>> Join us tonight as where high school goes up against Agawam 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, a diverse union of education workers committed to 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 match up, we have Ware High School going up against Agawam High School.

Let's take a second to meet the teams, starting with Agawam High School, coached by Keith Ireland.

>> Hi, my name is Abigail Drum and I'm a senior at Agawam High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Austin LeBlanc, and I'm a junior from Agawam High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Colin Kirk.

I'm a freshman at Agawam High School.

>> Hi.

My name is Adam Ross.

I'm a senior from Agawam, and I'd like to take a minute to acknowledge our alternates, Jason Liakos and Dan Carlson.

And for their high school coach by Nick Van Angeli.

>> Hi, I'm Andrew Bonilla, I'm a sophomore from Ware High School.

Hi.

>> My name is Jackson Haddad.

I'm a freshman at Ware High School.

>> My name is Sophia Ryan, and I'm a junior at Ware High School.

>> Hi, my name is Maya Lamothe, and I'm a junior from Ware High school.

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, let's begin with the first question of the evening.

Good luck to both teams.

Ian, what organ of the human body does the nerve disorder glaucoma appear?

Where?

>> The eyeball.

Yes.

That's correct.

In our solar system, Phobos and Deimos are two moons that orbit.

Around which planet is it?

Jupiter.

Agawam.

Mars?

Yes.

That's correct.

Grab your pens for this one.

An auditorium has 550 seats and charges $11 per ticket for an event.

If all seats get sold, how much money did the venue take in?

Agawam.

6050?

Yes.

That's right.

Complete the following relationship.

Montgomery is to Alabama as what capital city is to the state of Colorado.

Where?

Denver.

Yes.

That's correct.

Rice University can be found in which U.S. state.

Agawam.

Texas.

Texas.

Yes.

That's right.

What playwright wrote the line if music be the food of love, play on.

William Shakespeare.

Yes, Shakespeare is correct.

Pick up those pens once again.

A certain rectangle has an area of 140in .

If two sides of the rectangle are each 20in long, what is the length of each of the other two sides?

Agawam.

Seven.

Please be more specific.

Feet.

Seven feet.

Seven feet.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

All right.

Where?

High school.

Can you answer the question?

Seven.

Inches.

Inches.

Yes.

All right, let's move on.

At the 2024 Grammy Awards, the song of the year award went to the song what was I Made for?

By what?

American singer.

Where?

Billie Eilish.

Yes, that is correct.

The Cavendish is the most common variety of what fruit?

Bananas.

Cherries or pears?

Where?

Pears.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Agawam.

That gives you the chance to answer bananas.

Yes, bananas is right.

From February 9th to the 25th of 2018, the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics were held in what Asian country?

Agawam.

North Korea?

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Where?

High school.

That gives you the chance to answer.

>> Thank you.

Tokyo South Korea is the right answer.

Let's try this.

A book or series of books that give information on many subjects is called an encyclopedia.

Spell the word encyclopedia.

I go on.

You got it?

Yeah.

Go e n c y c l o p e d I a yes.

That's right.

Nice job.

Vivaldi, Bach and Handel are all names associated.

With which art form is it?

Oil painting.

Music.

Music.

Didn't have to finish that.

Nice job.

Which element on the periodic table with the atomic number 98 was named for the large western U.S. state where it was discovered.

Californium is the right answer there in this sentence.

He'll need to be in the CCU until his heart is pumping on its own.

The letters CCU are a medical abbreviation for what?

One critical care unit?

Yes, that is correct.

If you travel due south from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, what is the first state border that you'll cross?

Agawam, Iowa.

I'm sorry, that is incorrect.

Where?

High school.

Can you answer the question?

Oh.

Illinois.

Yes, Illinois is correct.

In physics, what's the two word phrase for the boundary around a black hole within which no matter or radiation can escape?

Agawam.

Event horizon.

Event horizon.

Yes.

That's correct.

Arborvitae is a type of.

What is it?

Building fish or tree.

Agawam.

Tree.

Yes.

Tree is correct.

Grab your pens once again.

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

If one angle measures 90 degrees and the other 55 degrees.

Agawam.

35.

35 degrees.

Yes, that is correct.

Finish this phrase by George Bush from the 1988 presidential campaign.

Campaign.

That is.

Read my lips.

No new.

What?

Agawam.

Taxes.

Yes.

That's right.

In 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war fought between the United States.

And what country?

Agawam.

Mexican.

Mexico.

Mexico?

Yes.

That's right.

Complete the following relationship.

Paris is to France.

As what city is to Luxembourg?

Where?

England.

I'm sorry.

That is incorrect.

Agawam.

That gives you the chance to answer.

Luxembourg city?

Yes that's correct.

When used in mathematics, what does an exclamation point represent?

Ag1 factorial.

Yes.

That's right.

And that marks the end of our challenge round.

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

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

We asked the team from Agawam High School, what's your dream invention that doesn't exist yet?

I'd have to say a time machine, because I'd love to go back in the past and see what time was like before cell phones.

Um, well, I love to bake and to cook, so I'd say kind of like a microwave, but like any temperature.

So insta boil water or freeze something or make it room temperature, something like that.

My dream invention that doesn't exist yet would be a teleportation machine.

I think it'd be super cool to be able to travel anywhere instantly.

I have to say, the food inventor from cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs because he can make any food like right on the spot.

Moving 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.

We hope that you learn a lot from this category.

Each answer in this round rhymes with the word learn.

You have 90s starting right now.

It is the capital of Switzerland, Agawam.

Verne.

Yes.

That's correct.

To be a care trouble or distress to.

Concern is the right answer.

There to come back again.

Where?

Return.

Return?

Yes.

That's right.

The back end of a sailing ship.

Where?

Stern.

Stern is correct.

After eating spicy food, you may experience this.

Wear burn.

Heartburn is correct.

You work a job to blank some money.

Agawam.

Earn.

Earn.

Yes.

That's right.

To long for something wistfully or sadly.

Agawam.

Yearn is correct to reverse or invalidate a court ruling.

Agawam.

Overturn.

Overturn is correct.

A student gaining supervised practical experience.

Agawam.

Intern.

Intern.

Yes.

That's correct.

A sudden improvement in health or finances.

Upturn is the right answer.

Their last name of the author of journey to the center of the Earth.

Verne is the last.

Is the right answer there to come to know or recognize mentally?

Where?

Learn.

Discern is the right answer there.

It's the opposite of convene.

We are looking for adjourn.

Try this aquatic bird related to a gull.

Turn is the right answer there to reject with disdain or contempt.

Spurn is the right answer there.

However, that bell marks the end of our first lightning round.

We have a quick adjustment to make in that first lightning round.

We asked the question to come to know or recognize.

Mentally, we were looking for the answer, discern where gave the answer of learn, and the judges are going to accept that and the score is adjusted accordingly.

All right, let's continue 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, where you are behind that also means you get the first opportunity to pick a category and a point value.

What's it going to be?

Can we go math and science for 30?

Math and science for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screen.

Consider the simple Trig function y equals the sine of x.

What is the slope of the tangent to this function at x equals 90 degrees?

>> I don't know.

I'm sorry.

Time is up, right?

Agawam High school, can you capitalize?

Zero.

Zero.

Yes.

That is the right answer.

Let's move on.

Sticking with basic functions of X for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen once again.

First, what is the slope of the tangent to the function y equals four x cubed plus three x squared -17 x plus 43.

At x equals zero -17.

Yes that's correct.

What is the slope of the tangent to the function y equals the natural log of the quantity x squared plus one at x equals one.

One one.

Yes That's correct.

Finally, try this one.

What's the slope of the tangent to the function?

Y equals the tangent of x at x equals zero degrees.

One.

Yes.

Nice job.

All right Agawam, your turn.

First time of the evening to please pick a category and a point value.

General knowledge for 30.

General knowledge for 30 to qualify.

What ordinal number can fit all of the following blanks?

Blank amendment, blank aid, blank class, blank light, blank reader, and blank state first.

Yes, first is the right answer.

Let's move on.

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

First one.

Your uncle's daughter.

Is this relation to you?

First cousin.

First cousin.

First cousin is correct.

The initial opinion someone forms about a person, place or thing.

First impression.

First impression is correct.

And finally in 2016 This comprised Michelle and Barack Obama and their two daughters.

>> The first family.

First family, first family.

Yes.

That's right.

Very nice.

Okay.

Where?

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

A general knowledge 25.

General knowledge for 25.

Qualifying question.

Listen very carefully to the sentence.

I have a weakness for eating too many cinnamon rolls.

Spell the word cinnamon as it's used in that sentence.

Cinnamon?

Yes.

You're correct.

Let's move on.

More about the spelling of names of herbs and spices.

I'll name a common herb or spice.

You spell its name for five points each.

Here's the first one.

>> Tarragon t e r r a g o n. So close t a r r a g o n. Let's try this one.

Sassafras.

S a s s a.

S s. It's close once again.

Sassafras.

All right, try this one.

Paprika.

You spell it.

P a p. R I k. Yes.

That's correct.

How about oregano.

O r e g a n o.

You are correct.

And finally time.

T h y m e. Yes.

You're right.

Nice.

Okay.

Agawam.

Once again.

Your turn.

Social studies for 30.

Social studies for 30.

To qualify in, what state would you be in if you paid a visit to Acadia National Park, the oldest national park east of the Mississippi.

Me me me.

You got it.

Maine.

Maine?

Yes.

That's correct.

More with touring in the US.

Name the state you would be in if you went to visit each of the following tourist attractions for ten points each.

Here's the first one Mount Rushmore.

South Dakota.

South Dakota.

South Dakota is correct.

Try the George Washington Birthplace National Monument.

Virginia.

Virginia.

Virginia is correct.

And finally, Devils Tower National Monument.

>> From new Jersey.

New Jersey.

Only because.

Devils.

That one's in Wyoming.

All right, let's move on with where?

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

World event for 130.

World events for 30.

World events for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

We have a video qualifier for this one.

Please take a look at your screens.

>> Hi, I'm Marianne from Old Sturbridge Village with your qualifying question.

Carding mills, like the one at Old Sturbridge Village, catered to a dwindling market of home spinners as most woolen factories combined carding, spinning and weaving machinery.

As the 19th century progressed, the carding machine took only 20 minutes to produce rolls of wool prepped for spinning that would require all day to do by hand to qualify.

What period describes the transition of creating goods by hand to using machines and a division of labor to produce goods for distant markets.

Industrial revolution.

Industrial revolution.

Yes, you are correct.

Let's move on.

More about the Industrial Revolution for ten points each.

Take a look at your screens first.

It's been said that Scottish inventor James Watt's improvements to which of these inventions led to the start of the Industrial Revolution.

Steam engine.

Steam engine?

Yes.

That's correct.

Thanks to Watt's refinements, the first commercially successful one of which of these inventions was built by Robert Fulton in 1807.

Steamboat.

Steamboat.

Yes, steamboat is correct.

And finally, communication was revolutionized during this period as Samuel Morse developed an international code for use on which of these inventions.

Telegraph.

Telegraph.

Yes.

Very nice.

Agawam.

Once again, please pick a category and a point.

Value.

Arts and entertainment for 30.

Arts and entertainment for 30.

Here's your qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens once again in the 2016 Disney film, this adventurous title character meets the once mighty demigod Maui, who guides her in her quest to become a master wayfinder.

Name the movie.

Moana.

Moana.

Moana.

Yes, that's right, more about 2016 animated movies for ten points each.

Take a look at your screen.

First, a friendly but forgetful blue tang fish begins a search for her long lost parents, and everyone learns a few things about the real meaning of family along the way.

Name the movie.

Finding Dory.

One of my favorites.

Yes, that is correct.

Name the 2016 movie with this teaser.

When an island populated by happy, flightless birds is visited by mysterious green pigs, it's up to three unlikely outcasts to figure out what the pigs are up to.

Name the film Angry Birds.

Yes, that is correct.

And finally, the tagline for this 2016 Disney film reads.

After a threat from the tiger, Shere Khan forces Mowgli to flee the jungle, the boy embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the help of panther Bagheera and a free spirited bear named Baloo.

Name the film.

The Jungle Book.

Yes.

That's right.

Nice job.

All right.

Where?

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

Arts and entertainment.

Math and science 25.

Math and science for 25.

Your qualifying question.

What is the combined measure of the interior angles of a square?

360 degrees?

Yes.

That's right.

Let's move on.

What is the combined measure of all of the interior angles within each of the following polygons for five points each.

First one a pentagon 540 degrees.

Yes.

That's correct.

Try a hexagon 720 degrees.

Yes.

That's right.

A Nonagon.

That's 81,080.

1260 degrees.

Try this.

An octagon.

Is that what?

1080 1080.

Degrees.

Yes.

That's correct.

And finally, try a triangle 180 degrees.

Yes.

You're right.

Agawam.

Once again, your turn.

Social studies for 25.

Social studies for 25.

Qualifying question.

You have picked the Westfield State University entrance exam question.

Answer the qualifier and all of the category questions correctly.

Your team wins an additional ten points.

Good luck.

Here we go.

In the medical world, the acronym who spelled W.H.O.

stands for what?

World Health Organization.

Yes.

That's correct.

All right.

I'll give you several common acronyms.

You tell me what they stand for.

These are for five points each.

Take a look at your screen first one, the acronym for the Climate Monitoring Group, NOAA or NOAA stands for what?

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Let's try this one.

Workplace regulators OSHA, occupational safety.

Occupation, Safety and Health Administration.

Yes.

That's correct.

The media regulating group, the FCC.

The Federal Communications Commission try the food providing Snap supply nurture.

That would be the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

All right.

Finally, let's do this one.

Earth preservers, the EPA.

Environmental Protection Agency.

Yes, that is correct.

Where?

High school.

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

Arts and entertainment for 25.

Arts and entertainment for 25.

Qualifying question.

Take a look at your screens.

This 2019 film was based on the classic 1868 novel of the same name by Louisa may Alcott.

Name the film or the novel Little Women.

Yes.

That's correct.

More clues to films based on works of literature of the same titles.

Identify the author of the book for ten points each.

First, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

JK Rowling.

Yes, that's correct.

From the Lord of the rings trilogy.

The fellowship of the ring.

J.R.R.

Tolkien.

Yes, that's right.

And finally, for Five Points, James and the Giant Peach.

Roald Dahl.

Yes.

Very nice.

And that marks the end of our capitalization round.

Let's take a minute now to meet the team.

From where?

High school.

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

We asked the team from where high school if you could design your own holiday.

What would it celebrate?

I would call it Slumber Fest and it would be a celebration of sleeping in.

It would be World Kindness Day where everybody would be nice to each other.

It would be like Black Friday, but if you happen to get injured, then your hospital bill is 50% off.

If I were to design my own holiday, it would be drip miss because the drip always needs to be celebrated.

Let's move 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 and answer correctly.

You win five points.

Answer incorrectly.

Your team loses five points.

Well, time to pump up the action for this last lightning round.

Each correct answer will be a four letter word beginning with the letter P, as in pump.

You have 90s starting right now.

Adjective used to describe a fairy tale.

Piper.

Agawam.

Pied is the right answer.

Their inner surface of the hand or a tropical tree where palm is correct.

Amount that Peter Piper picked a peck?

Yes.

That's correct.

Thin, flat bread that can be made into a pocket.

Agawam.

Peter.

Peter is correct.

An accused persons answer to a charge or indictment.

Agawam.

Plea.

Plea is correct.

Destructive or annoying?

insect.

Weed or parasite.

Agawan pest.

Pest is right a metal or plastic tube used to transport water or natural gas.

Agawam pipe.

Pipe is right.

A cheerful, mischievous spirit in folklore.

Pixie is the right answer to cut back or whittle down.

Pear is the right answer.

Types include ode, haiku and epic.

Where poem.

Poem is correct.

Verb meaning to trudge, walk slowly or tread heavily.

Where plod plod.

Is right.

Her real name is Alicia Beth Morehart.

Wear pink.

Pink is correct.

Bosc and Bartlett are types of this fruit.

Agawam.

Pear.

Pear is correct.

Country whose capital is Lima.

Agawam.

Peru.

Peru is right.

A projectile in a hockey game.

Agawam.

Puck.

Puck is right.

A hunted animal or victim.

Where?

Prey.

pray.

Pray is correct.

Ah.

And that bell marks the end of our last lightning round.

It also marks the end of our match.

What a great matchup we had tonight.

So much fun.

I want to say to wear high school.

You hung in there the entire way.

Congratulations to you, Agawam.

You were on a roll.

Just kept going.

You have cut into that top eight category.

So congrats to you on 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 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 on.

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.