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

-Coming up, it's Palo Verde... [cheers and applause] ...taking on Green Valley.

[cheers and applause] This is Varsity Quiz!

[crashing sound] ♪♪♪ [cheers and applause] Hi, welcome.

This is the 56th season of Varsity Quiz.

The best and the brightest high school students match wits in this unique academic competition.

It's an honor to be your host.

I'm Nathan Tannenbaum.

We sure hope you know there are now two separate Varsity Quiz leagues in each season's competition.

So we just crowned a Blue League champion a couple of weeks ago.

Now the road to the Silver League title starts with Palo Verde facing Green Valley.

So there were 18 schools in the Silver League in three divisions.

Palo tied in their division with a record of 4 and 1.

Let's meet their starters.

We have Kaia.

Hi, Kaia.

There's Caden.

There's Kevin and Ro.

And the coach for Palo Verde, Kateri Christian.

Ladies and gentlemen, Palo Verde!

[cheers and applause] And for Green Valley, we have Angela.

Hi, Angela, T.C., Ben, and Ethan.

And the coach for Green Valley, Scott Otter.

It's Green Valley!

[cheers and applause] Students, you ready?

Let's play Varsity Quiz!

Which landmark Supreme Court case established the principle of judicial review during the early Jeffersonian era?

Green Valley, Ethan: Marbury v. Madison -Correct.

Points on the board for Green Valley.

Let's keep going.

Name the home country of the author of The Wealth of Nations, Adam Smith.

That's Palo, Caden: England -Incorrect.

Green Valley, Angela: France -Incorrect.

We were looking for Scotland.

No points.

Next question.

Bola Ahmed Tinubu succeeded Muhammadu Buhari as president of what African country that is home to Lagos?

That's Palo, Ro: Nigeria -Correct.

Points on the board for Palo.

Let's keep going.

Trenches were built after Germany invaded Belgium in this year, the same year Franz Ferdinand was killed-- Green Valley, Ethan: 1914 -Yes.

Next question is a calculation question, students.

What are the two asymptotes of the curve 1/(2x^2-3x-2)?

Let me repeat.

What are the two asymptotes of the curve 1/(2x^2-3x-2)?

Green Valley, Ben: x = 1 and x = 2 -That is incorrect.

[bell chimes, time expires] x = 1/2 and x = 2.

Okay, no points.

We move on.

The title character's love for Mattie Silver is central to what 1911 novella by Edith Wharton?

[bell chimes, time expires] Ethan Frome.

No points.

And we move on.

The Carolina Reaper is rich in what spice-inducing chemical found in-- Green Valley, T.C.

: capsaicin -That is right.

Okay.

This poet asked, "Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?"

Nabokov's Lolita was partly inspired by a poem by this author set in a kingdom by the sea where Annabel Lee lives.

Palo, Kaia: Edgar Allan Poe -That's correct.

Next question.

In 2024, Conrad Pogorzelski III resigned from the campaign of what Republican nominee for governor of North Carolina?

Green Valley, Ethan: Mark Robinson -Yes.

Next question.

Chlorofluorocarbons have thinned out a layer of this molecule that screens-- We'll go with Palo, Kevin: Ozone -Correct.

Next question.

In William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream, this queen of the fairies has a falling-out with her-- Palo, Kaia: Titania -Yes.

Some of the oldest instances of producing this beverage can be traced to the qvevri in Georgia and to a Roman tomb in Speyer, Germany.

Palo, Ro: wine -Yes.

Next question.

The internal combustion type of what devices are used to power cars?

Palo, Kevin: engine -Yes.

Next question.

This author wrote about Louise Mallard's feeling of freedom after being told of her husband's presumed death in "Story of an Hour."

What author also wrote about Edna Pontellier in The Awakening?

Green Valley, Ethan: Kate Chopin -That is correct.

Okay.

Name this study of the production and consumption of goods and services, which comes in "micro" and "macro"-- Palo, Caden: economics -Yes.

The "unit" variety of these objects have a norm of 1.

We want you to name these mathematical constructs that have magnitude and direction.

Palo, Ro: vectors -Yes.

What European country faced mass flash flooding in October of 2024 while being led by Pedro Sanchez?

That's Palo, Caden: Spain -Yes.

This is a calculation question now, students.

What is the remainder when 9x2+5x+5 is divided by 2x+1?

Let me repeat.

What's the remainder when 9x2+5x+5 is divided by 2x+1?

Green Valley, Ben: 41/2 -Incorrect.

Palo, Kaia: 20.5 -Pardon me?

-20.5.

-No.

We were looking for 4.75.

We would have taken 4 3/4 or 19/4.

Let's move on.

This sonnet describes a plaque next to the "shattered visage" of Ramses II and "two vast and trunkless legs of-- Palo, Kaia: Ozymandias -Yes.

During which 19th century conflict did the United States gain the territory of Puerto Rico and begin its development as an imperialist power?

Palo, Kevin: the Spanish-American War -That's correct.

Next question.

Parallel streams of fluid cross and curl around each other in what chaotic type of fluid flow that might cause bumpy airplane rides?

Palo, Ro: turbulence -Can we take that?

[confers with judges] Yes.

Okay.

So here's a title, Go Set a Watchman.

That was an early draft of this novel in which Tom Robinson is found guilty at a racist trial.

Name this-- Palo, Kaia: To Kill a Mockingbird -Correct.

What is the hormone that causes the fight-or-flight response?

Palo, Ro: adrenaline -Yes.

What state in which Republican Tim Sheehy defeated incumbent Democrat Senator Jon Tester, is-- That's Green Valley, Ethan: Montana -Correct.

Name this island containing the world's oldest high-speed rail line, the Tokaido Shinkansen-- That's Palo Verde, Ro: Japan No.

--whose western terminus is the Shin-Osaka station.

Name this island.

Green Valley, Ethan: Tokyo -No.

The island is Honshu.

That wraps up our first round, but don't go anywhere.

We're going to take this opportunity to get to know our players a little bit better.

We'll start with Palo.

We have 9th grader Kaia.

Hi, Kaia.

-Hello.

-It says here that you compete in cross country and track and field.

-That's right.

-So I think I know cross country.

That's just like a 7-mile run or something like that?

-No, only 3.1.

-Pardon me?

-3.1 miles.

-Okay.

So what events do you do in track and field?

-I just started this year.

I'm really not sure what events I'll do, but I'm in distance, so I'll usually, I'll do either the mile or 2-mile.

-Wonderful.

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

Here's 11th grader, Caden.

Hey, Caden.

-Hey.

-Nice to see you.

This says that you have collected every music disc in Minecraft.

-Yes, I have.

-How many is that?

-It just-- with every update, there's more.

I think it's at 17 now, maybe 18.

-Oh, my goodness.

So you're a Minecrafter?

-Yes, I am.

-All right.

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

Thanks, Caden.

Here's 12th grader Kevin.

Hi, Kevin.

-Hi.

-Good to see you.

This says you're on the tennis team?

-Yep.

-Have you guys started the season?

-We actually finished our season.

-Okay.

How'd you guys do?

-We did all right.

We won more than we lost is what I can say.

-Well, that's a good start right there.

Good luck with tennis, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Kevin.

-Here's Ro, an 11th grader.

Hi, Ro.

-Hi.

-It says you play instruments.

Is there a bunch of them?

-Yeah.

I've been playing the piano since I was four, and I also picked up the violin and guitar.

And I also like, play the ukulele.

And next I want to learn the electric guitar.

-Right on.

Do you have a favorite out of all of those?

-I know I don't play it yet, but honestly the electric guitar.

-Okay.

Well, go get it, and good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, Ro.

Those are players from Palo Verde.

Let's give them a round of applause.

[applause] Okay.

Let's meet our players now from Green Valley.

We say hello to Angela, 12th grader.

Hi, Angela.

-Hi.

-Nice to see you.

This says that you already have a college plan.

-Yes.

-Where are you going?

-University of Virginia.

-Do you know what you're going to major in?

-I'm planning on doing Political Science.

-Okay.

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

Nice to have you here, Angela.

Here's 12th grader T.C.

T.C., good to see you.

-Hi.

-This says that you work at In-N-Out.

-That is true.

-I would like to ask you if you can possibly name a percentage of customers that order from the secret menu.

-I'd say it's got to be 80 to 90%.

Everyone knows our secret menu.

It's not very much of a secret nowadays.

-Ok.

But that's Okay.

Good luck with the In-N-Out, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

Thanks, T.C.

Here's 12th grader Ben.

Hi, Ben.

-Hi.

-Nice to see you.

Would you explain to me.

You wrote something about doing research with a CSN professor.

-I'm currently working on architectural research utilizing calculus in the third dimension with my professor at CSN.

It's a topic on the Vdara death ray, which was an incident that happened September 28, 2010, which was when light was refracting off the Vdara's curve shape and bouncing off of the Aria and like, singeing hair.

-Yeah, yeah.

Okay.

Well, good luck with that.

That's pretty amazing, Ben.

Good luck here on Varsity Quiz.

Thank you.

Here's 12th grader Ethan.

Hi, Ethan.

-Hi.

Some folks may be familiar with the Science Olympiad, but if you had to describe it to somebody who has never heard of it, can you put it into words?

-Yeah.

So it's just a group of determined students in science that like, study for tests and experiments that they conduct on the competition day, and then we just compete against other schools and then the judges judge who has the best.

-But if I recall correctly, some of the events are almost kind of goofy, right?

Like doing-- it's science related, but it's like stuff with pulleys and levers and bridges and all that kind of stuff, right?

-Mm-hmm.

-All right, Ethan, good luck with that, and good luck on Varsity Quiz.

That's our team from Green Valley.

And the bonus round is coming right up.

[crashing sound] The score going into Round 2: Palo Verde with 65 points to Green Valley's 30.

Before we get into the round, let's find out if we have any new players.

Palo has got the exact same players.

Green Valley, we have two new players.

We have Roderick.

Hi, Roderick.

Nice to see you.

And, Max, welcome aboard.

Now, this round is timed at 6 minutes, which starts as I begin this first question: An address was given by Abraham Lincoln after what bloodiest battle-- That's Palo, Kevin: Battle for Gettysburg -Yes.

Bonus questions for Palo Verde about history.

First, a "rush" named for this material occurred in California, and expeditions to El Dorado also sought to obtain it.

Second, corporations were allowed to finance election advertising following the decision in this 2010 case, named for the organization that tried to air Hillary: The Movie.

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] -For the first, gold; second, Citizens United.

-I know the gold is correct.

Do we need more on the second?

We need more on the second one.

-Citizens United versus FCC.

-Yeah, that's incorrect.

It's the FEC, it was the Federal Election Commission.

So you get some bonus points, but not all.

And here's this question now for both teams: The Black Fire Opal is the precious gemstone of what Western State?

We'll go with Palo, Kevin: Nevada -Correct.

Bonus questions for Palo only about US State gemstones.

First, this mineral, a 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale, is made of carbon atoms arranged into a crystalline structure called its namesake "cubic lattice."

Second, citrine and amethyst are variants of this state's gemstone of Georgia.

You have 10 seconds.

-For the first, diamond; second, quartz.

-Both are correct.

You got bonus points.

Now this question for both teams: A monster who lives across the Strait of Messina from the whirlpool Charybdis has what name?

Palo, Kaia: Scylla -Yes.

Bonus questions for Palo only about mythology.

First, in a folk tale from China, this mythical animal stopped in the middle of a race to save a burning village, eventually placing fifth.

These legendary creatures traditionally have the antlers of a stag and the claws of an eagle.

Second, in Greek mythology, the newly dead are ferried across this "river of woe."

In Dante's Inferno, this non-Styx river forms the boundary of hell.

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] Captain?

-For the first, dragon; second, Achelous.

-Dragons is correct.

I don't think we can take the second, but we looking for the Acheron.

You were on the right track.

Some bonus points, not all.

Okay.

This question now is for both teams: This national park was infested with invasive Burmese pythons-- That's Palo, Ro: Everglades National Park -Correct.

Bonus questions now for Palo Verde only about geography.

First, this third most-populous city in Australia is the capital of Queensland.

The city's scheduled to host the 2032 Summer Olympic Games.

Second, this subrange of the Rockies stretches from Casper, Wyoming, to Pueblo, Colorado.

It's also the name of an urban corridor containing most of Colorado's largest cities.

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] Captain?

-For the first, Brisbane; second, Sierra.

-Brisbane is correct.

The second one is Front Range.

So some bonus points, not all.

This is a question for both teams now: Which company is named after the ancient Greek goddess of victory?

Green Valley, T.C.

: Nike -That is correct.

Bonus questions now for Green Valley only about the footwear company Nike.

First, what is the trademarked phrase of Nike?

Second, Nike owns a famous shoe line depicting former basketball player Michael Jordan, who wore what jersey number?

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] Captain?

-"Just Do It" and 23.

-Yeah.

No need to lean into the mic, we got you.

Those are both correct.

You have bonus points.

Now this question for both teams: It's a calculation question.

Answer the following about the arithmetic sequence whose first three terms are 78, 71, and 64.

What is the sum of the first 20 terms of the series?

Repeating.

Answer the following about the arithmetic sequence whose first three terms are 78, 71, and 64.

What is the sum of the first 20 terms of the series?

[bell chimes, time expires] I could hear the gears turning.

230.

Next question for both teams.

Refraction and diffraction are contrasted with what process where light bounces off a surface?

Palo, Kaia: reflection -Yes.

Bonus questions now for Palo only about science.

First, these compounds that change color based on the pH of a solution are often used to find the endpoint during titration.

Litmus paper, phenolphthalein are examples of these compounds.

Second, the discontinuous branch of Bowen's reaction series is made up of this class of igneous rocks.

This class is named for the high concentrations of magnesium and iron present within its rocks.

You have 10 seconds.

[students deliberate] Captain?

-For the first, acidic; second, ferrous.

-Both are incorrect.

We were looking for indicators and mafic.

All right, we've come to the end of the round.

We want to take a moment just to say thank you to the Kiwanis Club of Las Vegas.

You know, they help provide judges for the in-school competitions that happened early in the school year, leading up to where we are today.

And a shout-out to the staff and leadership of the Clark County School District Student Activities department.

So they coordinate every step of the program, from early in the school year all the way to the championship.

Speed Round coming up.

Going into Round 3, here's your score: Palo Verde 115 points to Green Valley's 45.

We only say it because we mean it, anything can happen in this speed round.

No new players for Palo.

Green Valley, we have some returning players and one new player.

We say hello to Cassidy.

Hi, Cassidy.

Otherwise, Angela, Ethan, and Max, let's go.

Kais Saied won reelection in what country where Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali's toppling started the Arab Spring?

Palo Verde, Ro: -Kuwait -Incorrect.

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

Next question.

What structures that exchange dissolved CO2 and oxygen are used by fish to breathe?

-Palo Verde, Ro: gills -Yes.

What puzzle named for a Hungarian architect involves getting six unique colors on each side of its faces?

That's Green Valley, Max: Rubik's Cube -Yeah.

Okay, next question.

This hero was given sandals which could fly by Hermes and a mirror shield by Athena.

Name this hero-- That's Green Valley, Angela: Perseus -Yes.

Fleeing soldiers jumped into the Volga river in what World War II battle in a city named for a Soviet dictator?

That's Palo, Kevin: Stalingrad -Can we take that?

[confers with judges] Very good.

Next question.

What is the official language of Malaysia?

Palo Verde, Ro: Malay [bell chimes, time expires] -I think-- did she get it in time?

[confers with judges] Yeah.

If you buzz, we're hoping that you have an answer.

We'll take that one as we move on.

Emmitt Till was killed in what southern state where the Freedom Riders passed through its city of Jackson?

That's Palo, Kaia: Mississippi -Yes.

The Calvin cycle takes place after the light-dependent reactions in what plant organelle-- That will be Palo, Ro: chloroplast -Yes.

What deity retrieved the sword Kusanagi after tricking the dragon Yamata-no-Orochi and is the god of storms and seas-- Palo, Kaia: Susano'o -Yes.

Okay, a calculation question.

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

For the following question, we want you to round your answer to one decimal place.

What is each internal angle in a regular heptagon?

[bell chimes, time expires] We were looking for 128.6 degrees.

No points.

We move on.

Antioxidants, like vitamin C, neutralize these molecules by donating electrons.

Name these molecules with unpaired electrons.

Palo, Caden: free radicals -Yes.

This religion's founder described how to rid oneself of "thetans" in the book Dianetics.

Name this religion currently led by David Miscavige, who succeeded founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Palo Verde, Kaia: Scientology -Yes.

In November 2024, Yamandu Orsi won the presidential election in what South American country that is led from Montevideo?

Palo Verde, Ro: Uruguay -Yes.

This man was President during the "Era of Good Feelings"-- And that's Green Valley, Ethan: James Monroe -Correct.

A bowl of oranges sits in front of a barmaid in this artist's A Bar at Folies-Bergere.

Palo, Kaia: van Gogh -No.

Green Valley, Ethan: Picasso -No.

It was Edouard Manet.

No points.

Next question.

This dam along the Colorado River was built-- Green Valley, Ethan: Hoover -I think we can take that, yes.

Next question.

What French philosopher described a waiter and a woman on a date to show the concept of "bad faith" in his book Being and Nothingness?

Palo, Caden: Sartre -Yes.

This O. Henry title character is kidnapped with the intent of getting a ransom, but he frustrates his captors so much that they pay-- Palo, Kaia: Red Chief -Yes.

This musician's recording of Joe King Oliver's "West End Blues" was performed by "His Hot Five" band.

"Satchmo" was the nickname of what jazz trumpeter?

Palo Verde, Ro: Armstrong -Yes.

In chemistry labs, hazardous chemicals must usually be handled under what kind of hood?

Palo Verde, Ro: gas hood -No.

Green Valley, Max: safety -No.

It's a fume hood or fume closet.

No points.

Next question.

Name this North American phase of the Seven Years War where George Washington surrendered Fort Necessity.

Palo, Caden: the French-Indian War -Yes.

Holden Caulfield, the main character of what novel by-- And that's Palo, Kaia: The Catcher in the Rye -Yes.

This politician sought treatment for clinical depression in 2023, suffered a stroke in 2022-- That's Green Valley, Ethan: John Fetterman -Yes.

The Bank of Evil's refusal to fund this heist causes a protagonist to freeze Vector's head-- Palo, Kevin: the heist to steal the moon -Can we take that?

Yes.

All right.

Next question.

Name this successor to William McKinley who won-- That's Green Valley, Ethan: Theodore Roosevelt -Correct.

Chief Bromden pretends to be mute, and Randall McMurphy is lobotomized by order of Nurse Ratched-- And that's Green Valley, Max: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest -Correct.

Mike Parson serves as governor of what state that's home to US Senator Josh Hawley?

Green Valley, Ethan: Missouri -Correct.

The Great Pyramid in Egypt houses this Fourth Dynasty pharaoh, the son of Sneferu.

I believe that was Kaia: Khufu -Correct.

Are we out of time?

All right, let's find out who won.

[crashing sound] All right.

Our final score today: Palo Verde 195 points to Green Valley's 85 points.

Congratulations to both teams on an excellent match.

Let's give them a round of applause.

[cheers and applause] And congrats to the Panthers from Palo Verde for the win.

And we invite you to tune in next week, because it will be the Las Vegas Academy taking on Coronado High School.

Sure to be another exciting match right here on Varsity Quiz on Vegas PBS.

♪♪♪