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

-Coming up, it's Johnson... [cheers and applause] ...taking on Rogich!

[cheers and applause] This is the Junior Varsity Quiz Silver League Championship!

[crashing sound] ♪♪♪ [cheers and applause] Hello and welcome.

This is the 55th season of Varsity Quiz, continuing now with more Junior Varsity Quiz.

It's an honor to be your host, Nathan Tannenbaum.

So in our recent Junior Varsity Quiz Silver League Semifinals here at Vegas PBS, Johnson Junior High defeated Miller, while Rogich defeated Hyde Park to get right here to the championship of the JVQ Silver League.

Let's meet our players today.

Starting with Johnson: There's Savannah.

Hi, Savannah.

Welcome back.

Panna, how are you?

Good to see you.

There's Grant.

-Hi.

-And there's Jake.

Ladies and gentlemen, the team from Johnson Junior High School!

[cheers and applause] Now our starters for Rogich: There's Ari.

Hi, Ari.

-Hello.

-There's Kaia.

-Hi.

-There's Adhith.

-Good.

How are you?

-And there's Andrei.

-Hello.

-That is the team from Rogich!

[cheers and applause] -Ready?

Let's play Junior Varsity Quiz.

The flags of Italy and France are tri-colored.

Each has the same colors in the center and the right, but what color makes up the left side of the Italian flag?

Johnson, Grant: green -Correct.

Points on the board for Johnson, as we move on.

This country bridges Europe and Asia.

Its largest city, Istanbul.

And that's Johnson, Pana: Turkey -Correct.

Name the type of hat worn by Abraham Lincoln-- Rogich, Kaia: stovepipe hat -That is incorrect, and that's an interrupt.

--he would store important notes and papers in it and wore one to the theater the night of his assassination.

Johnson, Pana: a top hat -That's the name we were looking for.

Thank you, and we move on.

In a food chain, what type of organisms make their own food using-- That's Rogich, Andrei: decomposes -That's incorrect.

--using sunlight?

Johnson, Pana: producers -Yes.

Or autotrophs.

We would have taken either one.

Where should the apostrophe be placed in the following sentence: Martina was looking forward to attending the women's conference.

Rogich, Kaia: between N and S in the word "womens" -Yes.

We have points on the board for Rogich, as we move on.

Name the condition characterized by an abnormal growth of destructive cells in the body-- That's Johnson, Pana: cancer -Yes.

A calculation question now, students.

Solve for d. 8d+2=18 Repeating-- We'll go with Rogich, Andrei: d=2 -That is correct.

And we move on.

Chronic low levels of iron can lead to low levels of hemoglobin in the blood.

Name this disease.

Johnson, Pana: anemia -Correct.

Which musical artist proved "Unstoppable"?

Johnson, Grant: Sia -Yeah.

In which city would you visit the National Softball Hall of Fame and Museum?

Johnson, Grant: Cooperstown -Incorrect.

Rogich, Adhith: Chicago -No.

It's Oklahoma City.

Good guesses though.

Which state contains several deserts-- the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin?

Rogich, Andrei: Nevada -That's incorrect.

Johnson, Grant: California -Correct.

What's the name of the famous arch in St. Louis?

Rogich, Ari: the Gateway Arch -Yes.

Next question.

The "bee" type of what bird really is about the same size as a bumblebee?

That's Rogich, Andrei: hummingbird -Yeah.

To make laptops more portable, what area on the keyboard was developed to make it so you don't have to carry around a mouse?

Rogich, Kaia: touchpad -Yes.

On July 2, 1881, after roughly four months in office, which U.S. President was shot twice in a railroad station-- Rogich, Andrei: McKinley -That's incorrect, and that is an interrupt.

--by Charles J. Guiteau?

Johnson, Grant: Garfield -Correct.

The Allosaurus, a major predator of which other dinosaur, that was known for its double row of kite-shaped plates on its back along with a spiked-- Rogich, Kaia: stegosaurs -Correct.

The Washington Monument is an example of an obelisk-- Rogich, Kaia: marble -That is incorrect and an interrupt.

--that is a form of architecture which has its origins with which ancient civilization?

Johnson, Pana: the Egyptians -Yes.

In 2014, which singer encouraged her fans to not care about haters and to "Shake It Off"?

Rogich, Adhith: Taylor Swift -Yeah.

You're a Swifty.

Calculation question.

Here we go.

A ladder leaning against the wall, forming a right triangle.

The ladder is 15 feet long, and the base is 9 feet away from the wall.

How high-- Rogich, Ari: 12 feet -Correct.

Which popular children's book about a spider and her barn animal friend-- That's Johnson, Grant: Charlotte's Web -Correct.

That's the end of our first round.

Round of applause to both of these great young people, the teams, yeah.

[applause] But please don't go anywhere.

We're gonna take a moment, let the kids breathe.

You doing all right?

We're gonna find out a little about our players, starting over here with Johnson.

Here's 8th grader Savannah.

Hi, Savannah.

-Hi.

-You hanging in there?

-Yep.

-It says one of your hobbies is crocheting.

How long you been doing that?

-Since about 1st or 2nd grade, I think.

-Pardon me?

-Since about 1st or 2nd grade.

-Oh, wow.

So do you crochet big things, little things?

-I crocheted a blanket before.

-Right on.

Well, keep enjoying that crocheting.

Good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Here's 8th grader Pana.

Hi, Pana.

-Hi.

-Welcome back.

This says that you like reading.

Any type of book in particular, or anything is fair game?

-I like mystery books and, specifically, historical.

I like historical fiction also.

-Okay.

So historical-fiction mystery.

That's a good category.

Enjoy the reading.

And hopefully you'll do well here on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Pana.

-Thank you.

-Here's 8th grader Grant.

Hi, Grant.

-Hi.

-Good to see you again.

What does the Student Council do over there at Johnson Junior High School, and what role do you play?

-So I'm a representative in our Student Council, and we do a lot of cool things around the school.

We plan dances, and we help create Spirit Days and just like beautify the school and make it a better place.

-Right on.

Good luck.

Good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Grant.

And here's 8th grader Jake.

Hi, Jake.

-Hello.

-Good to see you again.

This says that you do robotics.

Is this a school thing, or is this outside of school?

-It is a school thing.

I first started in 6th grade as an after school club.

But then in 7th grade and then 8th grade, I was able to select it as an elective.

-So how's your team doing?

Or is the season over?

-Yep.

-You're still doing?

-No.

The season is over.

We lost at state.

-Hey, man, keep enjoying the robotics.

That's the future.

Ladies and gentlemen, that's our team from Johnson Junior High School!

[cheers and applause] And now we're going to meet our students from Rogich Junior High School.

We're going to start with Ari.

Hi, Ari.

-Hello.

How's your day going?

-Good to see you again.

It says here that you made it into the Honor Orchestra.

What instrument do you play?

-I play the violin.

-Well, congratulations.

So the Honor Orchestra has already had its concerts?

You guys are...

I don't know.

-Yeah.

Well, we're not doing anything anymore.

We had our concert in December.

-Well, good.

Well, congratulations.

That's awesome.

You've been playing the violin for a while?

-Yeah.

-Since when?

-Since, I think, 6th grade.

-Right on.

Well, keep up the violin because music is a beautiful thing.

Thank you so much.

And now we have 8th grader Kaia.

Hi, Kaia.

-Hi.

How are you doing?

-I'm still mostly sunny.

Now you wrote here that you don't do any activities as far as sports go, but you kind of consider JVQ as kind of a sport.

Is that right?

-Yeah.

-Because your coach trains you guys as if you were athletes?

-Pretty much, yeah.

And the competition and like kind of almost the stress I feel for the competition is similar to a sport.

-It's kind of mental, and there is some physical.

We're not going to make you do jumping jacks.

You're okay.

Good luck with everything you're doing in school.

Nice to have you here.

-Thank you.

-Here is Adhith.

Nice to see you.

How's everything going?

-Good.

How are you?

-I'm still mostly sunny.

You're trying to get me to change my answer, man.

So this says that you are an amateur magician?

-Yeah, I like doing card magic tricks.

-Okay.

So have you gone anywhere beyond card tricks, or that's all that you do?

-I mostly focus on those.

I watch YouTube videos and then focus on how to do the moves.

-Maybe after the match here, we'll watch you do card tricks.

Good luck with that.

Nice to have you here on Varsity Quiz.

Thank you, Adhith.

And here's also Andrei.

He's back again.

Hi, Andrei.

Good to see you.

-Hello.

How you doing?

-Well, you know.

So tell me a little bit about taekwondo.

Did we talk about that last time?

-So taekwondo is like a martial art where you do some kicks and punches.

-You've been doing that for a while?

-Yeah, but I recently quit because of bowling.

-Oh, okay.

Bowling over taekwondo?

Whatever works, man.

Ladies and gentlemen, that's our team from Rogich.

Thank you.

[applause] Hey, stick around.

The bonus round is next.

All right.

The score after Round 1: Johnson with 60 points to Rogich's 25.

This is a timed round at six minutes.

So time starts when I start this question.

And we're starting with a calculation question, students.

A train travels 240 miles in 2 hours and 15 minutes.

To the nearest whole number, what is the average speed in miles per hour?

Let me repeat.

A train travels 240 miles-- And we'll go with Johnson, Jake: 160 miles per hour 160 miles per hour.

-That is incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] And time.

We were looking for 107 miles per hour.

No points and no bonus points.

We have this tossup for both teams.

An important Cuban export is the raw form of what plant product used to add specific tastes to foods like cookies or pies?

Johnson, Pana: vanilla -No.

Rogich, Kaia: chocolate -No.

You'll kick yourself.

Sugar.

All right.

No points.

This is a tossup for both teams.

The ceremonial lighting of the menorah during Hanukkah recalls the story from the Talmud of how a one-day supply of oil miraculously burned in the temple for how many days?

Rogich, Ari: 8 days -That is correct.

Bonus questionis now for Rogich only about world religions.

First, what directional instructions do Muslims observe during their five daily prayers?

Second, all three of the world's largest religions--Judaism, Christianity, and Islam--consider which part of the modern divisions of the Bible to be sacred text?

[students deliberate] -Our first answer is towards Mecca, and our second answer is Genesis.

-Mecca is correct.

The second answer would have been Old Testament.

So some bonus points, not all bonus points.

But we move on to this tossup for both teams.

Gascony de Gama's first voyage left this capital in 1497 and returned two years later with only 55 members of the original crew of 170.

But which Portuguese port-- Rogich, Andrei: Lisbon -That is correct.

Bonus questions for Rogich only now about water.

First, the Gulf of California is the new name for this former sea.

Mexico changed it because the original name honored a Spanish conquistador who had murdered the original inhabitants of the area.

Second, the first monarch to have a public wedding was which British queen who married her love, Albert, in 1840, breaking all kinds of traditions in the process, including holding hands with him?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Our first answer is Cortes.

Our second answer is Queen Victoria.

-Both are correct.

You got bonus points.

Tossup for both teams now.

What's the major solid bulk of the Earth's interior called?

Rogich, Andrei: mantle -Yes.

Bonus questions now for Rogich only about Earth science.

First, fossils are most likely to be found in which of the three main types of rock?

Second, bottom lands are low areas near rivers.

They're also called what type of plains because of what happens when large amounts of rain fall in a short time?

[students deliberatae] -Our first answer, sedimentary.

Our second answer is swamp.

-Sedimentary is correct.

The second answer was floodplains.

So you have some bonus points, but not all.

A tossup for both teams.

A book by Rodman Philbrick, in which Kevin initially calls himself "Robotman" when he meets Max, but later in the story, his nickname changes, and it's in the title of this book.

Name the book.

Rogich, Ari: Einstein -No.

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

We were looking for Freak the Mighty.

Nobody picking up on that one?

All right.

Tossup for both teams.

Which U.S. government agency created in 2002 overseas efforts against terrorism in the country?

Rogich, Andrei: U.S. Department of Defense -That's incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] It is the Department of Homeland Security.

This tossup for both teams.

"They are a dangerous combination of ferocity and curiosity."

Those words from biologist Jeff Copeland, talking about which threatened members of the weasel family for which a Marvel Superhero is also named?

Johnson, Pana: wolverines -Yes.

Bonus questions now for Johnson only about animals.

First, what Asian snake's reticulated species is the world's longest snake, growing over 20 feet long, capable of suffocating and eating a human?

Second, name the small amphibious monotreme that's native to Australia with a bill similar to a duck?

-So for our first answer, we have boa.

And for our second answer, we have platypus.

-Platypus is correct.

The snake is actually a python.

So some bonus points.

And this tossup for both teams.

What part of the piano, organ, and harp is worked by the feet?

Rogich, Andrei: the pedals -Yes.

Bonus questions for Rogich only about musical instruments.

First, the thin strip that's placed inside a wind instrument to set air current in motion is called what?

And, second, the finger lever on a wind instrument that produces a tone is called what?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] Our first answer is reed.

Our second answer is valve.

-Reed is correct.

The second answer is key, not a valve.

So some bonus points.

All right.

One more tossup here.

Give the term for any substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical processes.

Rogich, Ari: complex micromolecules -Incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] And that's time.

We were looking for chemical element.

That is the end of our second round.

We want to meet the coaches of our championship teams.

For Johnson this week, it's Scott Severino.

For Rogich, it's Rei Vital.

Round of applause for everybody because our speed round is next.

[applause] Oh, unbelievable.

The score going into Round 3: Johnson has 70 points.

Rogich has 70 points.

We have a tie game, so this third round is going to determine our winner.

Hey, before we get started though, we have a returning player for Johnson.

Savannah is back.

Hi, Savannah.

Welcome back.

And Rogich has a new player.

It's Iris.

Hi, Iris.

And time begins right here.

Which amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and religion?

That's Johnson, Grant: the Second Amendment -That's incorrect.

Rogich, Andrei: First Amendment -That is correct.

Calculation question.

We don't repeat here in the third round.

A shirt costs $20.

If it's on sale for 15% off, how much will it cost?

That's Rogich, Andrei: $12 -That's incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] After the buzz.

It's $17.

Next question.

Located in Tanzania, which mountain is the-- And that's Rogich, Iris: Mount Kilimanjaro -Correct.

A little louder, Iris.

We got you.

The size of which part of a sensory organ changes depending on the light?

Johnson, Pana: the pupil -Yes.

Next question.

The United States has large deposits of coal, and most of it's used in large facilities to generate what energy?

And that's Rogich, Ari: fossil fuels -Incorrect.

Johnson, Savannah: electricity -Correct.

Next question.

Which American author, famous for all of his horror novels, has had the most works-- We'll go with Rogich, Ari: Stephen King -Correct.

Which class of vertebrates includes animals with both gills and lungs, like frogs-- Rogich, Andrei: Tetrapods -No.

Johnson, Sophia: amphibians -Correct.

In which organ of the body is insulin produced?

Johnson, Pana: pancreas -Correct.

Which mammal, whose name changed because it's not a killer or a whale, is known as-- Rogich, Kaia: orca -Correct.

What type of tree is the source of dates?

Johnson, Grant: a fig tree -No.

Rogich, Andrei: a date tree -Oh, that's a good guess.

It's a palm tree.

Next question.

In which Olympic sport would the following equipment be needed: a landing area, a crossbar, a long-- Rogich, Ari: gymnastics -That is incorrect.

That is an interrupt.

I'll finish the question now for Johnson only --Olympic sport, landing area, crossbar, long flexible shaft?

Johnson, Pana: Pole vaulting -Correct.

Next question.

Which term, used in art, refers to a technique of showing distant objects on a two-dimensional plane as they might appear to the eye in relation to closer objects?

Rogich, Andrei: isometric -Incorrect.

Johnson, Sophia: perspective -That's correct.

And here's the next question.

What's the specialized respiratory structure in fish that allows them to extract oxygen from water?

Rogich, Andrei: gills -That is correct.

Next question.

Which celestial body is referred to as Earth's "sister planet"?

Johnson, Grant: Venus -Correct.

What type of power is generated from the energy of flowing water?

Rogich, Andrei: hydropower -Correct.

In which state is the Great Salt Lake located?

Rogich, Andrei: Utah -Yes.

Which dystopian classic British novel begins with this line: "It was a bright cold day--" Johnson, Grant: 1984 -Correct.

What's the outermost layer of the Earth called?

Johnson, Pana: crust -Yes.

A mistake made on an easy shot by a tennis player in a nonpressure situation is known by what two-word term?

[bell chimes, time expires] No tennis players?

It's an unforced error.

Next question.

What item at a breakfast buffet is also a slang term for indecision or frequent changing of your mind?

Rogich, Kaia: waffle -Yeah.

Okay.

Calculation question.

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

Solve for z in the equation 4z/2 = 3z+5 We'll go with Rogich, Ari: z = -5 -That is correct.

Next question.

Who assassinated President Abraham Lincoln?

Johnson, Pana: John Wilkes Booth -Yes.

What part of a plant carries the nutrients from the roots to the top parts of the plant?

Johnson, Pana: the stem -Yes.

Which company produces the popular video game console PlayStation?

Rogich, Iris: Sony -Yeah.

The Cnidaria phylum includes organisms such as jellyfish that have radial symmetry and what type of defense?

Johnson, Andrei: sting -I think we can take that.

Yes.

Nine states have what we call geographic "panhandles."

Which two central states have their panhandles fit together?

Rogich, Ari: Oklahoma and Texas -Yes.

Next question.

What is a more common term for a contusion?

That's Johnson, Pana: bruise -That is correct.

Which vocal range can sing the lowest notes?

That's Rogich, Ari: the base -That's incorrect.

Oh, that is correct?

Okay.

We'll take that.

Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were created, is located in-- Rogich, Andrei: Philadelphia -Yes.

And that's 30 questions.

Let's find out who won.

Well, this has not happened on Varsity Quiz in many, many years.

At the end of three rounds, the score is tied at 130 for Johnson, 130 for Rogich.

So we're zeroing out the score.

We're going to what we call a tiebreaker round, in which the first team to correctly answer three questions or achieve a score of 15 points will be the winner of the Junior Varsity Quiz Silver League Championship.

Here we go.

The surface of a soccer ball consists of a series of which two kinds of regular-- Rogich, Andrei: pentagons and hexagons -That is correct.

Name the simplest multicellular organisms in the phylum-- Johnson, Pana: bacteria -That is incorrect, and that is an interrupt.

--in the phylum Porifera.

Rogich, Kaia: amoebas -No.

We were looking for sponges.

Next question.

What word designates plant or animal remains from thousands or millions of years ago?

Johnson, Pana: fossils -Yes.

Which U.S. President's portrait is on the 50 cent or half dollar coin?

Rogich, Andrei: Kennedy -Correct.

Next question.

Give the full meaning of the acronym LASER.

Rogich, Andrei: no answer -Okay.

That's no answer.

[bell chimes, time expires] What metallic element is found in Epsom salts?

[buzzer sound] [bell chimes] Did he get in before?

So we'll go with Rogich, Ari: iron -Incorrect.

Next question.

Give the name of the famous stone located in a castle in Ireland whose name-- That's Johnson, Grant: the Blarney Stone -That is correct.

In sculpting, what name is given to the method of creating a bronze or plaster reproduction of a statue of a clay model?

Johnson, Pana: casting -Yes.

Give the word for a story in which characters and events stand for abstract ideas to convey-- Johnson, Grant: a fable -That is incorrect.

That is an interrupt.

--to convey a hidden or symbolic meaning such as Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress.

Rogich, Andrei: folk tale -Incorrect.

We were looking for allegory.

Next question.

In which novel set in Alabama does Jem say-- We'll go with Rogich, Ari: To Kill a Mockingbird -That is correct.

[applause] The winner of the Junior Varsity Quiz Silver League Championship is Rogich.

We'll be right back.

An incredible match.

Congratulations to Rogich, the 2023-2024 Silver League Junior League Varsity Quiz champions.

But before we give them their plaque, we have a 2nd place plaque for the incredible players and the coach from Johnson Junior High School.

Let's give them a round of applause.

[cheers and applause] Coach, great job.

Great job.

Thank you guys.

Don't go anywhere.

And here we have the Silver League Champions plaque for the players and the captain and the coach of Rogich Middle School.

Here you go, coach.

-Thank you.

-Congratulations.

-Thank you.

-Congratulations, and congratulations.

Wow, incredible.

Hey, we want you to join us next week as we cheer on Miller and another team from Rogich because they had a different team in the Blue League.

So that'll be the championship for the Blue League, the JVQ Blue League Championship.

It's all right here next week on Vegas PBS.