate Cartel.

Name this character.

Sarah.

Good guess.

Noodle was her name in the movie.

Finally, name this author who wrote the story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Roald Dahl.

Yes.

That's right.

Nice job.

All right, Southwick, once again, your turn.

Arts and entertainment for 25.

Arts and entertainment for 25.

Here we go with your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

Be specific and identify this musical symbol.

Eighth note.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Palmer High School, can you capitalize?

Quarter note?

16th note is the right answer.

All right, Palmer, once again, your turn.

Math and science for 30, please.

Math and science for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen.

What is the maximum value of the function f of x equals the sine of x plus five?

One.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Southwick.

Can you capitalize?

Six.

Six.

Yes.

That's correct.

Sticking with basic functions now for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

What is the minimum value of the quadratic function three x squared plus 16.

-16 over three.

Sorry.

Correct answer is simply 16.

Let's try this one.

What is the minimum value of the exponential function of f of x equals e to the absolute value of X11.

Yes that's right.

And finally what is the minimum value of the function f of x equals the cosine of two x minus three.

Negative four.

Yes.

That's right.

Nice job.

All right.

Southwick.

Once again, your turn.

Please pick a category and a point value.

World events for 25.

World events for 25.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen.

Of the seven U.S. presidents who served between 1900 and 1933, six were Republicans, while only one was a Democrat.

Name this Democrat president.

Democratic president, that is, who served from 1913 to 1921.

Taft I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

Palmer High school, can you capitalize?

Woodrow Wilson?

Yes.

Woodrow Wilson is correct.

Let's stick with more early 20th century presidents for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen once again.

First, this 25th president won re-election for his second term in the year 1900.

That term was cut short in September of 1901 when he was assassinated in Buffalo, New York.

Name him.

>> Um, William Howard.

No.

You're so close.

William McKinley is the right answer.

Next.

This 27th president served from 1909 to 1913.

In 1921, he had the distinction of being the only former US president to become a Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court.

Name him.

Taft.

Yes, William Howard Taft is correct.

And finally, this one's for five points.

This Vermont born 13th president took office following the death of President Warren G. Harding Warren G. Harding in 1923 and served until 1929.

Prior to his Washington years, he served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1918 to 1921.

Name him.

Calvin Coolidge.

Yes.

You're correct.

All right, Palmer, once again, we're sticking over there.

Please pick a category and a point value.

Math and Science for 25.

Please.

Math and science for 25.

Your qualifying question.

In our solar system, there are both major planets and minor planets revolving around the sun to qualify.

How many major planets are there in our solar system?

Eight.

Seven.

Seven.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Southwick, can you capitalize?

Eight.

Eight.

You are correct.

Pluto was reclassified as a minor planet in 2006.

All right, let's move on.

More about major planets for ten points each.

First, Triton is the largest of the 14 known moons.

Of what planet?

Neptune?

Yes, Neptune is correct.

With a diameter of 5276km, Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system.

Named.

The planet Ganymede revolves around Jupiter.

Yes, Jupiter is correct.

Finally, for five points, the planet Mercury is one of two major planets in our solar system that has no moon's name.

The other planet without a moon of its own?

Yes.

Mars?

Correct answer.

There is Venus.

Nice job on the other questions.

All right, Southwick, once again, please pick a category and a point value.

General knowledge for 20.

General knowledge for 20.

Here is your qualifying question.

What ordinal number can fit all of the following blanks blank amendment, blank aid, blank class, and blank light?

First.

First.

Yes.

That's right.

Keep the word first in mind as we move through this next category.

Each of the following clues describes a word or phrase which contains the word first somewhere in it.

These are for ten points each.

First question.

Your uncle's son.

Is this relation to you?

First cousin.

Yes.

That's right.

Finally, it's the contractual right of an entity to be given the opportunity to enter into a business transaction with a person or company before anyone else can.

First steps.

First take right of first refusal is the right answer there.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Now let's take a minute to meet the team from Palmer High School.

>> Hi, I'm Sam Horton from Westfield State University.

We asked the team from Palmer High if you could spend the day with any celebrity.

Who would you choose?

Um, I'd have to go with David Bowie just because he's so eccentric.

And I really like his music.

I would have to say Martin Short, because I resonate with his character and only murders in the building.

Um, I probably spend a day with Abraham Lincoln because I'm inspired by him, because he kept the country united at one of its darkest moments in its history.

I would have to pick Michelle Obama because I really like how she ate it and her husband's administration.

Okay.

Let's move on now to the final lightning round of the evening.

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

Buzz in and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

You know how this works.

Your team loses five points.

Let's take things up a notch for this round.

Each of the following clues refers to a word or phrase beginning with the letters up in that order.

You have 90s starting right now to improve or make more modern.

Palmer update.

Yes, that is correct.

A term for the second floor of a home.

Southwick.

Upstairs?

Yes, upstairs is correct.

To improve the spiritual or social condition of someone.

Southwick.

Uplift.

Yes.

Uplift is right.

The maintenance of buildings or equipment.

Southwick.

Upkeep.

Upkeep is right.

Being tense, nervous or strict.

Southwick.

Uptight.

Uptight is correct.

Fabric.

Furniture covering.

Southwick.

Upholstery.

Yes.

You're right.

A commotion or loud disturbance.

Southwick uprise uproar is the right answer.

A term describing capital letters.

Palmer.

Uppercase.

Yes.

That's correct.

To make someone unhappy.

Southwick.

Upset.

Upset is right.

A revolt against the government.

Palmer uprising.

Yes.

That's right.

To decide in favor of a previous decision.

Palmer opposed?

Yes.

That's right.

Your direction when swimming against the current.

Southwick.

Upstream.

Upstream is right.

Being current or timely?

Southwick.

Updated up to date is the right answer.

We'll take that.

A rising current of air.

Palmer.

Updraft.

Yes.

Updraft is right.

To have the advantage in a competition.

Palmer.

Upper end.

Upper hand is correct.

Feeling cheerful and happy?

Upbeat is the right answer.

An increase, rise or upward trend?

Correct answer is up.

Tick.

But you know what that bell means.

It marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of our match.

What a great matchup.

Tonight I want to say to Palmer, strong work.

I mean you were really close for much of the match tonight.

But Southwick man you just pulled it out especially during that last lightning round.

So congratulations to you for a job well done.

To see 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.

>> The members of the Massachusetts Teachers Association are proud to support high quality programming on public television.

The MTA over 175 years of fighting for the public, schools and colleges our communities deserve.

>> To excel is to recognize 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 up.

I drop this beat like.

>> Drop like.

Shepard.

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.