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

-Coming up next, it's Hyde Park... [cheers and applause] ...taking on Miller Middle School!

[cheers and applause] This is Junior Varsity Quiz!

♪♪ Hi and welcome.

This is the 57th season of Junior Varsity Quiz, continuing now with the Junior Varsity Quiz Tournament.

I'm your host, Nathan Tannenbaum.

So back at the end of March, there were 27 middle and junior high school teams that competed in a day-long tournament at the Veterans Tribute CTA.

The teams playing tonight were two of the top four from that tournament.

So the winner of tonight's match will move on to the 2026 Junior Varsity Quiz Silver League Championship match right here on Vegas PBS.

Let's meet tonight's players, starting with Hyde Park.

We have Finn.

Hi, Finn.

There's Gabby.

There's Luke.

-Hi.

-And there's Samuel.

-Hello.

-And the coaches for Hyde Park, Christine Notareschi-Rinard, and Eric Phillips couldn't be with us.

That's Hyde Park!

[cheers and applause] And our starting players for Miller Middle School, Tejasvi.

-Hello.

-Ronan, Yiming, and Joseph.

And the coaches for Miller, Erick Ekker and Celia Erickson.

Miller Middle School!

[cheers and applause] Are you ready?

Let's play Junior Varsity Quiz.

Which mineral, often used in pencils, leaves a mark-- And that's Miller, Ronan: graphite -Yes.

Points on the board for Miller.

Let's keep going.

Readers were first exposed to a what duo in 1887 consisting-- And that's Hyde Park, Luke: Sherlock Holmes and Dr.

Watson -Yes.

Hyde Park's on the board.

Let's keep going.

What's the name for a verb that does not follow the standard conjugation patterns?

Miller, Joseph: helping verb -Incorrect.

Hyde Park, Finn: adverb -No.

That is an irregular verb.

No points.

We move on to the next question.

Tell me what word should have been used in this sentence: After talking to him awhile, Marissa finally purposed Alexi to try the new asparagus-- That's Hyde Park, Finn: persuaded -Yes.

We continue.

In some states, colleges allow students to take classes to learn which language that's used to communicate with people who have a partial or complete hearing loss?

Hyde Park, Luke: sign... sign language -I think we can take that.

Yes.

Let's keep going.

The name of this creature is a compound name of one mythical creature and one unrelated insect.

What living ancient insect is a remarkable hunter that can fly backwards and hover?

Hyde Park, Finn: -hummingbird -Incorrect.

Miller, Yiming: dragonfly -Yes.

Here we go.

Who wrote the following books: The Dragonet Prophecy, Moon Rising-- And that's Miller, Yiming: Sutherland -Yes.

Next question.

What's the term for the type of precipitation that forms when snowflakes partially melt and refreeze-- Miller, Ronan: hail -Incorrect.

--before reaching the ground?

That was an interrupt.

Hyde Park, Luke: frost -No.

We were looking for sleet.

No points.

Next question.

Which mineral stored in bones is essential-- Miller, Ronan: calcium -Yes.

The name for this pattern emerged around 1854, derived from a dance craze.

Yayoi Kusama is known for her immersive installations covered in what repeating visual motif?

Hyde Park, Gabby: mandalas -No.

Miller, Yiming: mirrors -No.

You're going to kick yourself.

Polka dots.

Let's move on to the next question.

In which language was Don Quixote originally written?

Miller, Yiming: Spanish -Yes.

Next question.

What's the grammatical term for the form of a verb that shows past, present, or future?

Hyde Park, Gabby: tense -Yes.

Cirrus clouds contain ice crystals instead of water droplets, so they're unlikely to cause precipitation.

They're composed of ice because they are found at high what?

Hyde Park, Samuel: altitudes -Yes.

Okay.

Calculation question, students.

If a hiker walks 3 miles per hour for 5.5 hours, how far does she walk?

And that's Hyde Park, Luke: 16.5 miles -Yes.

Next question.

What mammal wears a coat of armor on its back?

That's Hyde Park, Finn: armadillo -Yes.

What's the term for a straight angle's measure?

Hyde Park, Finn: 180 degrees -That's right.

Next question.

Which famous family, including brothers Dwayne, Damon, Shawn, and Marlon, were inducted into the NAACP Image Awards' Hall of Fame in 2025?

[bell chimes, time expires] I think that was after the buzzer.

You need to go back and look up the Wayans brothers.

They had that TV show In Living Color back in the day.

Next question.

Sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia is the scientific name of the headache you get from eating cold food or drinks too quickly-- And that's Miller, Ronan: brain freeze -Yes.

Next question.

When attempting to pick up this numerical split, sometimes known as bedposts, bowling may take both skill and luck.

What is it?

Miller, Ronan: split -We need more.

-Pin split.

-Incorrect.

Hyde Park, Gabby: a spare -No.

We were looking for the 7-10 split, because they have the pins numbered.

That's the 7 and the 10.

No points.

Next question.

In civil engineering, what structural element resists bending and supports loads-- Hyde Park, Finn: steel -Incorrect, and that is an interrupt.

I'll finish reading the question.

--supports loads over spans when building buildings, such as those you can see in the ceilings of some homes?

Miller, Tejasvi: glass -No.

We were looking for beam.

No points.

Next question.

The Conestoga wagons used in the westward expansion of the United States were covered with what coarse-- Miller, Joseph: canvas -Yes.

Amazon agreed in late 2025 to pay up to $2.5 billion to settle claims that it had tricked millions of people into signing up for what-- Hyde Park, Gabby: Prime -Yes.

Next question.

Yttrium-90, Lutetium-177, Cobalt-60, and Radium-223 are among the isotopes-- Hyde Park, Luke: adams -That is incorrect.

That is an interrupt.

I'll finish reading the question.

--are among the isotopes used for the treatment of what family of illnesses?

Miller, Yiming: cancer -That's correct.

Ralph is trying to be a kinder person.

His teacher suggested that every time he starts to use an unkind adjective, he should use an opposite word instead-- Hyde Park, Samuel: antonym -That is incorrect, and that is an interrupt.

I'll finish reading the question.

--the teacher suggested he could use an opposite word, can go to an online dictionary or what other resource for help?

Miller, Ronan: thesaurus -Yes.

Next question.

The "Edmund Fitzgerald," which once was the biggest ship on the Great Lakes, sank in what northernmost of the lakes during a storm in 1975?

Hyde Park, Finn: Lake Superior -Correct.

Hey, that's the end of the first round.

Could we have a round of applause?

It's a great match.

[applause] But don't go anywhere.

We'll take a couple of minutes to get to know a little bit more about our players.

You guys can take a breath.

We'll start with Hyde Park.

We have 8th grader Finn.

Hi, Finn.

-Hi.

-You wrote that one of your hobbies is snowboarding.

-Yeah.

-Do you have a favorite place to go?

-Brian Head, up in Utah.

-Sure.

Is it worth it up at Lee Canyon?

-It's too crowded sometimes.

-Okay.

Brian Head it is.

Good luck with snowboarding.

Good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Finn.

Here's 8th grader Gabby.

Hi.

-Hi.

-You wrote down two different sports that you do for either clubs or activities.

Do you remember what you wrote down?

-Tennis and volleyball.

-Do you have a favorite?

-I like playing volleyball, but I'm better at tennis.

-Okay.

Well, good luck with both of those, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Gabby.

Here's 8th grader Luke.

Hi, Luke.

-Hi.

-You wrote something about a Christmas card that you made.

You remember what you wrote?

-Yeah.

So I didn't really write down anything for that.

My teacher wrote it down instead.

So I wrote Mr.

Phillips, like, a Christmas card.

Since he likes the Phillies, I drew Kyle Schwarber getting ejected over arguing a strike-three call.

-Okay.

-Yeah.

-So it was-- it worked; the card was a success?

-Yeah.

-Okay.

Good luck with the Christmas cards.

And good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Here's 8th grader Samuel.

Hi, Samuel.

-Hello.

-You wrote that one of your hobbies is crocheting.

-Yeah.

I recently started crocheting a few weeks ago, and I made a few things.

-Like what?

-I made, like, a crochet octopus before.

And, yeah.

-So are these little things?

Are they bigger things?

-They're small.

-Okay.

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

Ladies and gentlemen, Hyde Park!

[cheers and applause] Let's meet our players from Miller Middle School.

We start with 8th grader Tejasvi.

Hi, Tejasvi.

-Hello.

-Nice to see you.

You wrote that you had an incredible spring break.

What did you do?

-Oh, yes.

So we visited four countries during spring break in a week.

We went to Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and Paris.

So, like, we went to a lot of museums, a lot of concentration camps to like, learn more about the facts.

And we also visited the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre.

-Wow!

That's a lot of traveling.

I hope you keep that up.

Thanks, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Here's 8th grader Ronan.

Hey, Ronan.

Nice to see you.

So you wrote that you have been-- you have visited a piece of military equipment that most people don't get to do.

What did you do?

-So my dad was in the Army.

And while he was stationed on the base, we had days we could go to the base and have fun events.

And one thing I was able to do was be inside of an M1 Abrams tank.

-How was that?

-To be honest, I was like eight.

-Yeah, but it was a ginormous-- it's a ginormous tank, right?

-It is a very big... -Yeah.

Well, good luck with whatever you do with the military or not the military, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Ronan.

8th grader Yiming.

Hello, Yiming.

I think a lot of folks who are watching may understand what one of your hobbies or activities is, but I want you to explain for people who may not know.

What is MATHCOUNTS?

-MATHCOUNTS is a math competition where we do a series of tests to test math, essentially.

-That sounds like fun.

If you like math, it's probably a lot of fun.

Have you guys done pretty well with MATHCOUNTS?

-Yes.

-Good luck with that.

Good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Yiming.

Here's 8th grader Joseph.

Hi, Joseph.

-Hi.

-You wrote you play a musical instrument.

-Yeah, clarinet.

-What do you play?

-Clarinet.

-How long you been doing that?

-Like three or four years-ish.

-So there's a band, I guess, at Miller Middle School.

Do you play in the band?

-Yeah.

-Well, good luck, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Ladies and gentlemen, Miller Middle School!

And stick around for the Bonus Round.

Got a close match here.

The score going to Round 2: Hyde Park has 35 points.

Miller has 40.

So we have one new player for Hyde Park.

We say hello to Pranav.

Hi, Pranav.

-Hi.

-Welcome aboard.

Miller Middle School is keeping all of their same players.

This round is timed at six minutes, and that begins as I read this question: Often called the world's smallest army, which corps of soldiers are responsible for the safety of the Pope?

Hyde Park, Luke: the Swiss Guard -Correct.

Bonus questions now for Hyde Park only about the word "Swiss."

First, this famous Swiss luxury watch maker was founded in 1905, controls a third of the global Swiss watch market.

Second, name the multifunction tool made for the Swiss military since 1890.

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -Okay.

Our first answer is Rolex.

Our second answer is Swiss Army Knife.

-Both are correct.

You got bonus points in addition to the points for the original question.

Now this tossup for both teams: What eight-letter term beginning with the letter A is used in biology or medicine to mean "toward the front end?"

Miller, Yiming: anterior -Yes.

Bonus science questions now for Miller only.

First, perspiration itself has no odor.

The smell that results occurs when it reacts with what eight-letter term?

Second, what is considered the key optical property of a gem because it's the most useful in distinguishing one from another?

[students deliberate] Captain?

-No.

1 is bacteria, and No.

2 is refraction.

-The first one is correct.

The second answer is color.

You get some bonus points, not all.

And you keep the original points from the question.

Okay.

Tossup for both teams now: In the BASIC computer language, an asterisk represents what arithmetic operation?

Miller, Tejasvi: multiplication -Correct.

Okay, so we have bonus computer questions now for Miller only.

First, "bit" is short for what two-word computer expression?

Second, give the term for a specialist who writes instructions for computers.

[students deliberate] Captain?

-No.

1 is a binary unit, and No.

2 is a programmer.

-Programmer is correct.

Can we take that first one, judge?

Yeah, I don't think so either.

So we were looking for "binary digit."

So you get some bonus points, not all, and the original points from the question.

Tossup for both teams now.

And it is a calculation question, students.

A circle has a radius of 5 units.

What is its circumference using pi-- Hyde Park, Luke: 10 pi units.

10 pi units.

-That is incorrect, and that is an interrupt.

I'll finish reading the question --the radius of 5 units.

What is its circumference using pi at 3.14?

And I get to repeat the question.

Circle with a radius of 5 units.

What is its circumference using pi at 3.14?

And that's Miller, Tejasvi: 31.4 units -Correct.

Bonus calculation questions now for Miller only.

First, simplify: n - 10 + 9n - 3.

Second, what's the next number in the pattern: 3, 6, 12, 24.

I'll repeat both.

First, simplify n - 10 + 9n - 3.

Second, what's the next number in the pattern: 3, 6, 12, 24?

-No.

1 is 10n - 14, and No.

2 is 48.

-Both are correct.

You got bonus points plus the original points.

Tossup for both teams now: The Red Vineyard was the only painting this artist sold during his lifetime.

Now the other paintings, including Starry Night, are among the most valuable-- That's Hyde Park, Finn: Van Gogh -Correct.

Bonus questions now for Hyde Park only about artists.

First, along with Georges Braque, which artist co-created the Cubism movement?

And second, which painter worked in a garden at Giverny, creating a famous series of water lily paintings?

[students deliberate] Captain?

-Our first answer is Picasso.

Our second answer is Monet.

-Both are correct.

You've got bonus points and the original points.

Tossup for both teams now: Approximately how many degrees per day does the Earth revolve in its orbit around the sun?

Hyde Park, Finn: Fifteen degrees -Incorrect.

Miller, Ronan: 20 -Incorrect.

It's one.

No points.

We move into this tossup for both teams: What is the two-word cue given from the control room or floor director/stage manager indicating that cameras are ready for filming or recording a movie or TV show?

Hyde Park, Pranav: cut -Incorrect.

Miller, Ronan: we're rolling -No.

It's "stand by."

No points.

Next question.

What did Isaac Newton use to replace a combination of lenses for the telescope he invented?

Hyde Park, Finn: glass -I don't think we can take that.

That's incorrect.

Miller, Ronan: glass lenses -No.

We were looking for mirrors.

Next tossup: Predicate adjectives and predicate nominatives are signaled by the presence of what type of verb?

Hyde Park, Finn: prepositional -Incorrect.

Miller, Ronan: adverb -Nope.

It's your old favorite, the linking verb.

No points.

That's the end of Round 2.

Round of applause for both of these teams.

They're doing great.

[applause] So we wanted to give a couple of shout-outs.

The judges tonight are from the Basic Academy as well as the Clark County School District Student Activities Department.

And we also want to shout out to the Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas, all the CCSD teachers and volunteers, because they also provided judges and moderators for the JVQ Virtual League and that tournament we mentioned.

Special thanks to anyone who helps out in putting Junior Varsity Quiz together.

It's a big team.

Thanks to Vegas PBS.

And you know what?

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

Speed Round coming up.

Still a close match.

Going into the final round: Hyde Park 60 points.

Miller Middle School 75.

We have a returning player for Hyde Park, Samuel.

Welcome back.

Miller keeping all of their same players.

Let's go!

Gravitropism is the growth response of what kingdom of organisms toward gravity?

Miller, Ronan: plants -Yes.

Which state is the only one to have a coastline on both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico?

Miller, Ronan: Texas -Incorrect.

Hyde Park, Finn: Florida -Correct.

Next question.

What's the term for a medical doctor who specializes in treating skin conditions?

Miller, Yiming: a dermatologist -Yes.

James Spangler's suction sweeper changed the way Americans clean their homes.

What do we call that machine today?

Hyde Park, Gabby: vacuum cleaner -Yes.

Next question.

During a wild night of protest December 16, 1773, 342 chests of-- Hyde Park, Finn: the Boston Tea Party -That is incorrect.

I'll finish reading the question.

--340-- Okay.

Miller, Ronan: tea -Yes.

What five-letter word starting with E means to give someone the tools they need?

Miller, Yiming: entrust -No.

Hyde Park, Gabby: enhance -No.

We were looking for equip.

No points.

Next question.

What is the highest capital city in the world by elevation?

Miller, Yiming: Quito -Incorrect.

Hyde Park, Samuel: Lima -Incorrect.

It's La Paz, Bolivia.

No points.

Next question.

Which economic event caused widespread unemployment in the 19-- Hyde Park, Luke: the Wall Street crash -I don't think-- Okay.

Judges say yes.

Next is a calculation question.

Remember, we do not repeat in the third round, so solve for x: x/3 = 2.

Hyde Park, Samuel: x = 6 -Correct.

What is the name of the main vitamin that is important for both vision and immune function?

Miller, Ronan: vitamin K -Incorrect.

Hyde Park, Gabby: vitamin C -Nope.

Vitamin A. No points.

Next question.

What's the name of the pattern of beats that repeats throughout a piece of music?

Miller, Joseph: metronome -No.

Hyde Park, Finn: motif -No.

We were looking for rhythm.

Next question.

Which branch of government interprets laws-- That's Miller, Ronan: Judicial -Yes.

To find how far it is from your house to the park on a map, you use a small line that shows distance.

What is this measuring tool called?

Hyde Park, Samuel: a ruler -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] On a map, it's called scale.

Next question.

What is the grammatical term for a word that expresses a sudden emotion, like "Wow!"

or-- Miller, Yiming: onomatopoeia -No.

Hyde Park, Samuel: interjection -Yes.

Next question.

The UCLA women's basketball team claimed its first NCAA national championship in 2026 with a win over what team?

Hyde Park, Finn: UNR -Incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] South Carolina.

Next question.

Which empire, ruled by Genghis Khan-- Miller, Yiming: the Mongol Empire -Yes.

What touching song about friendship making us better is sung in the popular musical-- Hyde Park, Samuel: "We are the World" -No.

That is an interruption.

I'll finish the question.

--is sung in the popular musical Wicked?

[bell chimes, time expires] The song is "For Good."

Next question.

What language is the second most-spoken by native speakers worldwide?

Hyde Park, Samuel: Chinese -Incorrect.

Miller, Yiming: English -Nope.

Spanish.

Next question.

Which animal group passes through egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages?

Hyde Park, Gabby: insect -Yes.

It wasn't just baseball at the old Yankee Stadium.

Which team, whose coaches include Vince Lombardi and Tom Landry-- Hyde Park, Luke: the Yankees -That is incorrect.

That is an interrupt.

I'll finish the question.

--moved there in 1956 and immediately won a championship?

Miller, Yiming: the Blue Jays -Nope.

It was the New York Giants.

No points.

Next question.

Which Mediterranean empire, ruled by emperors such as Augustus-- That's Miller, Yiming: the Roman Empire -Yes.

Which device is the part of a circuit that uses electrical energy-- Hyde Park, Luke: transistor -That is incorrect, and that is an interruption.

--it uses electrical energy and turns it into light?

Miller, Yiming: LED -No.

We were looking for light bulb.

What famous French building began as a royal palace but is now one of the world's largest art museums?

Miller, Joseph: the Louver -Yes.

Spell the word that means "the study of the mind and behavior."

Hyde Park, Finn: p-s-y-c-h-o-l-o-g-y -Correct.

What happens to the amount of kinetic energy of water molecules as the water condenses?

Hyde Park, Samuel: decreases -Yes.

And we're out of time.

Close game.

Let's find out who won.

Great match.

Final score: Hyde Park 80.

Miller Middle School 105.

How about a round of applause for both teams.

What a great match.

[applause] And congratulations to Miller.

They will be meeting the winner of next week's match as Thurman White takes on the Lied Academy for the title of JVQ Silver League Champion.

Tune in next Monday at 7:30 for more Junior Varsity Quiz right here on Vegas PBS.