>> Join us tonight as Smith Academy goes up against Rockville 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.

>> You step up on the block.

There's all this noise, and then you dive in and you're under the water and it's just you and the dive.

It's go time.

>> 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 Smith Academy going up against Rockville High School.

Let's meet the teams starting with Rockville, coached by Regina Lee.

>> Hi, I'm Kyle and I'm a senior from Rockville High School.

My name is Aidan Lang.

I'm a senior from Rockville High School.

>> Hi, I'm Meredith Ross, and I'm a senior from Rockville High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Chloe Hazel.

I'm a senior at Rockville High School.

At this time, I'd like to acknowledge our alternates.

Dominic Rose, Chase Koepka and Jacob Brown.

>> And for Smith Academy, coached by Julie Legrand.

>> Howdy there.

My name is Matthew Schedule.

And I'm a senior at Smith Academy.

>> Hi, I'm Harry LaFleur.

I'm a senior at Smith Academy.

Greetings.

I'm Rowan Jeffries and I'm a senior from Smith Academy.

Hello, I'm Cajun Benton, and I'm a senior from Smith Academy.

>> 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.

All right.

Good luck to both teams.

Here we go with the first question of the evening.

What was the first and last name of the English polymath who in 1687 published three physical laws of motion Rockville.

>> Isaac Newton.

>> Yes.

Isaac Newton is right.

Spell the name of the US state whose capital city ends in the letter X. Smith Academy.

>> A r I z o n yes.

>> That's right.

Nice.

In what system of the human body is the brain a part of Rockville?

>> Nervous system.

Nervous system?

>> Yes, that is correct, Stuart.

Great Barrier and Auckland are all Rockville reefs.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

Are all islands off the coast?

Of what country?

Which itself is an island off the coast of Australia.

All right.

Smith Academy, because Rockville did not get the question correct.

That means you get the opportunity to answer New Zealand.

Yes.

New Zealand is right.

During which 20th century war did US soldiers raise a US flag on the Pacific?

>> World War two?

>> Yes.

Island of Iwo Jima.

That is correct.

Name the 1962 science fantasy novel by Madeleine L'Engle that features Rockville.

>> A Wrinkle in Time.

>> Didn't have to finish that one.

If one root of a function is two minus three I. What is another root of the function?

>> Rockville two plus 3I2.

>> Plus three I guess that's right.

Montevideo is a is to Uruguay as what city is to Peru?

Rockville.

>> Lima?

>> Yes, Lima is right.

In the game of lacrosse, the width of the field is 60 yards wide.

What is the length of the field?

Rockville.

>> 120.

>> I'm sorry, I have to take the first answer I get.

That is incorrect.

Let me go back and finish the question.

What is the length of the field from end line to end line in yards?

All right, Smith Academy, can you answer.

>> 80 yards.

>> 110 yards is correct.

Both are was in the ballpark.

All right.

Let's move on to the next question.

The largest circular storm in our solar system can be found on the surface of Smith Academy Mars.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right, Rockville, can you answer which planet that is?

>> Jupiter.

>> Yes, Jupiter is correct.

Usually referring to an automatic teller machine.

The letters ATM are also Rockville.

>> At the moment.

>> Yes.

Our an abbreviation in texting at the moment atm.

All right.

If you own a maserati, you would wear it.

Rockville.

Drive it, drive it.

It is a type of car.

Next question.

How many factors does the number 16 have?

Rockville.

>> Five.

Five?

>> Yes.

Just under the buzzer.

Five is correct.

Factors are one, two, four, eight and 16.

Which of the following Asian countries does not border Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran or Jordan?

Rockville.

>> Iran.

>> Listen to these literary literary opening lines.

Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona.

Rockville.

>> A Tale of two Cities.

>> I'm sorry.

That's incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, they are from the classic play Romeo and Juliet, penned by what author Smith Academy.

Can you answer William Shakespeare?

Yes, Shakespeare is the right answer.

The phrase do you have any sevens?

Is just one of the questions heard in what children's classic card game Rockville Go fish.

Yes, go fish is right.

Listen to this sentence.

HBP is a condition in which the force of blood against the artery walls becomes too elevated.

In that sentence.

>> Rockville high blood pressure.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Anders Celsius is credited with creating the thermometer that separated the interval between boiling and freezing point of water into 100 equal divisions.

Did this happen in the 1500s, 1600s, or 1700s?

Smith Academy.

>> 1600s.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Rockville.

Can you answer?

>> Sure.

>> 1700s 1700s 1742.

Name the capital city of the state of North Carolina.

Rockville.

>> Raleigh.

>> Raleigh is right.

In a 30, 60, 90 special right triangle.

If the length of the shortest side is eight, what is the length?

Smith Academy.

>> Eight.

>> I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

Let me finish the rest of the question.

What is the length of the hypotenuse?

Right.

>> Uh, 16.

>> Listen to the sentence.

After our class excursion to the zoo, I started to think about becoming a zoologist.

Spell the word excursion.

Smith Academy.

>> E c u r s I o n.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Jimmy Carter was elected president of the United States.

During which of the following years was it 1968?

1972?

Rockville.

>> 1977.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Let me finish the question.

Or was it 1976?

All right, Smith Academy, can you answer 1976?

Yes, 76 is correct.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

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

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

We asked the team from Rockville, would you rather always have Wi-Fi or always have battery life?

>> I'd rather always have battery life because that means you have infinite electricity and you can power the world with that.

I would rather always have Wi-Fi because it's the opposite of what Kyle said.

>> I'd rather always have battery life because you don't always need Wi-Fi, but you really always need battery life.

>> I'd rather always have Wi-Fi because it keeps me connected.

And if I run out of battery life, maybe it means I need to disconnect for a little.

>> 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 and answer correctly, you win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

However, your team loses five points.

Time to spring into action for this round.

All of the answers in this round contain the letter sequence S, p somewhere in them, as in the word spring.

You have 90s starting right now.

A very light rainfall.

Rockville.

Sprinkle.

A burst of speed in a foot race.

Rockville.

>> Sprint.

>> Sprint is correct.

The children of a set of parents.

Smith Academy.

>> Offspring.

>> Offspring is correct.

A computer grid for recording financial data.

A species of coniferous evergreen trees.

Rockville.

Sprig spruce is correct.

It's the capital city of Illinois.

Smith.

>> Springfield.

>> Springfield is correct.

Nursery rhyme.

Jack.

Who could eat no fat.

Rockville.

>> Spun.

>> Jack Sprat could eat no fat.

What flowers do when they grow out of the ground.

>> Smith sprout.

>> Sprout is correct to say a word incorrectly.

Smith.

Mis mispronounce is the right answer, not in time.

A proofreader checks for these.

>> Rockville misprints.

>> Device used to water your lawn.

Rockville sprinkler.

Sprinkler is correct.

Sticky liquid.

Put on your head to keep your coif in place.

Smith.

>> Hairspray.

>> Yes, Hairspray is correct.

Description of a person who's nimble and agile.

A session of considerable shopping.

Smith.

>> Spree.

>> Spree is correct, beginning with the letter J. It's the theory or philosophy of law are correct.

Answer.

There is jurisprudence, however, that Bell marks 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, Smith Academy, you're a bit behind at the moment, but that also means you get the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

What's it going to be?

>> We'd like to choose arts and entertainment for 30.

>> Arts and entertainment for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

Name this musician who's portrayed in the 2025 biographical movie Deliver Me from nowhere.

>> David Bowie.

>> I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

Rockville.

Can you capitalize?

>> Bruce Springsteen.

>> Bruce Springsteen yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

In this category, more recent biographical films tell me who these recent biographies portray.

For ten points each, take a look at your screen first.

I Like Me as an American documentary film about this comedic actor who passed away in 1994 at the age of 43.

Name him.

>> John Candy.

>> Tell Me Everything is an American documentary about this broadcast journalist who passed away in 2022 at the age of 93.

Name her.

>> Betty White.

>> Good guess.

However, correct answer is the iconic Barbara Walters.

All right.

Finally.

Try this one.

This American puppeteer, animator, producer, and director was featured in a 2024 documentary directed by Ron Howard.

He is best known as the creator of The Muppets.

He passed away in 1990 at the age of 53.

Name him.

>> Jim Henson.

>> All right.

Rockville, please pick a category and a point value.

>> General knowledge for 30, please.

>> General knowledge for 30.

To qualify, we have a video qualifying question.

So please take a look at your screen.

>> Hi, I'm Emma Wick from the Cape Cod Cranberry Growers Association with your qualifying question.

Flowering plants like cranberry are divided into two groups monocots and dicots.

Cranberries are dicots, meaning they have two cotyledons or seed leaves instead of one.

To qualify, spell the word cotyledon.

>> C c o t e l y d o n.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Smith Academy, can you capitalize?

>> O t e l d o n n.

>> You are both very close.

However, the correct answer is c o t y l e d o n. All right, Smith Academy, once again, it's your turn.

>> Social studies for 30.

>> Social studies for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

What is the capital city of the state of Illinois?

>> Springfield.

>> Springfield is correct.

Let's see how well you know some of the other US state capitals.

These are for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

What is the capital city of Iowa?

>> Des Moines.

>> Des Moines is right.

How about Kentucky?

>> Frankfurt.

>> Frankfurt is right.

And finally, this one's closer to home.

Try Vermont.

>> Montpelier.

>> Montpelier.

Yes.

That's right.

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

>> World events for 30, please.

>> World events for 30.

Your qualifying question.

Known for leading the transport of 60 tons of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston during the Revolutionary War.

He would become the first United States Secretary of War under President Washington in 1789 to qualify.

Name him.

I'm sorry.

Time is up.

All right, Smith, can you can you capitalize?

>> Benedict Arnold.

>> General Henry Knox is the right answer.

All right, let's move on once again with Smith Academy to pick a category and a point value.

>> Math and science for 30, please.

>> Math and science for 30.

Qualifying question.

You have picked the Westfield State University entrance exam.

Question.

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

Good luck.

Here we go with the question.

Take a look at your screens in this quadratic equation.

What is the equation of the axis of symmetry.

>> Minus seven seven minus seven.

>> I'm sorry.

Time is up.

Rockville High School, can you capitalize?

>> -20.

>> We have 24.

>> Time is up.

Correct answer is x equals negative five.

Let's move on with Rockville once again.

Your turn.

>> Arts and entertainment for 25, please.

>> Arts and entertainment for 25 to qualify.

Take a look at your screen.

Carnegie Hall is a famous concert venue located in what city?

>> New York.

>> New York is correct.

Let's move on in this category with more famous US entertainment venues for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

What is the name of the building complex in New York City that comprises the Metropolitan Opera House and David Geffen Hall.

>> The Guggenheim?

>> Correct answer is the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

Let's try this one.

What Massachusetts venue functions as home to the Boston Pops Orchestra.

>> Symphony hall?

>> Yes, that is correct.

And finally, this is for five points.

What theater in Washington, D.C., is known as the place where Lincoln's legacy lives.

Because the president was assassinated there in 1865.

>> Ford's theater.

>> Yes, Ford's theater is correct.

All right, Smith Academy once again.

Your turn.

>> Social studies for 25.

>> Social studies for 25 to qualify.

Which of the following US states extends farthest?

West Indiana, Missouri.

Ohio or Illinois?

>> Ohio.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Rockville.

Can you capitalize?

>> Missouri.

>> Missouri.

Yes, that is correct.

Let's move on.

Geography for five points each.

Which of these US states is farther south?

Virginia, Illinois or Oklahoma?

>> Virginia?

>> Oklahoma is the right answer.

Try this.

Of the four states that meet at the four corners, which state extends farthest east?

>> Colorado?

>> Yes, Colorado is right.

Which of these states extends farthest?

East Virginia, North Carolina or South Carolina?

>> North Carolina.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Of the three lower 48 Pacific Coast states, which state extends farthest west?

>> California.

>> Washington state is actually the right answer there.

And finally, which New England state extends farthest south?

>> Connecticut?

>> Yes, Connecticut is the right answer.

Rockville.

Once again, your turn.

>> World events for 25, please.

>> World events for 25.

Here's your qualifying question.

Mars Pathfinder was an American robotic spacecraft that landed a base station with a roving probe on Mars on July 4th of which year was it 1987?

1997, 2007 or 2017 8787?

I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

Smith Academy, can you capitalize 2017?

1997 is actually the right answer.

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

>> All right.

General knowledge for 25, please.

>> General knowledge for 25 to qualify.

20th century writer Tennessee Williams was most closely associated with what form of writing was it?

Novels, plays, poetry or short stories?

>> Please.

No.

Please.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

Let's move on.

In this category, play, novel, poem or short story.

I'll name a well-known writer and give you the title of one of her or his works.

You tell me the form of writing of that work for five points each.

Take a look at your screen first.

Edgar Allan Poe The Tell-Tale heart poem.

Correct answer.

There is short story.

Let's try this William Carlos Williams, the Red wheelbarrow poem.

Yes, that is a poem.

Maya Angelou Caged bird novel.

That actually is a poem as well.

Let's try Arthur Miller Death of a salesman novel.

That is a play.

And finally, how about Willa Cather, O pioneers.

>> A short story.

>> That is actually a novel.

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

>> Uh, math and science for 25, please.

>> Math and science for 25.

Here's your qualifying question.

The Atlantic salmon has an interesting life history because it lives in the Atlantic Ocean, but comes inland to freshwater rivers to spawn.

Beginning with the letter A, what do you call fish that live in the ocean but spawn in fresh water?

>> I don't know.

>> Antipathic.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right, Smith Academy, can you capitalize freshwater fish?

That is a good guess.

However, the correct answer is anadromous.

All right, let's move on with Smith Academy, please.

Once again, it's your turn.

>> Could we please have literature for 30?

>> Going for the last of the 30s on literature.

Yes, you certainly can.

All right.

Literature for 30.

Qualifying question.

Written in the year 1321.

Named the allegorical poem divided into these three parts Inferno, Purgatorio and Paradiso.

>> Uh, Inferno.

>> I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

Rockville.

Can you capitalize?

>> Well, they said Inferno does it.

>> The 12 levels of.

>> Time is up.

I'm sorry.

Correct answer is the Divine Comedy.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a moment now to meet the team from Smith Academy.

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

We asked the team from Smith Academy, would you rather have unlimited money or unlimited free time?

>> I'd say unlimited money because money equals free time and free time equals money.

Paradoxical question.

I would have to choose free time, because then I would use the free time to make money, and then I would buy more free time.

>> Uh, probably unlimited money, because then I would have all the free time in the world.

>> I'd rather unlimited money because my Uncle Jeffrey always says that money comes first.

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

You lose five points.

Well, for this Lightning round, keep in mind the initials C.C.. Each answer is a two word term, both parts of which begin with the letter C, and you must provide both parts with your answer.

You have 90s starting right now.

It's the largest peninsula in Massachusetts.

Rockville.

>> Cape Cod.

>> Another term for a golf course.

Smith Academy.

>> Country club.

>> Popular soft drink invented in the late 19th century.

>> Coca-Cola.

>> Coca-Cola is correct.

You can enjoy this sponge sugar treat at the big E, Rockville.

>> Cotton candy?

>> Yes.

That's correct.

This United States president Herbert Hoover.

Rockville.

>> Calvin Coolidge.

>> Yes, that's right.

San Francisco's version of a trolley.

Rockville.

>> Cable car.

>> Yes.

That's correct.

He was in all five vacation franchise films.

>> Rockville, Chevy Chase.

>> Chevy Chase is correct.

The management of large groups of people.

Smith.

>> Crowd control.

>> Yes.

Correct.

A system for displaying printed dialogue on television.

>> Closed captioning.

>> Closed captioning is the correct answer.

What a small child might call a toy train.

Rockville.

Choo choo Choo choo is right.

It's the title of Kurt Vonnegut's fourth novel, published in 1963.

That would be Cat's Cradle.

Symptoms of this infection include runny nose and a cough.

Smith.

>> Common cold.

>> Common cold is correct.

Local two year school to get an associate's degree.

>> Smith Community College.

>> Community College is right.

Visa or American Express, for example.

>> Smith credit card.

>> Credit cards is right.

Automobile system that automatically regulates speed.

Rockville.

>> Cruise control.

>> Cruise control is right.

Its Si unit symbol is CM to the third cubic centimeter is the right answer there.

However, you heard that bell that marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of our match.

Smith Academy valiant job today, however.

Rockville on a roll.

You never looked back.

Congratulations to you for a job well done.

We wanted to thank both teams for such a fun matchup tonight.

To see the 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 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.

>> 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.

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.