This program brought to you in part by the Erika Lewis Endowment Fund.

Coming up next, the Lied STEM Academy... [cheers and applause] ...is taking on Thurman White Middle School... [cheers and applause] ...on Junior Varsity Quiz !

[crashing sound] ♪♪♪ [cheers and applause] (Nathan Tannenbaum) Hello and welcome to the 54th Season of Varsity Quiz .

Continuing now with Junior Varsity Quiz , honored to be your host, Nathan Tannenbaum.

So, back in February this year, there were 13 middle school and junior high school teams that competed in kind of a virtual Junior Varsity Quiz League.

In March, there were 22 middle school and junior high school teams that competed in a one-day tournament over at the Veterans Tribute Academy.

The winner of tonight's match will move on to the 2023 Junior Varsity Quiz Championship right here on Vegas PBS.

Before we get started, let's meet our players.

We'll start with Lied Middle School.

We say hello to Evan.

-Hi.

-Nice to see you.

There's Caleb.

Hey, Caleb.

-Hi.

-There's Leo.

-Hey.

-Hi, Leo.

And Amelia.

-Hi.

-Ladies and gentlemen, the Lied STEM Academy!

[applause] Now, for White Middle School, we say hello to Angelina.

Hi, Angelina.

-Hello.

-There's Ava.

-Hi.

-Aaron.

-Hey.

-And Leah.

-Hi.

-Ladies and gentlemen, Thurman White!

[applause] All right.

Ready?

Let's play Junior Varsity Quiz !

Which branch of the U.S. armed forces created his first video game in 2002 to give players a chance to experience basic training?

That's Lied, Evan: The Army -Yes, sir.

Points on the board for Lied.

Next question.

It's been called the most financially valuable wild animal on Earth.

It has its own special day every October in Japan.

The most prized species typically weighs between 250 and 300 pounds, selling for over $10,000 apiece.

Among many brand names, what fish is also sold as "Chicken of the Sea"?

Lied, Caleb: Tuna -Yes, sir.

Meteorologist Seymour Hess issued the very first weather report for this place in July of 1976.

The forecast, "Light winds at 15 miles an hour, shifting as any sensible wind is supposed to do.

Temperatures ranging from a low of minus 122 degrees Fahrenheit to an early afternoon high of minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit.

The pressure, 7.7 millibars."

For what location was this weather report provided with a NASA Viking lander?

Lied, Leo: Pluto -No.

White, Aaron: Mars -Yes.

Points on the board for White.

Next question.

The nerve endings for the sense of sight are located in which part of the eye?

White, Aaron: Retina -Yes, sir.

A variety of a spoken language specific to a region or community is called what?

White, Aaron: Native Language -No.

Lied, Leo: Vernacular -No.

We were looking for Dialect.

You were on the right path, but no points.

Next question.

Niagara Falls is situated between which two Great Lakes?

White, Angelina: Lake Erie and Lake Ontario -That is correct.

Next question.

What name is given to a fossilized resin from ancient coniferous trees?

White, Aaron: Amber -Yes.

Next is a calculation question, students.

Convert the decimal .125 to its simplest fractional equivalent.

Lied, Leo: 1/8 -Yes, sir.

During which season of the year are people with ragweed allergies likely to suffer most?

We need a clear.

And that's Lied, Amelia: Spring -Incorrect.

[buzzer sound] [bell chimes, time expires] -I think they got it in time.

We'll go with White, Aaron: Autumn -That is correct.

Yes.

Okay.

What's the only Olympic event that bears the name of a famous ancient battle involving the Greeks?

Lied, Leo: Discus -No.

White, Aaron: Archery -No.

We were looking for Marathon.

Next question.

What common ailment can you never catch from being outside in bad weather and actually has no relationship-- And that will be White, Aaron: Cold -Yes, sir.

On what North American river are the scenic Thousand Islands located?

White, Aaron: Mississippi -No.

Lied, Leo: Colorado -No.

It's the St. Lawrence.

Next question.

What particular type of timer is the symbol that's used for the TV show 60 Minutes ?

Lied, Leo: Stopwatch -Yeah.

Great show.

Name the only man to serve Texas in the capacity of both President of Texas and Governor, thus earning the honor of having one of the state's largest cities named after him.

Lied, Caleb: Sam Houston -Yes, that's correct.

This year's NCAA Division I Men's elite eight was missing what for the first time in history?

White, Aaron: The Number 1 Seed -That is correct.

Incredible.

Okay.

The Canadian coat of arms features the floral emblems of the four founding nations: There's the English rose, the Scottish thistle, the French fluer-de-lis, and the Irish what?

Lied, Leo: Shamrock -Yes.

In 1349, a quarter of the population of Europe was wiped out by what disease?

White, Aaron: The Plague -I think we can take that.

Yes.

This term for a part that closes off a test tube, it can also mean a baseball team's most reliable pitcher.

Lied, Leo: Stopper -Yes.

Harry Potter gets his school supplies in shops on a secret street in London called-- Lied, Amelia: Diagon Alley -Yeah.

Name the world's smallest ocean.

Lied, Leo: The Southern Ocean -Incorrect.

White, Aaron: Arctic Ocean -Yes.

Calculation question next, students.

Name the value of the Roman numeral MD-- Lied, Leo: 1,500 -Yeah, well, that's incorrect.

Because that's an interrupt, I need to finish reading the question.

What's the value of the Roman numeral MDXXX?

[bell chimes, time expires] -That's after the buzzer.

So you were on the right track.

You didn't listen for the whole question.

The answer was 1,530.

No points.

Next question.

Proverbially, what's the acuity level of someone with excellent hindsight?

White, Leah: 20/20 -I think we can take that.

Yeah, you got it.

Next question.

Martha's Vineyard is located in what state?

Lied, Leo: Massachusetts -Yes.

Name the continent that receives the greatest average amount of rainfall per square mile.

White, Aaron: Africa -No.

Lied, Evan: Europe -No.

It's South America.

Next question.

Its name is a double-misnomer, as it's a lake that is home to both bacteria and algae, but it is dying because its area continues to shrink.

Name this Middle Eastern body of water.

Lied, Leo: The Dead Sea -That is correct.

That's the end of our first round.

But before we move on, first of all, some congratulations for both of these teams.

Nicely done.

[applause] -But we want to learn more about these young men and women, so we're gonna say howdy to each of them.

We'll start with Lied, and this is 7th grader, Evan.

Hey, Evan.

-Hi.

-You having fun?

-Yes.

-It says here that you play baseball.

Are you a particular position on the field?

-Mainly a pitcher, but I could play everywhere.

-Excellent.

Do you play for a team now?

-Yes.

-Who?

-Vegas Forge.

-Good luck, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz .

Thanks, Evan.

-Thank you.

-Here's 7th grader Caleb.

Hey, Caleb.

-Hi.

-It says you are obsessed with a particular vegetable.

-That would be-- -Which vegetable is that?

-That would be a potato.

-What's the deal with you and the potato, Caleb?

-I don't know.

-Baked?

Fried?

Mashed?

Doesn't matter?

-Doesn't.

-Bring on the potatoes.

-Yes.

All right.

Good luck with that, Caleb, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz .

It's all good.

Here's 8th grader Leo.

Hey, Leo.

-Hey.

-This says you're a big fan of some marine animal or a fish?

-Axolotl.

-What is it?

-Axolotl?

-Gesundheit.

[laughter] -Do you have some at home?

-No.

They're pretty endangered.

-Okay.

Well, good luck with your fandom of "Axolotl?"

-Yep.

-Okay.

And good luck here on Varsity Quiz .

Thanks, Leo.

Here's 8th grader Amelia.

Hi, Amelia.

-Hi.

-It says you've been doing martial arts for a long time.

-Mm-hmm.

-What do you do?

-Martial arts.

-I mean, is it a specific one that you do?

-Taekwondo.

-Taekwondo, okay.

Well, so I won't make you mad at me.

Good luck with the taekwondo.

Good luck here on Varsity Quiz .

Ladies and gentlemen, our students from Lied STEM Academy!

[applause] -Now let's move over to Thurman White Middle School.

We say hello to 6th grader Angelina.

Hi, Angelina.

-Hello.

-This says that you really love spiders but that you're afraid of some other little bug.

-Yeah.

-What's that?

-Butterflies.

-Gee, I think most people would be the other way around.

-Yep.

-Do you have spiders at home that's your pet?

-No.

But I've been wanting a tarantula.

-Okay.

Well, good luck with that, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz .

Thanks, Angelina.

Here's 7th grader Ava.

Hi, Ava.

-Hi.

-This says that you're a big fan of that, that math puzzle game where you have to fill in numbers and-- -Oh, sudoku.

Yeah, I'm really good at it.

I like doing it a lot.

-I-- It hurts my head when I try to do that.

-It gets easier once you do it a lot.

-Okay.

I'll take your word for it.

Good luck with that.

Good luck here at Varsity Quiz .

Thanks, Ava.

Here's 8th grader Aaron.

Hi, Aaron.

-Hello.

-It says here you are related to a former President of the United States.

-Yeah.

-Who was that?

-Woodrow Wilson.

-So that's got to be pretty far back.

-Yeah.

Distant, but it's there.

-Okay.

Thank you, Mr. President, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz .

Here's 6th grader Leah.

Hi, Leah.

-Hi.

-It says you have a hobby of singing.

-Oh, yeah.

-Do you sing in the choir or just for the fun of it?

-I don't know.

-You just love to sing?

-Yeah.

-In the shower?

Anywhere?

-I guess.

Yeah.

My sister hates it, though.

Hi, Sarah.

Love you!

-There you go.

Well, good luck with the singing, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz .

That's the team from Thurman White!

[applause] -And our Bonus Round is coming right up.

[crashing sound] The score going into Round 2, it is close.

Lied has 45 points to White's 50 points.

[crashing sound] -We do have a couple of new players before we get started.

For Lied, we have Rebeka and Rhysten and Logan.

Hi, you guys.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Welcome aboard.

For White, there's Hannah.

Hi, Hannah.

-Hi.

-Glad to see you.

This round is timed at six minutes, and that starts when I start this question: What was the first European language spoken by European settlers in New York?

White, Aaron: Dutch -Yes.

Bonus questions now for White only about languages.

First, what language was abolished from churches in England in 1549?

Second, what letter is on cold-water faucets of France and Spain?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-Our answers are Latin and S. -Latin is correct.

The letter on the cold-water faucets is F, as in Frank.

So some bonus points, but not all.

And now this question for both teams: What name is given to confinement to one's own home as legal punishment?

Lied, Leo: House Arrest -Yes.

Bonus questions now for Lied only about the law.

First, what do we call minor crimes such as traffic violations?

Second, what verb means to rescind an attorney's license to practice law?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-For the first one, Misdemeanor.

And the second one is Malpractice.

-Misdemeanor is correct.

The second one is Disbar.

So you get some bonus points, but not all.

And now this question for both teams: Named for a U.S. city, what kind of pie has chocolate icing, cake, and pudding-- And that's White, Hannah: Chocolate Cream Pie -That's incorrect and an interrupt.

--in pudding but no crust?

[bell chimes, time expires] -It's Boston Cream Pie.

Mmm.

-Next question for both teams.

Andrew Jackson was the first President born in what kind of a wooden rural structure?

White, Aaron: Cabin -Can we take that?

Okay.

And bonus questions now for White only about Andrew Jackson.

First, he was the first President born west of which mountains?

And second, at age 14, in what war did he fight?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-Our answers are Appalachians and French and Indian War.

-Appalachian is correct.

The war was the American Revolution.

So some points, but not all.

And this question for both teams is a calculation question, students.

What is the terminating decimal for 17/20?

Repeating.

What's the terminating decimal for 17/20?

White, Aaron: .85 -That is correct.

Bonus questions now.

Calculation questions for White only.

First, what is the perimeter of a hexagon with a side length of 4?

Second, what's the perimeter of a pentagon with a side length of 6?

Let me repeat both of those.

First, what's the perimeter of a hexagon with a side length of 4?

Second, what's the perimeter of a pentagon with a side length of 6?

You have 10 seconds.

-Our answers are 24 and 30.

-Bonus points on both of them, yes.

Next question for both teams.

The Hanging Gardens were in this ancient city.

That's Lied, Leo: Rome -Incorrect.

White, Hannah: Greece -No.

We were looking for Babylon.

Next question for both teams.

What vegetable's varieties include Indian, blue, sweet-- Lied, Leo: Corn -Yes.

Bonus questions now for Lied only about botany.

First, peas and lima beans are examples of what part of a plant?

Second, what fruit grown in soggy soil shows up on your Thanksgiving table?

You have 10 seconds.

[student deliberate] -Captain?

-The first answer is Seed, and the second one is Cranberry.

-Both are correct.

You got bonus points.

Next question for both teams: Starting with the letter C, give the term for any person running for political office.

Lied, Leo: Candidate -Yes.

Bonus questions.

We got the answer.

Bonus questions now for Lied only about government with answers that begin with the letter C. First, give the term for adjustment of opposing principles, such as that at 1850.

Second, give the phrase for limitation of powers among the three branches of government.

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -We have our answers.

-Go ahead.

-Conform and Constrict.

-Both are incorrect.

We were looking for Compromise and Checks and Balances.

No bonus points, but this question now for both teams: What term is used for a person who specializes in the study of insects?

That's Lied, Leo: Entomologist -I think-- We can take that?

Did he answer in time?

Okay.

Bonus questions now for Lied only about insects.

First, what well-known insect communicates information to its neighbors by dancing?

Second, what plant suffers from the appetite of the boll weevil?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -We have our answers.

-Go ahead.

-Bee and Wheat.

-Bee is correct.

The boll weevil loves Cotton.

So some bonus points, but not all.

Next, a question for both teams.

On a balance sheet, what's the opposite of a liability?

White, Aaron: Asset -Yes.

Bonus questions now for White only about economics.

First, in which condition does the value of money go down and prices go up?

Second, you pay a premium, you get protected against any huge loss in an arrangement that's called what?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Captain?

-No answer and Insurance.

-Insurance is correct.

The first one would have been Inflation.

So you get some bonus points, but not all.

And we're done with our second round.

But before we run on, we want to say thank you to our Junior Varsity Quiz coaches.

They work with these young men and women week after week putting in a lot of extra time outside the classroom, making Junior Varsity Quiz a success.

Let's meet this week's coaches.

For Lied, we have Chelsea Schoenbeck and Diana Vargas!

[applause] -For White, the coach is Christina Radosevich!

[applause] -Also, our judges from the Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas and the Clark County School District, oh, we can't do it without them.

The Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas and teachers from around the district also provided judges and moderators for that JVQ Virtual League we mentioned and that one-day tournament.

Special thanks to everyone who helps out with Junior Varsity Quiz and to Vegas PBS.

Hey, you know what?

While we're at it, how about a quick shout-out to the other teachers and the moms and dads of these fine young men and women and all the volunteers that help make Junior Varsity Quiz a success.

And the Speed Round is coming up.

[crashing sound] -Score going into Round 3, this is a close match.

Lied has 85 points.

White has 90.

[crashing sound] -Before we get started, we do have some new players we'd like you to meet.

For Lied, we say hello to Grace.

Hi, Grace.

-Hi.

-There's Allison.

Hi, Allison.

-Hi.

-And Ashton.

-Hello.

-Thank you and welcome aboard.

Now for White, we have a returning player.

It's Ava.

-Hi.

-Welcome back, Ava.

Let's go!

Which French leader consolidated some 14,000 decrees into a unified set of seven codes?

Lied, Leo: Napoleon -Yes.

How many minutes are there in a degree of longitude?

White, Hanhah: 60 -Yes.

What part of the dinosaurs' skeleton is used to divide them into two basic groups?

That's White, Aaron: Head -Nope.

Lied, Leo: Ribcage -No, it's their Hips.

Who knew?

Next question.

Its terms include bonk, crippler, hoho, and Mc Twist.

Identify this winter sport that's on ESPN's X Games.

White, Aaron: Skiing -Nope.

Lied, Leo: Snowboarding -Yes.

Next question.

On the Celsius scale, at what temperature does water freeze?

Lied, Leo: Zero -Yes.

What is the part of a circle between any two points called?

White, Leah: An Angle -No.

Lied, Leo: Radius -No, it's the Arc.

Next question.

Residents in which U.S. state have consistently the best view of the aurora borealis?

White, Aaron: Alaska -Yes.

Name the blind French boy who at the age of 15 devised a new alphabet for the sightless.

Lied, Leo: Louis Braille -Yes.

Recent changes in recommendations report that until a child is 40 pounds or 3 years old, what object should be rear facing only?

Lied, Leo: Car Seat -Yes.

What common measure of land is derived from the area that a yoke of oxen could plow in one day?

White, Hannah: Plane -No.

Lied, Leo: Field -No, we were looking for an Acre.

Next question.

An upside down U in set notations denotes what relationship between two or more sets?

That's Lied, Ashton: End -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] -You're on the right track though.

We were looking for Intersection.

No points.

Next question.

What's the nickname of Fenway Park's famed left-field fence?

[bell chimes, time expires] -No baseballers here?

It's the Green Monster.

Check it out.

Next question.

The 15th, 19th, 24th, and the 26th Amendments, each of these extends what similar right?

Lied, Leo: Civil Right -No.

White, Leah: The Right to Vote -Yes.

Next question is a calculation question.

We don't repeat in the third round, so listen up.

What is the reciprocal of 2 1/3?

That's Lied, Leo: 3/7 -Yes.

About 160 miles long from east to west, what island marks the southern boundary of the Aegean Sea?

That's White, Aaron: Crete -Yes.

What is the usual launch vehicle for a Trident missile?

And that's, Lied, Leo: Ship -No.

[bells chime, time expires] -We were looking for Submarine.

Next question.

What famous New York amusement park claims the invention of the roller coaster-- Lied, Leo: Coney Island Yeah.

How do you spell piteous?

Lied, Leo: P-I-T-E-O-U-S -That's correct.

What word beginning with the letter A means a pardon or forgiveness granted by a government?

That's Lied, Leo: Amnesty -Yes.

What transportation vehicle did Peter Cooper build in 1830 in Baltimore, and he called it Tom Thumb?

Lied, Leo: Mini -Pardon me?

-Mini.

-No.

White, Hannah: Plane -No.

We were looking for a Steam Locomotive Next question.

Carlos Salinas, Porfirio Diaz, Ernesto Zedillo also served as president of what Central American country?

White, Aaron: Costa Rica -Incorrect.

Lied, Leo: Honduras -No.

It was Mexico.

Next question.

Which national park covers 800,000 acres on the border of Mexico where the Rio Grande makes a sharp turn to the west?

White, Aaron: Arroyo -Nope.

Lied, Ashton: The Grand Canyon -No.

We were looking for Big Bend National Park.

No points.

Next question.

What number and three letters are struck by the little finger of the left hand on a standard computer keyboard?

Lied, Leo: 0 and I, O, P -Incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expired] -After the buzzer.

It's 1, Q, A, Z.

But you knew that.

Next question.

There are more than 380 major Civil War battle sites that are maintained in the United States.

One-third of them are in what former Confederate state?

That's White, Aaron: Virginia -Yes.

Sugar in what form is the body's main source of fuel?

White, Aaron: Glucose -Yes.

Alsace-Lorraine belonged to which two different countries in-- White, Aaron: France and Germany -Yes.

What word describes a ray that divides an angle into two equal angles?

And that's Leid, Leo: Bisector -Yes.

Gas masks were first used during which war?

White, Aaron: World War I -Yes.

What word, much to the chagrin of Hormel Foods that sells canned meat, is also used to describe bulk email.

White, Hannah: Spam -Yeah.

In what year was the Battle of the Alamo fought?

White, Aaron: 1836 -Yes.

Whew!

We're done.

Let's find out who won.

[crashing sound] One of the closest matches we've had in a long time.

We have a final score: Lied, 135 points to White's 140.

[crashing sound] Thanks to both teams.

Really an excellent match today.

[applause] -Congratulations to Thurman White Middle School.

They will be back next week to take on Miller for the title Junior Varsity Quiz Champion right here on Vegas PBS.

♪♪♪