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

-Coming up, it's the Thurman White Academy... [cheers and applause] ...taking on Miller Middle School!

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

♪♪ Hello.

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

It's an honor to be your host.

I'm Nathan Tannenbaum.

So back in March, there were 27 middle school and junior high school teams that competed in a one-day tournament over at the Veterans Tribute High School.

Well, over the last few weeks, you've watched as the Thurman White Academy defeated the Lied Academy, and Miller Middle School defeated Hyde Park to get us to tonight's final.

So the winner of this match will be the 2026 JVQ Silver League champions.

Let's meet our players, starting with Thurman White Academy.

There's Andrew.

Hi, Andrew.

-Hi.

-There's Emerson.

Hello.

Tyler.

-Hello.

-And Mason.

-Hello.

-And the coach for the Thurman White Academy, it's Christina Radosevich.

Thurman White Academy!

[cheers and applause] Okay.

Starters for Miller: It's Tejasvi.

Welcome back.

Ronan.

-Hi.

-Yiming.

-Hi.

-And Joseph.

-Hi.

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

Miller Middle School!

[cheers and applause] Are you ready?

Let's play Junior Varsity Quiz.

On Mercator maps, what parallel lines get farther apart as they get farther from the equator?

White Academy, Tyler: latitude -Correct.

Points on the board for White.

Next question.

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

[bell chimes, time expires] That would be an asset.

No points.

Next question.

Which flightless bird, native to New Zealand-- And that's Miller, Yiming: a kiwi -That is correct.

Points on the board for Miller.

Let's keep going.

What punctuation mark is used to separate titles and subtitles of books?

White, Mason: quotes -Incorrect.

Miller, Yiming: colons -Yes.

Let's keep going.

In the humorous 1979 poem, "A Martian Sends a Postcard Home" by Craig Raine, everyday objects are described as if they're being seen for the first time by an alien from the fourth planet.

So what's being described here: "But time is tied to the wrist...ticking"-- Thurman White, Tyler: a wristwatch -Yes.

Next question.

It's a calculation question, students.

Solve for m: -2m = 8 Repeating.

That's Miller, Tejasvi: m = -4 -Correct.

Next question.

Hey, which second-largest island nation in the world lies off the southeastern coast of Africa and is known for its-- We'll go with White, Tyler: Madagascar -That's right.

Lenses of this type cause parallel light rays to diverge after reflection or refraction.

What kind of lens is used to correct nearsightedness?

Thurman White, Emerson: blue light -Incorrect.

Miller, Ronan: concave -Correct.

Next question.

When the vehicle in front of you brakes suddenly, the adaptive version of which alliterative car function slows you down in newer cars?

Miller, Yiming: brakes -Incorrect.

[bell chimes] I believe that's before the buzzer.

Thurman White, Andrew: safety features -No.

We were looking for alliterative, so we were looking for cruise control.

No points.

Next question.

Vikings traveled far beyond Scandinavia.

What present-day country did they reach-- And that's Miller, Yiming: Canada -Yes.

Next question.

What currency was introduced by the European Union in 19-- Miller, Yiming: the euro -Yes.

Okay.

Here's another calculation question: Declan's bookshelf is 50% full, and he has five times as many books as Aiden.

So if Aiden has six books, how many books would Declan need to fill his bookshelf?

Thurman White, Mason: 60 books -That's incorrect.

Miller, Yiming: 30 books -It is 30 books, yes.

What type of words are the two similar words in this example: The cellist lifted his bow and took a bow.

White, Mason: bow and bow -Well, we're looking for what type of words those are.

Miller, Ronan: nouns -No.

They are homographs.

No points.

Next question.

Which type of simple machine is a seesaw an example of?

Miller, Ronan: lever -Yes.

Which type of trees lose their leaves in the fall?

White, Tyler: oak trees -No.

Miller, Yiming: deterious trees -I don't think that's correct.

We were looking for deciduous.

No points.

Next question.

How many amendments are there in the U.S.

Bill of Rights?

And that's White, Tyler: 10 -Yes.

What long, sleeveless garment was worn by ancient Roman men?

That's Thurman White, Andrew: togas -That's right.

What economic principle occurs when increasing production lowers the average cost per unit, often through-- We'll go with Miller, Yiming: supply and demand -No.

That is an interrupt.

I'll finish reading the question.

--often through specialization, bulk purchasing, or more efficient use of machinery?

White, Mason: deflation -No.

We were looking for economies of scale.

That's the economic principle on that one.

Next question.

The caimans of Central and South America are semi-aquatic forms of what type of reptiles that love to bask in the sun?

White, Tyler: lizards -Yes.

What do we call the wooden hammer that a judge uses?

Miller, Ronan: gavel -Yes.

In October of 2025, 80-year-old Betty Kellenberger was quoted as saying, "I was fascinated by the idea that you could walk from Georgia to Maine.

It was a dream more than anything else."

So Betty had just found out upon her arrival in Maine that she was the oldest woman to hike what pathway?

Miller, Yiming: the Appalachian Trail -Yes.

Fog normally occurs when the relative humidity approaches what percentage?

Miller, Ronan: 100 -Yes.

The Indigenous peoples are still the most economically disadvantaged segment of the population of which "Down Under" nation?

White, Andrew: Australia -Yes.

Which element on the periodic table was named after the Northern California college town where it was discovered?

Miller, Yiming: Berklinium -Incorrect.

White, Andrew: Berklynium -No.

We're looking for Berkelium.

You were all close.

Next question.

What type of gas is dissolved in water to make fizzy water or seltzer?

That's Miller, Ronan: carbon dioxide -Yes.

Hey, we've come to the end of the first round.

Please, a round of applause for both of these teams.

They're great.

[applause] But don't go anywhere.

We want to take a couple of minutes to get to know our players.

You guys can relax, breathe a little bit.

A pretty tough first round, but let's go.

So we'll start with the Thurmond White Academy.

We have 7th grader Andrew.

Hi, Andrew.

-Hi.

-You wrote that there's something you really are interested in learning about, specifically studying history.

What subject do you really like in history?

-I like learning about World War II.

Like I've made like a 41-slide slideshow just about it.

-Wow.

Well, there's a lot to learn about World War II, so good luck.

And good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Andrew.

Here's 7th grader Emerson.

Hi, Emerson.

-Hello.

-You wrote here that you play volleyball.

-Yes.

-Does the school have a volleyball team, or is this just a club thing or something?

-I usually play outside of school.

-Okay.

Well, good luck with the volleyball, and good luck here at Varsity Quiz.

Here's 7th grader Tyler.

Hi, Tyler.

-Hi.

-This says that you-- that a guitar is a hobby for you.

-Yes.

Guitar is a hobby I picked up I want to say a year ago.

I was inspired because I listened to a lot of rock music, and a lot of my favorite bands, like, had very prominent guitars.

-Yeah.

-So I tried to learn guitar, and I've been working on it.

And I've gotten better over time.

-Acoustic or electric?

-I prefer electric.

-Rock on.

-Thank you.

-Thanks, Tyler.

Good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

7th grader, Mason.

Hi, Mason.

-Hello.

-Something about Legos.

You indicated that you have a lot of Legos.

-Oh, yes.

Yeah, I-- -Is it like a roomful?

-I mean, it's pretty much the entire house to be honest.

I started, you know, when I was younger, maybe around 3.

-If you're visiting your house, be careful where you step?

-Yeah.

They aren't on the ground.

They're usually on shelves or display cases.

-Well, good luck with all the Legos, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

That's the Thurman White Academy.

[applause] Okeydoke.

So let's meet our players from Miller.

We have Tejasve, an 8th grader.

Hello.

So you wrote that you do a lot of Indian classical dancing, but where do you perform?

What kind of places need that kind of stuff?

-I do an Indian classical dance called Bharatanatyam.

And I have been performing it for the last eight years and to show my heritage, and I usually perform at local temples, such as like religious, and to, like, commemorate all the gods.

-Well, that's great.

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

Thanks, Tejasvi.

Here's an 8th grader, Ronan.

Hi, Ronan.

-Hi.

-I have no idea what this says here, but it says something about Hisardut.

-Yes.

-What is that?

-So that is a sport I do.

Specifically, it is a martial art.

It is a blending of four different martial arts: judo, jiu-jitsu, Kyokushin karate, and Krav Maga.

-So I think the whole idea here is don't make Ronan mad at you.

[laughter] Good luck.

So is it Hisardut?

-Hisardut, yes.

-All right.

Good luck with that.

Good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Here's 8th grader Yiming.

Hi, Yiming.

So you wrote that you like to code.

-I do like to code.

-For the old folks like me who aren't sure what that is, what happens when you code, and how long does it take to code?

-When you code, you make it basically you write some lines of words that makes the computer do something.

-Okay.

So it depends on what you're trying to make it do?

Could take a long time?

-Yes.

It can take like a few minutes, maybe years.

-Okay.

Well, good luck with the coding.

Good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Here's 8th grader Joseph.

Hi, Joseph.

-Hi.

-You wrote that you have traveled overseas many times and visited one specific country.

-Oh, yeah, Korea.

-And how many times have you been there?

-Like nine, I think.

-Wow.

Do you have family there?

-Yeah.

-Okay.

Do you enjoy Korea?

-Yeah.

It's pretty fun.

-All right.

Well, good luck with your travel, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Ladies and gentlemen, Miller Middle School.

Hey, stick around for the Bonus Round next.

[applause] So the score going into Round 2: Thurman White has 35.

Miller Middle School has 55.

We have one new player for each team.

On Thurmond White Academy, we say hello to Grayson.

Hi, Grayson.

-Hi.

-Good to see you.

For Miller Middle School, we say hello to Doria.

Hi, Doria.

-Hi.

-Welcome aboard.

This round is timed at six minutes, which begins as I read this question: What was the first European language spoken by the settlers in New York?

That's Miller, Ronan: Dutch -Yes.

Bonus questions now for Miller only about Dutch-- about languages, that is.

First, to what branch of the Indo-European language group does English belong?

Second, French words that end in the letters e-a-u form plurals by adding what consonant?

[students deliberate] Captain?

-Number 1 is European, and Number 2 is S.

-So both of those are incorrect.

The language group is Germanic, and the French end the plurals of e-a-u with the letter x. So no bonus points, but you get the points from the original question.

And this tossup for both teams: What river was essential to the development of ancient Mesopotamia?

Miller, Yiming: the Tigris and the Euphrates -Both are correct.

Bonus questions now for Miller only about Mesopotamia.

First, what does the word "Mesopotamia" mean?

Second, what writing system did the Mesopotamians develop?

You have 10 seconds.

-Number 1 is the land between two rivers, and Number 2 is cuneiform.

-Both are correct.

You got bonus points and the original points.

Tossup for both teams.

This is a calculation question, students.

A bag contains five red marbles, three blue marbles, and two green marbles.

What's the probability of picking a blue marble?

I'll repeat.

A bag-- We'll go ahead.

Miller, Tejasvi: 3/10 -That is correct.

Now bonus calculation questions for Miller only.

First, a store sells pencils at five for $2.

How many dollars will 40 pencils cost?

Second, what's the degree of the first rotation of the rotational symmetry of a snowflake?

[students deliberate] -Number 1 is $16, and Number 2 is 45 degrees.

-The first one's correct.

The second one is 60 degrees.

So some bonus points, but not all.

You keep the points from the original question.

Tossup, both teams: What's the name of the largest known volcano in the solar system?

Miller, Ronan: Olympus Mons -Yes.

You get bonus questions now about Mars.

First, which of these was once present in large amounts on the surface: liquid water, frost, or clouds?

And second, how long does it take Mars to orbit the sun in Earth-time?

[students deliberate] -Number 1 is liquid water, and Number 2 is 500 days.

-Liquid water is correct.

The second one is actually two years, so that would be 700-something days.

So some bonus points, not all.

The original points question.

Okay.

Tossup for both teams now: Even after the decline of the mining industry, this town continued to attract visitors and maintain its historical significance.

Name the town in Arizona whose nickname was "The Town Too Tough to Die."

White Academy, Tyler: Phoenix -Nope.

Miller, Yiming: Albuquerque -No.

That's in New Mexico.

The Phoenix town Tombstone.

No points.

Next question.

Which element has the highest melting point and is often used to make-- That's Miller, Ronan: tungsten -Yes.

Bonus chemistry questions now for Miller only.

First, what common household acid is found in vinegar?

Second, which element often used in rechargeable batteries was named after the Greek word for stone?

[students deliberate] -Number 1 is ammonia, and Number 2 is cadmium.

-Both are incorrect.

The acid is acetic acid, and the element is lithium.

You get the points from the original question.

Tossup for both teams: Situated between rho and tau, what Greek letter corresponds to the English S, as in Sam?

White, Grayson: sigma -Yes.

Bonus questions about Greece now for the Thurman White Academy only.

First, from what Keats poem comes this line: "Beauty is truth, and truth beauty"?

Second, what did the ancient Greeks call their land?

[students deliberate] Captain?

-The first answer is "Ode on a Grecian Urn," and the second one is Griseus.

-The first is correct.

The Greeks called their land Hellas.

So some bonus points, not all.

You keep the points from the original question.

All right.

Tossup, both teams: It comes from the Latin word "componere," which means "together" and "passus," meaning "pace" or "step."

So name the basic directional device used in-- That's Miller, Ronan: compass -Yes.

We'll go on with the bonus questions for Miller only about directions.

First, name the special instrument that explorers used to navigate at sea in the 1400s.

It measured the positions of the sun and other celestial bodies.

Second, the process of estimating your current position by projecting your last known location based on estimated speed, direction, and time elapsed is called what reckoning?

-Number 1 is sextant, and Number 2 is position reckoning.

-Both are incorrect.

The instrument is the astrolabe, and the second one is dead reckoning.

No bonus points, but you get points from the original question.

And we're done with Round 2.

Speed Round coming up.

Okay.

The score going into Round 3: Thurman White 45 points.

Miller Middle School 105 points.

Anything can happen in this Speed Round.

Before we get there, we have one new player for White.

We say hello to Leo.

And a returning player, Emerson.

Welcome back, Emerson.

And over here at Miller Middle School, a returning player, Joseph.

Welcome back.

Okay.

Let's go.

In which economic condition does the value of money go down and prices go up?

Miller, Ronan: inflation -Yes.

Which type of nuclear reactions can turn into a chain reaction?

And that's Miller, Joseph: fusion -No.

White, Leo: aftershocks -No.

We were looking for nuclear fission.

Next question.

What's the name for a large, slow-moving mass of ice?

That's White, Tyler: a glacier -Yes.

A solid having many faces is called a what?

Miller, Yiming: polyhedron -That's right.

What's the nationality of Agatha Christie's detective Hercule Poirot?

White, Tyler: French -No.

[bell chime, time expires] After the buzzer?

Hercule Poirot is Belgian.

No points.

Next question.

What's the name of the procedure that uses high-energy sound waves to create images of the inside of the body?

That's White, Tyler: -X-ray -No.

Miller, Yiming: ultrasonic -Judges?

I don't think so.

We were looking for ultrasound.

You were on the right track, but we needed ultrasound.

No points.

Next question.

It's a calculation question.

Remember, we don't repeat them here in the third round, so listen up.

If a runner finishes a 12-mile race in 1.5 hours, what's their average speed?

Miller, Ronan: 8 miles an hour -That is correct.

Next question.

What prominent feature of a catfish gives it-- That's Miller, Ronan: whiskers -That's right.

Which state understandably has very strict laws regarding creating and tending campfires, even requires a permit to do so?

That's Miller, Joseph: California -Yes.

The process of painting on wet plaster, which also derives its name from the Italian word for fresh-- Miller, Yiming: fresco -I think we can take that.

Yes.

Next question.

As of the 2025-2026 NBA season, which player has the longest playing career at 23 years?

Miller, Ronan: Lebron James -That's right.

What element is named after the Greek word for greenish-yellow?

White, Mason: sulfur -Incorrect.

Miller, Joseph: phosphorus -No.

We're looking for chlorine.

No points.

Next question.

Which natural process caused the creation of the Hawaiian Islands?

White, Tyler: volcanic eruption -I think we can take that.

Yes.

Of the three normal states of water, which one is the densest?

White, Mason: ice -Incorrect.

Miller, Yiming: liquid water -Yes.

What type of material has zero electrical resistance when cooled sufficiently?

Miller, Ronan: superconductors -Yes.

Which architect designed the glass pyramid at the Louvre?

Miller, Yiming: I.M.

Pei -Yes.

Lead is extremely toxic, but for many centuries it was used in what substance-- That's Miller, Joseph: water pipes -No.

That is incorrect.

That is an interrupt.

I'll finish reading the question.

--in what substance that is still present in many homes built before it was banned in 1978?

White, Mason: paint -Yes.

Competitors lie on their backs in what winter Olympic sport where they can accelerate up to 90 miles an hour?

White, Leo: skeleton -No.

Miller, Ronan: bobsledding -No.

We were looking for luge.

You guys were all on the right track, but no points.

Let's keep going.

In this play, two opposing players battle for control of a puck that's been dropped between them-- That's Miller, Ronan: hockey -No.

That's an interrupt.

I'll finish reading the question.

--opposing players battle for control of a puck that's been dropped between them at the start of and at other points during a hockey game.

What is this play called?

[bell chimes] I believe he got in.

White, Leo: shutout -Nope.

That's the faceoff.

No points.

Next question.

In what state was the Civil War battle of Shiloh fought?

That's Miller, Yiming: Mississippi -Incorrect.

White, Tyler: Georgia -No.

It was Tennessee.

Next question.

The pipe organ is the largest in which family of-- Miller, Ronan: brass -No.

That is an interrupt.

I'll finish reading the question.

--the largest in which family of musical instruments?

White, Tyler: woodwind -Yes.

Which hormone is produced by the pineal gland to regulate sleep?

Miller, Yiming: melatonin -Yes.

What's the occupation of Shylock in The Merchant of Venice?

Miller, Yiming: he's a banker -I think we can take that.

Next question.

What's another name beginning with S, as in Sam, for stocks and bonds?

And that's White, Tyler: shares -No.

[bell chimes, time expires] We were looking for securities.

Next question.

Which part of the following sentence is an idiom: She was so mad at her ex-boyfriend that she threw shade at him in her next-- And that's Miller, Joseph: she threw shade -Yes.

What do pine trees have instead of leaves to reduce-- That's White, Leo: needles -Yep.

Oh, and we're out of time.

Let's see who won.

Final score: Thurman White 70 points.

Miller Middle School 155.

Applause for both teams.

A great match.

[cheers and applause] Congratulations to the 2025-2026 Junior Varsity Quiz Silver League champions, Miller Middle School!

[applause] So to help me with the Kiwanis Club presentation of plaques, we have president Phil Colosimo.

Phil, let's start with our runners-up, because we have a plaque for the kids from Thurman White Academy.

Captain, would you accept this plaque?

[applause] Hold that up.

And how about a round of applause.

Thurman White, you guys did great!

[cheers and applause] And our championship plaque goes to the captain here on Miller Middle School.

Congratulations to the players and their coaches.

It's our champions.

[cheers and applause] Please join us next week.

We're going to wrap up the 57th season of Varsity Quiz with the Junior Varsity Quiz All-Star match.

We'll have superstars from all the teams playing just for fun, some bragging rights.

Join us next Monday at 7:30 right here on Vegas PBS.