It's Academic
Encyclopedia
It's Academic is a televised
academic quiz competition
for high school students, currently airing on two NBC affiliates in Washington, D.C.
(WRC-TV
) and Central Virginia (WVIR) and one CBS affiliate Baltimore, Maryland (WJZ-TV
). The show has been on the air since October 7, 1961, making it the longest continuously-running television quiz show ever. The program was created by Sophie Altman, who continued as executive producer until she died on May 24, 2008. Mac McGarry
hosted the Washington shows from the beginning until June 25, 2011. Hillary Howard, a news anchor for the radio station WTOP-FM
took over as host subsequent to McGarry's official retirement in November 2011. The Baltimore show is currently hosted by David Zahren. The show features three local high school teams of three players each. Over the years, chief sponsor Giant Food has given more than $2,000,000 in scholarship funds to participating schools.
The single elimination tournament features 81 schools in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, 81 schools in the Baltimore metropolitan region (including western Maryland and the Eastern Shore), and 9 schools in the Central Virginia region. The winners in each region go on to battle each other in the Super Bowl. The record-high score of 935 is held by Centennial High School
in Ellicott City, Maryland
, achieved in 2000.
Under the name "Academic Challenge", the quiz has also been produced on WEWS in Cleveland since the 1960s. Pittsburgh area schools compete on KDKA-TV, where the series is called Hometown High-Q. KDKA morning anchor Rick Dayton became host in 2011, succeeding original host Ken Rice.
It's Academic is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running quiz program in TV history. This title was first entered in the 50th anniversary edition of the Guinness Book.
In Round 2, each team is individually asked five questions worth 20 points each.
Round 3 is a toss-up visual round. The monitor displays an image and the host provides a question accompanying the image. Teams receive 10 points for each correct answer and lose 10 for each incorrect answer. Eight questions are used.
In Round 4, the captain of each team introduces the sponsors and administrators. There are three question packets from which to choose. The team to the immediate left of the team that is supposed to answer chooses which packet the answering team will use. Eight questions are given to each team, with 20 points for a correct answer and no penalties. A 25 point bonus is given if a team correctly answers all eight questions, for a total of 185 points in this round.
Round 5 features toss-up questions, each worth +/-20 points. Visual questions are worth +/-30 points. The number of questions varies depending on the time left in the game. The game ends when the buzzer sounds.
told teams to "use [their] lights and buzzers" for a "one-minute scrimmage round."
.
circuit.
An Australian version
of the show aired on Network Ten
and the Seven Network
from 1968–1975, and was revived by Seven's Perth affiliate in 2001. Seven took the show national in 2005. (http://au.tv.yahoo.com/b/its-academic/)
A version was also screened in New Zealand
by TVNZ in the 1980s, with Lockwood Smith
as the host.
WNBC-TV in New York aired a local edition of It's Academic from the mid-1960s through at least 1972, hosted most of the time by Art James
, with Lee Leonard
filling in for a year.
WMAQ-TV
in Chicago had a version in the 1960s and 1970s under the "It's Academic" name, hosted by Ed Grennan
.
KCBS-TV
in Los Angeles aired a similarly-formatted quiz show KidQuiz during the 1980's and 1990's.
WLWT
and WCET
in Cincinnati aired a local It's Academic from the late 1960s into the 1980s.
A similar competition aired in Columbus, Ohio
under the title In The Know. It began in 1966 on WBNS
television and later moved to WOSU
, a PBS affiliate, where it still airs today.
A version of It's Academic aired on WBEN-TV
in Buffalo
from the 1960s through 1986, hosted by sportscaster Van Miller
. It was later revived for a few months in 2008 by WGRZ-TV
, with Kevin O'Neill as host.
A show using the It's Academic name aired in Richmond, Virginia
on the NBC affliliate, WWBT Channel 12, in the 1970s, which was also hosted by Mac McGarry and sponsored by Giant. That was replaced by Battle of the Brains
. Battle of the Brains has also replaced a version of It's Academic that aired in Hampton Roads
.
The World Affairs Council, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State, hosted an'It's Academic International event in 2002, also hosted by Mac McGarry.
In 2007, the game Brainstorm was introduced to Arizona. It featured 21 teams for its inaugural season.
KPRC-TV
, the NBC affiliate in Houston, Texas
, had their own version of It's Academic called the Texaco Star Academic Challenge. The show left KPRC-TV and would eventually be retitled The Challenge, airing on one of Houston's Public-access television
cable TV channels and KTBU Channel 55.
KRGV-TV
in Weslaco, Texas has aired their own version of It's Academic for many years, entitled Masterminds.
KRCR-TV
in Redding, California had their version of It's Academic called Academic Challenge which ran until 2005 before Station Manager Robert Wise moved to KOBI
in Medford, Oregon where he brought Academic Challenge with him and still airs to this day on KOBI/KOTI.
KCTS in Seattle, Washington
runs a PBS-affiliated version called Apple Bowl
that airs in the Pacific Northwest
.
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
. It is sponsored by Westfield Insurance
(and previously by Giant Eagle
) and was hosted by KDKA news anchor Ken Rice from its inception in 2000 until the end of the 2010-11 season. It is now hosted by KDKA morning anchor Rick Dayton.
Dan Braddock is the show's producer.
The winning team receives $11,000, second- and third-place finalists win $5,500, and non-winning semifinalists win $2,000. In earlier seasons, winning teams received points their schools could use toward the purchase of computers and equipment.
An alternate version of Hometown High-Q, which began in summer 2005 is the Steelers
Trivia Challenge, a nighttime series hosted by KDKA sports anchor Bob Pompeani featuring adult contestants answering trivia related to the Steelers.
From 2003-2007, the show aired twice on Saturday: a new episode aired at 11:00 a.m., and the last week's episode reran at 11:30 a.m.
Academic Challenge (Ohio) Academic Challenge (Ohio) — not to be confused with the college-level competition — is a high school
version of quizbowl
that was aired on WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio
, USA from 1964 to 1999 and has been aired again from 2003 to the present, formerly produced by Phyllis Sossi and Steve Kurrent, now with Berry Pinney as executive producer and Steve Kurrent as producer/director.
The show is hosted by WEWS meteorologist Jason Nicholas, who took over in 2007 following anchor Danita Harris and former anchor Adam Shapiro, who went to New York City's WNBC
. Jason Nicholas is a native of Medina, Ohio, and graduated from Medina High School. The Cleveland version was hosted by Don Cameron from 1964–75, by former WEWS weatherman Don Webster from 1975–86, then again from 1994–99, by Steve Wolford from 1986–88, and by Lou Maglio from 1988–1994, before he went to WJW. The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company or CEI (now FirstEnergy
) sponsored the show in Cleveland, joined by Ohio Edison Company in 1972. The Ohio Lottery sponsored the show from 1996-99. Today, Academic Challenge (Ohio) is sponsored by Medina County-based Westfield Insurance, which also sponsors Pittsburgh's Hometown High-Q and other such programs.
The major difference in the championship format is that It's Academic uses a playoff
method, while Academic Challenge (Ohio) simply invites the three highest-scoring schools for a championship game, though the Cleveland show experimented with playoff
s during the late 1990s.
Schools rotate every two years. Example is St. Peter Chanel High School
, St. Peter Chanel appeared in the 2010-11 School year, but will appear again in the 2012-13 school year. Garfield Heights High School
did not appear in the 2010-11 school year, but they will appear in the 2011-12 school year.
It has won several awards, including the Emmy for "best regularly scheduled children/youth program" by the Cleveland Regional Emmy chapter.
Other notable participants:
In 1979, a charity special was held between a team of three Democratic senators (Patrick Moynihan
, Lloyd Bentsen
, and Alan Cranston
), three Republican senators (Lowell Weicker, John Danforth
, and H. J. Heinz III), and three members of the press (Jessica Savitch
, Art Buchwald
, and David Broder).
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
academic quiz competition
Quizbowl
Quiz bowl is a family of games of questions and answers on all topics of human knowledge that is commonly played by students enrolled in high school or college, although some participants begin in middle or even elementary school...
for high school students, currently airing on two NBC affiliates in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
(WRC-TV
WRC-TV
WRC-TV, channel 4, is an owned and operated television station of the NBC television network, located in the American capital city of Washington, D.C...
) and Central Virginia (WVIR) and one CBS affiliate Baltimore, Maryland (WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV
WJZ-TV, channel 13, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Baltimore, Maryland. WJZ-TV's studios and offices are located on Television Hill in the Woodberry section of Baltimore, adjacent to the transmission tower it shares with four other Baltimore...
). The show has been on the air since October 7, 1961, making it the longest continuously-running television quiz show ever. The program was created by Sophie Altman, who continued as executive producer until she died on May 24, 2008. Mac McGarry
Mac McGarry
Maurice J. "Mac" McGarry is a retired game show host of the television quiz show It's Academic, which airs in Washington, D.C. on the local NBC-owned WRC-TV...
hosted the Washington shows from the beginning until June 25, 2011. Hillary Howard, a news anchor for the radio station WTOP-FM
WTOP-FM
WTOP is an all-news formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Washington, D.C., serving Metropolitan Washington, DC area. WTOP is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting.WTOP is one of two all-news stations in the Washington, D.C...
took over as host subsequent to McGarry's official retirement in November 2011. The Baltimore show is currently hosted by David Zahren. The show features three local high school teams of three players each. Over the years, chief sponsor Giant Food has given more than $2,000,000 in scholarship funds to participating schools.
The single elimination tournament features 81 schools in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, 81 schools in the Baltimore metropolitan region (including western Maryland and the Eastern Shore), and 9 schools in the Central Virginia region. The winners in each region go on to battle each other in the Super Bowl. The record-high score of 935 is held by Centennial High School
Centennial High School (Ellicott City, Maryland)
Centennial High School is a secondary school in Ellicott City, Maryland that opened in 1977. The school is based in Howard County and is part of the Howard County Public Schools system...
in Ellicott City, Maryland
Ellicott City, Maryland
Ellicott City is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Howard County, Maryland, United States. It is part of the Baltimore-Washington Metropolitan Area. The population was 65,834 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Howard County...
, achieved in 2000.
Under the name "Academic Challenge", the quiz has also been produced on WEWS in Cleveland since the 1960s. Pittsburgh area schools compete on KDKA-TV, where the series is called Hometown High-Q. KDKA morning anchor Rick Dayton became host in 2011, succeeding original host Ken Rice.
It's Academic is recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running quiz program in TV history. This title was first entered in the 50th anniversary edition of the Guinness Book.
Format
Each contest is composed of five rounds. Round 1 is a category round with eight questions, all centered around a theme (e.g., "the letter B" or "famous paintings"). Questions do not appear on the players' monitors but do appear for the viewing audience.In Round 2, each team is individually asked five questions worth 20 points each.
Round 3 is a toss-up visual round. The monitor displays an image and the host provides a question accompanying the image. Teams receive 10 points for each correct answer and lose 10 for each incorrect answer. Eight questions are used.
In Round 4, the captain of each team introduces the sponsors and administrators. There are three question packets from which to choose. The team to the immediate left of the team that is supposed to answer chooses which packet the answering team will use. Eight questions are given to each team, with 20 points for a correct answer and no penalties. A 25 point bonus is given if a team correctly answers all eight questions, for a total of 185 points in this round.
Round 5 features toss-up questions, each worth +/-20 points. Visual questions are worth +/-30 points. The number of questions varies depending on the time left in the game. The game ends when the buzzer sounds.
Discontinued rounds
Prior to the adoption of the current format, there were several other formats of play.Scrimmage round
In the 1977–78 Buffalo season championship, Van MillerVan Miller
Van Miller is a retired former radio and television sports announcer from Dunkirk, New York, where he began his career at Dunkirk radio station WFCB calling play-by-play for high school football games...
told teams to "use [their] lights and buzzers" for a "one-minute scrimmage round."
Category round
The "very fast" category round consisted of questions pertaining to the same category. In some cases, the question was the same throughout the round: teams were given different items, and had to answer the common question on the basis of each item (e.g., given a state, name either senator from that state). In other cases, all the answers in the category round shared an announced characteristic in common (e.g., geographical locations whose names begin and end with "A"). Teams used their buzzers in this round, earning 10 points for a correct answer, but losing 10 points (later 20 points) for wrong answers.Timed round
In all forms, a team individually answers questions from a packet within a time limit. In one form, at the beginning of the game, teams get one minute to answer questions for 20 points each. In this form, teams are not penalized for wrong answers, in order to help the teams in "building score". In another form, teams have one and a half minutes to answer questions for 20 points each. However, 20 points are deducted for a wrong answer. Teams may pass a question, losing 10 points; however, the other two teams may buzz-in to answer the passed questions (with a few exceptions) for plus or minus 20 points after the time runs out for the team's turn. Every question that is fully read must be answered or passed within a reasonable time. However, if a question is not finished when time expires, the team may reject it without penalty or answer the question at their own risk. In this form, getting all 10 questions (later 8) correct originally earned the team a 50-point bonus, later reduced to 25.Conclusion
After the host has announced the teams' final scores, he invites the studio audience down from the stands to join the contestants on camera during the closing credit sequence. The song heard under the credit roll is "T.L.C. (Tender Loving Care)" by the band MFSBMFSB
MFSB was a pool of more than thirty studio musicians based at Philadelphia’s famed Sigma Sound Studios. They worked closely with the production team of Gamble and Huff and producer/arranger Thom Bell, and backed up such groups as Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes, the O’Jays, the Stylistics, the...
.
Guest questions
Beginning in 2008, telecasts on the WRC-TV version have included "guest questions" from notable persons in government, business, sports, and the arts. Among those seen in pre-recorded videos are:- Supreme Court Justice Stephen BreyerStephen BreyerStephen Gerald Breyer is an Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, and known for his pragmatic approach to constitutional law, Breyer is generally associated with the more liberal side of the Court....
- Supreme Court Justice Clarence ThomasClarence ThomasClarence Thomas is an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Succeeding Thurgood Marshall, Thomas is the second African American to serve on the Court....
- U.S. Senator Barbara MikulskiBarbara MikulskiBarbara Ann Mikulski is the senior United States Senator from Maryland and a member of the Democratic Party. Mikulski, a former U.S. Representative, is the longest-serving female senator in U.S...
of Maryland - U.S. Senator Carl LevinCarl LevinCarl Milton Levin is a Jewish-American United States Senator from Michigan, serving since 1979. He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
of Michigan - U.S. Senator Jim WebbJim WebbJames Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
of Virginia - Governor Tim KaineTim KaineTimothy Michael "Tim" Kaine is a Virginia politician. Kaine served as the 70th Governor of Virginia from 2006 to 2010, and was the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2009 to 2011...
of Virginia - Secretary of Labor Elaine ChaoElaine ChaoElaine Lan Chao served as the 24th United States Secretary of Labor in the Cabinet of President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2009. She was the first Asian Pacific American woman and first Chinese American to be appointed to a President's cabinet in American history. Chao was the only cabinet...
- AFL-CIOAFL-CIOThe American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, commonly AFL–CIO, is a national trade union center, the largest federation of unions in the United States, made up of 56 national and international unions, together representing more than 11 million workers...
president John SweeneyJohn Sweeney (labor leader)John Joseph Sweeney was the president of the AFL-CIO from 1995 to 2009.-Early years:Born in The Bronx, New York, Sweeney is the son of Joseph and Agnes , both Irish immigrants. The family moved to Yonkers in 1944, where Sweeney attended St. Barnabas Elementary School and graduated from Cardinal... - Secretary of Education Margaret SpellingsMargaret SpellingsMargaret Spellings was the Secretary of Education from 2005-2009 under the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush and previously served as White House Domestic Policy Adviser to President George W. Bush....
- Organization of American StatesOrganization of American StatesThe Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
Secretary-General Miguel Insulza - Baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken, Jr.Cal Ripken, Jr.Calvin Edwin "Cal" Ripken, Jr. , nicknamed "Iron Man", is a former Major League Baseball shortstop and third baseman. He played his entire 21-year baseball career for the Baltimore Orioles ....
- Actress Lynda CarterLynda CarterLynda Jean Carter is an American actress and singer, best known for being Miss World USA and as the star of the 1970s television series The New Original Wonder Woman and The New Adventures of Wonder Woman ....
- Dr. Elias Zerhouni, director of the National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of HealthThe National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
- Gen. Jack Daily, director of the National Air and Space MuseumNational Air and Space MuseumThe National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution holds the largest collection of historic aircraft and spacecraft in the world. It was established in 1976. Located in Washington, D.C., United States, it is a center for research into the history and science of aviation and...
- Dr. Wayne Clough, director of the Smithsonian InstitutionSmithsonian InstitutionThe Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
- Rusty Powell, director of the National Gallery of ArtNational Gallery of ArtThe National Gallery of Art and its Sculpture Garden is a national art museum, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 9th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, in Washington, DC...
- Tim RussertTim RussertTimothy John "Tim" Russert was an American television journalist and lawyer who appeared for more than 16 years as the longest-serving moderator of NBC's Meet the Press. He was a senior vice president at NBC News, Washington bureau chief and also hosted the eponymous CNBC/MSNBC weekend interview...
of Meet the PressMeet the PressMeet the Press is a weekly American television news/interview program produced by NBC. It is the longest-running television series in American broadcasting history, despite bearing little resemblance to the original format of the program seen in its television debut on November 6, 1947. It has been... - David GregoryDavid Gregory (journalist)David Michael Gregory is an American television journalist, and moderator of NBC News' Sunday morning talk show Meet the Press.-Early life:...
of Meet the Press - Chris MatthewsChris MatthewsChristopher John "Chris" Matthews is an American news anchor and political commentator, known for his nightly hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which is televised on the American cable television channel MSNBC...
, NBC NewsNBC NewsNBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is... - Ted LeonsisTed LeonsisTheodore John Leonsis is an Internet pioneer, sports team owner, venture capital investor, filmmaker, author and philanthropist. His early new media company, Redgate Communications was acquired by America Online in 1994, and Leonsis became a senior AOL executive for the next 13 years...
, owner, Washington CapitolsWashington CapitolsThe Washington Capitols were a charter Basketball Association of America team based in Washington, D.C. The team was coached from 1946 to 1949 by NBA Hall of Famer Red Auerbach....
and Washington WizardsWashington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:... - Leonard SlatkinLeonard SlatkinLeonard Edward Slatkin is an American conductor and composer.-Early life and education:Slatkin was born in Los Angeles to a musical family that came from areas of the Russian Empire now in Ukraine. His father Felix Slatkin was the violinist, conductor and founder of the Hollywood String Quartet,...
, music director of Washington and Detroit orchestras - Tom DonohueTom J. DonohueThomas J. Donohue Sr. is the President and CEO of the United States Chamber of Commerce located in Washington, D.C. The Chamber of Commerce supports pro-business causes, and it is the largest and oldest trade association in the United States. He has been the Chamber's president since 1997.-...
, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Spin-offs
Many teams participating in It's Academic are also active in the Washington region's quiz bowlQuizbowl
Quiz bowl is a family of games of questions and answers on all topics of human knowledge that is commonly played by students enrolled in high school or college, although some participants begin in middle or even elementary school...
circuit.
An Australian version
It's Academic (Australian game show)
It's Academic is an Australian children's game show airing on the Seven Network. The show is based on the long-running American version of It's Academic, and pits students from different schools against each other in a test of knowledge covering a number of diverse subjects including English,...
of the show aired on Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
and the Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
from 1968–1975, and was revived by Seven's Perth affiliate in 2001. Seven took the show national in 2005. (http://au.tv.yahoo.com/b/its-academic/)
A version was also screened in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
by TVNZ in the 1980s, with Lockwood Smith
Lockwood Smith
Alexander Lockwood Smith is a New Zealand politician, the 28th and current Speaker of the House of Representatives. Smith is a member of the New Zealand National Party, who has served as a Member of Parliament since 1984...
as the host.
WNBC-TV in New York aired a local edition of It's Academic from the mid-1960s through at least 1972, hosted most of the time by Art James
Art James
Art James was an American game show host, best known for shows such as The Who, What, or Where Game and Pay Cards!. He was also the announcer on the game show Concentration....
, with Lee Leonard
Lee Leonard
Lee Leonard is an American television personality who was involved in the launch of cable television networks ESPN and CNN.-Early life:...
filling in for a year.
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV
WMAQ-TV, channel 5, is an owned-and-operated television station of the NBC Television Network, located in Chicago, Illinois. WMAQ-TV's main studios and offices are located within the NBC Tower in the Streeterville neighborhood, with an auxiliary street-level studio on the Magnificent Mile at 401...
in Chicago had a version in the 1960s and 1970s under the "It's Academic" name, hosted by Ed Grennan
Ed Grennan
Ed Grennan was a staff announcer with WNBQ and WMAQ-TV in Chicago, Illinois.Grennan started his radio career in 1944 with the Armed Forces Radio Network while in Guam. After some stints downstate and in Michigan, he returned to Chicago to work at several stations including WGN, WAIT and WBBM-FM...
.
KCBS-TV
KCBS-TV
KCBS-TV, channel 2, is an owned-and-operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Los Angeles, California. KCBS-TV shares its offices and studio facilities with sister station KCAL-TV inside CBS Studio Center in the Studio City section of Los Angeles, and its transmitter...
in Los Angeles aired a similarly-formatted quiz show KidQuiz during the 1980's and 1990's.
WLWT
WLWT
WLWT, virtual channel 5 , is an NBC-affiliated television station in Cincinnati, Ohio, the station is owned by Hearst Television...
and WCET
WCET (TV)
WCET is the PBS member public television station serving Cincinnati, Ohio. It broadcasts digitally on channel 34 but is displayed on-screen as channel 48, its former analog and present virtual channel, via the PSIP protocol. Its signal is multiplexed, broadcasting one high-definition channel, CET...
in Cincinnati aired a local It's Academic from the late 1960s into the 1980s.
A similar competition aired in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
under the title In The Know. It began in 1966 on WBNS
WBNS-TV
WBNS-TV, channel 10, is a television station in Columbus, Ohio, USA. The station is an affiliate of the CBS Television Network and is owned by the Dispatch Broadcast Group, a subsidiary of the Columbus Dispatch, along with WBNS radio...
television and later moved to WOSU
WOSU-TV
WOSU-TV is an American public television station located in Columbus, Ohio, affiliated with the Public Broadcasting Service and is a service of WOSU Public Media. The station's signal covers most of central Ohio. It is owned by Ohio State University, and operates full-time satellite WPBO-TV in...
, a PBS affiliate, where it still airs today.
A version of It's Academic aired on WBEN-TV
WIVB-TV
WIVB-TV, virtual channel 4, is the CBS-affiliated television station for Western New York that is licensed to Buffalo. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 39 from a transmitter on Center Street in Colden. Owned by the LIN TV Corporation, the station is sister to CW...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
from the 1960s through 1986, hosted by sportscaster Van Miller
Van Miller
Van Miller is a retired former radio and television sports announcer from Dunkirk, New York, where he began his career at Dunkirk radio station WFCB calling play-by-play for high school football games...
. It was later revived for a few months in 2008 by WGRZ-TV
WGRZ-TV
WGRZ, virtual channel 2 , is the NBC-affiliated television station in Buffalo, New York. Its studio is located at 259 Delaware Avenue in downtown Buffalo. Its transmitter is located at 11530 Warner Hill Road in South Wales, New York...
, with Kevin O'Neill as host.
A show using the It's Academic name aired in Richmond, Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
on the NBC affliliate, WWBT Channel 12, in the 1970s, which was also hosted by Mac McGarry and sponsored by Giant. That was replaced by Battle of the Brains
Battle of the Brains
Battle of the Brains is a quizbowl show in the Richmond and Hampton Roads areas of Virginia. It currently airs on WTVR in the Richmond area, and WAVY in Hampton Roads. The current show began in Richmond in 1975, and it originally aired on a local PBS member station until it was canceled by the...
. Battle of the Brains has also replaced a version of It's Academic that aired in Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads
Hampton Roads is the name for both a body of water and the Norfolk–Virginia Beach metropolitan area which surrounds it in southeastern Virginia, United States...
.
The World Affairs Council, in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State, hosted an'It's Academic International event in 2002, also hosted by Mac McGarry.
In 2007, the game Brainstorm was introduced to Arizona. It featured 21 teams for its inaugural season.
KPRC-TV
KPRC-TV
KPRC-TV is the NBC affiliated television station based in Houston, Texas, and serving the Greater Houston television market. It has studios located in the Sharpstown district on the Southwest portion of the city, and has a transmitter site in unincorporated Fort Bend County near Missouri City...
, the NBC affiliate in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, had their own version of It's Academic called the Texaco Star Academic Challenge. The show left KPRC-TV and would eventually be retitled The Challenge, airing on one of Houston's Public-access television
Public-access television
Public-access television is a form of non-commercial mass media where ordinary people can create content television programming which is cablecast through cable TV specialty channels...
cable TV channels and KTBU Channel 55.
KRGV-TV
KRGV-TV
KRGV-TV is the local ABC affiliate television station for the Rio Grande Valley in south Texas . It is licensed to Weslaco, Texas, with studios in Weslaco and transmitter in Santa Maria, Texas...
in Weslaco, Texas has aired their own version of It's Academic for many years, entitled Masterminds.
KRCR-TV
KRCR-TV
KRCR-TV is an ABC affiliated television station in California, USA, that serves the northern Sacramento Valley, including the towns of Redding and Chico. Its studios are located in Redding, where the station is licensed...
in Redding, California had their version of It's Academic called Academic Challenge which ran until 2005 before Station Manager Robert Wise moved to KOBI
KOBI
KOBI is a local NBC affiliate based in Medford, Oregon. It is owned by Patricia Smullin. The company, California Oregon Broadcasting, Inc., is the longest continuously independent broadcast group in the West and one of the three oldest in the country....
in Medford, Oregon where he brought Academic Challenge with him and still airs to this day on KOBI/KOTI.
KCTS in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
runs a PBS-affiliated version called Apple Bowl
KYVE Apple Bowl
The KYVE Apple Bowl is a televised single elimination competition between high school students. Over a period of one to three weeks, 20-30 high schools come from all over Central Washington to compete at the Apple Bowl studio, which is located on the Central Washington University campus in...
that airs in the Pacific Northwest
Pacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
.
Hometown High-Q
Hometown High-Q airs on KDKA-TVKDKA-TV
KDKA-TV, channel 2, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. KDKA-TV broadcasts from a transmitter located in the Perry North neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and its studios are located in downtown Pittsburgh at Gateway Center....
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. It is sponsored by Westfield Insurance
Westfield Insurance
Westfield Insurance, the primary subsidiary of Westfield Group, is a multi-line provider of business property & liability insurance, personal lines insurance , agribusiness insurance, and surety bonds. Based in Westfield Center, Ohio, Westfield employs over 2,400 nationwide including 1,700 in their...
(and previously by Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle
Giant Eagle, Inc., is a supermarket chain with stores in the U.S. states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Maryland. The company was founded in 1918 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Supermarket News ranked Giant Eagle No. 21 in the 2009 "Top 75 North American Food Retailers" based on 2008...
) and was hosted by KDKA news anchor Ken Rice from its inception in 2000 until the end of the 2010-11 season. It is now hosted by KDKA morning anchor Rick Dayton.
Dan Braddock is the show's producer.
The winning team receives $11,000, second- and third-place finalists win $5,500, and non-winning semifinalists win $2,000. In earlier seasons, winning teams received points their schools could use toward the purchase of computers and equipment.
An alternate version of Hometown High-Q, which began in summer 2005 is the Steelers
Steelers
Steelers usually refers to the Pittsburgh Steelers, an American football team which plays in the National Football League. It may also refer to the following sports teams:Association football...
Trivia Challenge, a nighttime series hosted by KDKA sports anchor Bob Pompeani featuring adult contestants answering trivia related to the Steelers.
From 2003-2007, the show aired twice on Saturday: a new episode aired at 11:00 a.m., and the last week's episode reran at 11:30 a.m.
Academic Challenge (Ohio) Academic Challenge (Ohio) — not to be confused with the college-level competition — is a high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
version of quizbowl
Quizbowl
Quiz bowl is a family of games of questions and answers on all topics of human knowledge that is commonly played by students enrolled in high school or college, although some participants begin in middle or even elementary school...
that was aired on WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, USA from 1964 to 1999 and has been aired again from 2003 to the present, formerly produced by Phyllis Sossi and Steve Kurrent, now with Berry Pinney as executive producer and Steve Kurrent as producer/director.
The show is hosted by WEWS meteorologist Jason Nicholas, who took over in 2007 following anchor Danita Harris and former anchor Adam Shapiro, who went to New York City's WNBC
WNBC
WNBC, virtual channel 4 , is the flagship station of the NBC television network, located in New York City. WNBC's studios are co-located with NBC corporate headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in midtown Manhattan...
. Jason Nicholas is a native of Medina, Ohio, and graduated from Medina High School. The Cleveland version was hosted by Don Cameron from 1964–75, by former WEWS weatherman Don Webster from 1975–86, then again from 1994–99, by Steve Wolford from 1986–88, and by Lou Maglio from 1988–1994, before he went to WJW. The Cleveland Electric Illuminating Company or CEI (now FirstEnergy
FirstEnergy
FirstEnergy Corp. , is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services...
) sponsored the show in Cleveland, joined by Ohio Edison Company in 1972. The Ohio Lottery sponsored the show from 1996-99. Today, Academic Challenge (Ohio) is sponsored by Medina County-based Westfield Insurance, which also sponsors Pittsburgh's Hometown High-Q and other such programs.
The major difference in the championship format is that It's Academic uses a playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
method, while Academic Challenge (Ohio) simply invites the three highest-scoring schools for a championship game, though the Cleveland show experimented with playoff
Playoff
The playoffs, postseason, or finals of a sports league are a game or series of games played after the regular season by the top competitors, usually but not always with a single-elimination system, to determine the league champion or a similar accolade.In the U.S...
s during the late 1990s.
Schools rotate every two years. Example is St. Peter Chanel High School
St. Peter Chanel High School
Saint Peter Chanel High School is located in Bedford, Ohio, a southeast suburb of Cleveland. It is run by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland.-Building:...
, St. Peter Chanel appeared in the 2010-11 School year, but will appear again in the 2012-13 school year. Garfield Heights High School
Garfield Heights High School
Garfield Heights High School is a public high school located in Garfield Heights, Ohio, about 10 miles southeast of downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It is part of the Garfield Heights City School District. The school currently contains approximately 1500 students. The mascot is the Bulldog and the school...
did not appear in the 2010-11 school year, but they will appear in the 2011-12 school year.
It has won several awards, including the Emmy for "best regularly scheduled children/youth program" by the Cleveland Regional Emmy chapter.
Recent champions
- 2004 - Solon High SchoolSolon High SchoolSolon High School, founded in 1898, is a public high school located in Solon, Ohio, a southeastern suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio Region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States....
- 2005 - Solon High SchoolSolon High SchoolSolon High School, founded in 1898, is a public high school located in Solon, Ohio, a southeastern suburb of Cleveland in the Northeast Ohio Region, the 14th largest Combined Statistical Area in the United States....
- 2006 - Copley High SchoolCopley High SchoolCopley High School is a public high school in Copley, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Copley-Fairlawn City Schools district.It is in the Suburban League, and located on Ridgewood Road....
- 2007 - Gilmour AcademyGilmour AcademyGilmour Academy is an independent, Roman Catholic, coeducational, college-preparatory school in the Cleveland suburb of Gates Mills, Ohio. Founded in 1946 by the Brothers of Holy Cross, it offers a Montessori preschool program and traditional kindergarten through grade 12. A boarding program is...
- 2008 - Hawken SchoolHawken SchoolHawken School is an independent, coeducational, college preparatory day school in Northeast Ohio.Hawken currently has two main campuses, the Lower and Middle Schools in Lyndhurst and the Upper School in Gates Mills, plus a third, an urban campus in University Circle, The Sally & Bob Gries Center...
- 2009 - Archbishop Hoban High SchoolArchbishop Hoban High SchoolArchbishop Hoban High School is a private, Catholic high school in Akron, Ohio, USA. It is a part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland. In the early 1950s, Archbishop Edward F. Hoban invited the Brothers of Holy Cross to staff a new high school to be named in his honor. The Brothers had...
- 2010 - Copley High SchoolCopley High SchoolCopley High School is a public high school in Copley, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Copley-Fairlawn City Schools district.It is in the Suburban League, and located on Ridgewood Road....
- 2011 - St. Edward High SchoolSt. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio)St. Edward High School is private, all-male Catholic, college-preparatory high school located in Lakewood, Ohio, a western Cleveland suburb. It was founded in 1949 and is operated in the by the Midwest Province of the Brothers of Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana. It is one of three remaining...
Notable contestants
Notable figures who have competed on It's Academic include:- Michael ChabonMichael ChabonMichael Chabon born May 24, 1963) is an American author and "one of the most celebrated writers of his generation", according to The Virginia Quarterly Review....
, author and Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winner - Bruce CohenBruce CohenBruce Cohen is an American film producer. Cohen and his producing partner, Dan Jinks, run The Jinks/ Cohen Company. Cohen and Jinks produced American Beauty, winner of the 1999 Academy Award for Best Picture...
, Oscar-winning producer of "American Beauty" - David IgnatiusDavid IgnatiusDavid R. Ignatius , is an American journalist and novelist. He is an associate editor and columnist for The Washington Post. He also co-hosts PostGlobal, an online discussion of international issues at Washingtonpost.com, with Newsweek 's Fareed Zakaria...
, journalist and novelist - Joshua FoerJoshua FoerJoshua Foer is a freelance journalist living in New Haven, Connecticut, USA, with a primary focus on science. He was the 2006 U.S.A...
, writer - Donald E. GrahamDonald E. GrahamDonald E. Graham is chief executive officer and Chairman of The Washington Post Company. He is also the director and chairman of Facebook Inc.- Early life :...
, chairman and chief executive officer of The Washington Post Company - Angus KingAngus KingAngus S. King, Jr. served two terms as the 72nd Governor of Maine from 1995 to 2003. Since 2004, King has been a distinguished lecturer at Bowdoin College teaching a course called "Leaders and Leadership"; in the fall of 2009, he also taught a similar course at Bates College...
, former governor of MaineMaineMaine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost... - Laura LippmanLaura LippmanLaura Lippman is an American author of detective fiction.-Biography:Lippmann was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Baltimore, Maryland. She is the daughter of Theo Lippman Jr., a well known and respected writer at the Baltimore Sun, and Madeline Lippman, a retired school librarian for the...
, author - Daniel M. Maggin, sculptor
- Peter SaloveyPeter SaloveyPeter Salovey is Provost and the Chris Argyris Professor of Psychology at Yale University. He joined the Yale faculty in 1986 after receiving an A.B. and M.A. from Stanford University in 1980, with departmental honors and university distinction, and a Ph.D. from Yale in 1986...
, Provost of Yale UniversityYale UniversityYale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States... - Charles SchumerCharles SchumerCharles Ellis "Chuck" Schumer is the senior United States Senator from New York and a member of the Democratic Party. First elected in 1998, he defeated three-term Republican incumbent Al D'Amato by a margin of 55%–44%. He was easily re-elected in 2004 by a margin of 71%–24% and in 2010 by a...
, U.S. senator from New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east... - George StephanopoulosGeorge StephanopoulosGeorge Robert Stephanopoulos is an American television journalist and a former political advisor.Stephanopoulos is most well known as the chief political correspondent for ABC News – the news division of the broadcast television network ABC – and a co-anchor of ABC News's morning news...
, political commentator
Other notable participants:
- Sandra BullockSandra BullockSandra Annette Bullock is an Academy Award winning American actress and producer who rose to fame in the 1990s after roles in successful films such as Demolition Man, Speed, The Net, A Time to Kill, and While You Were Sleeping. She continued with films such as Miss Congeniality, The Lake House,...
appeared on the show as a cheerleader. - Hillary Rodham was an alternate for Maine South High SchoolMaine South High SchoolMaine South High School, or MSHS, is a public four-year high school located in Park Ridge, Illinois, a north-west suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is part of Maine Township High School District 207, which also includes Maine East High School and Maine West High School.Maine...
in 1965 on WMAQ-TV (Chicago). A picture of her with her quiz team is on display at the Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Arkansas.
In 1979, a charity special was held between a team of three Democratic senators (Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick Moynihan
Daniel Patrick "Pat" Moynihan was an American politician and sociologist. A member of the Democratic Party, he was first elected to the United States Senate for New York in 1976, and was re-elected three times . He declined to run for re-election in 2000...
, Lloyd Bentsen
Lloyd Bentsen
Lloyd Millard Bentsen, Jr. was a four-term United States senator from Texas and the Democratic Party nominee for Vice President in 1988 on the Michael Dukakis ticket. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1949 to 1955. In his later political life, he was Chairman of the Senate...
, and Alan Cranston
Alan Cranston
Alan MacGregor Cranston was an American journalist and Democratic Senator from California.-Education:Cranston earned his high school diploma from the old Mountain View High School, where among other things, he was a track star...
), three Republican senators (Lowell Weicker, John Danforth
John Danforth
John Claggett "Jack" Danforth is a former United States Ambassador to the United Nations and former Republican United States Senator from Missouri. He is an ordained Episcopal priest. Danforth is married to Sally D. Danforth and has five adult children.-Education and early career:Danforth was born...
, and H. J. Heinz III), and three members of the press (Jessica Savitch
Jessica Savitch
Jessica Beth Savitch was an American television broadcaster and news reporter, host of PBS' Frontline and New York weekend anchor of NBC Nightly News during the short-lived Roger Mudd/Tom Brokaw era....
, Art Buchwald
Art Buchwald
Arthur Buchwald was an American humorist best known for his long-running column in The Washington Post, which in turn was carried as a syndicated column in many other newspapers. His column focused on political satire and commentary...
, and David Broder).
Champions
(Note: bold denotes Super Bowl Champions.)| Year | Winners |
|---|---|
| 1972 | Washington: Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet. It is fed into by Thomas W. Pyle Middle School.-History:The... Baltimore: Gilman School Gilman School Gilman School is a private preparatory school for boys located in the Roland Park neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1897 as the Country School for Boys, it was the first country day school in the United States. Gilman enrolls approximately 978 students, ranging from kindergarten to... |
| 1973 | Baltimore: Randallstown High School Randallstown High School Randallstown High School is a public high school located in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It serves students in the Randallstown, Woodlawn, and Owings Mills areas. It is a part of Baltimore County Public Schools... Washington: Bethesda Chevy Chase High School |
| 1974 | Washington: Herndon High School Herndon High School Herndon High School is a fully accredited four year public high school in Herndon, Virginia, United States. Herndon serves grades 9-12 and is a part of the Fairfax County Public Schools system. Herndon High School serves the town of Herndon and the northern part of the unincorporated community... Baltimore: Randallstown High School Randallstown High School Randallstown High School is a public high school located in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It serves students in the Randallstown, Woodlawn, and Owings Mills areas. It is a part of Baltimore County Public Schools... |
| 1975 | Washington: Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet. It is fed into by Thomas W. Pyle Middle School.-History:The... Baltimore: Randallstown High School Randallstown High School Randallstown High School is a public high school located in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It serves students in the Randallstown, Woodlawn, and Owings Mills areas. It is a part of Baltimore County Public Schools... |
| 1976 | Washington: Northwood High School Northwood High School (Silver Spring, Maryland) Northwood High School is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, and is part of Montgomery County Public Schools. Northwood originally opened in 1956. In 1985 it was closed in a contested decision by the Montgomery County School Board in an effort to alleviate the concentration of minorities enrolling... |
| 1977 | Washington: Bethesda Chevy Chase High School |
| 1978 | Washington: Northwood High School Northwood High School (Silver Spring, Maryland) Northwood High School is located in Silver Spring, Maryland, and is part of Montgomery County Public Schools. Northwood originally opened in 1956. In 1985 it was closed in a contested decision by the Montgomery County School Board in an effort to alleviate the concentration of minorities enrolling... Buffalo: Nichols School Nichols School Nichols School is a private, non-denominational, co-educational college-preparatory day school located in Buffalo, New York, USA. The average enrollment is 570 students with an average Upper School grade/class size of 98 students... |
| 1979 | Washington: Bethesda Chevy Chase High School Buffalo: Grand Island High School |
| 1980 | Washington: Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet. It is fed into by Thomas W. Pyle Middle School.-History:The... Baltimore: Randallstown High School Randallstown High School Randallstown High School is a public high school located in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It serves students in the Randallstown, Woodlawn, and Owings Mills areas. It is a part of Baltimore County Public Schools... Buffalo: Iroquois Central School District Iroquois Central School District The Iroquois Central School District is a large school district about outside of Buffalo, New York that consists of about of land in the towns of Elma, Marilla, Wales, Aurora, Lancaster, and Bennington. The district consists of about 2,895 students in six schools. The interim superintendent of... |
| 1981 | Washington: Holton-Arms School Holton-Arms School Holton-Arms is an independent college-preparatory school for girls in grades 3–12, located in Bethesda, Maryland. The School's mission is to cultivate the unique potential of young women through the “education not only of the mind, but of the soul and spirit.” Holton-Arms is an independent... |
| 1982 | Washington: Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet. It is fed into by Thomas W. Pyle Middle School.-History:The... |
| 1983 | Washington: Bethesda Chevy Chase High School Baltimore: Dulaney High School Dulaney High School Dulaney High School is a secondary school in Timonium, Baltimore County, Maryland. The school serves a generally middle- to upper-middle class suburban community, with students from Timonium and surrounding areas in Baltimore County. Dulaney is a Blue Ribbon School and ranked #259 nationwide in... |
| 1984 | Baltimore: Dulaney High School Dulaney High School Dulaney High School is a secondary school in Timonium, Baltimore County, Maryland. The school serves a generally middle- to upper-middle class suburban community, with students from Timonium and surrounding areas in Baltimore County. Dulaney is a Blue Ribbon School and ranked #259 nationwide in... Washington: Rockville High School Rockville High School (Maryland) Rockville High School is a comprehensive, four-year high school in Rockville, Maryland, United States. The school was founded in 1968 and its current building was completed in August, 2004. As of 2009, enrollment was 1,243 students. Earle B... |
| 1985 | Washington: Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet. It is fed into by Thomas W. Pyle Middle School.-History:The... Baltimore: Dulaney High School Dulaney High School Dulaney High School is a secondary school in Timonium, Baltimore County, Maryland. The school serves a generally middle- to upper-middle class suburban community, with students from Timonium and surrounding areas in Baltimore County. Dulaney is a Blue Ribbon School and ranked #259 nationwide in... Buffalo: Williamsville East High School Williamsville East High School Williamsville East High School is one of the three Williamsville high schools located in the Williamsville Central School District in Williamsville, New York... |
| 1986 | Washington: Bethesda Chevy Chase High School Baltimore: Wilde Lake High School Wilde Lake High School Wilde Lake High School is a secondary school located in Columbia, Maryland's Village of Wilde Lake, one of 12 public high schools in Howard County. Opened in 1971 as a model school for the nation, it was Columbia's first high school. It had a unique open doughnut-shaped design with "open... |
| 1987 | Washington: Bethesda Chevy Chase High School Baltimore: Wilde Lake High School Wilde Lake High School Wilde Lake High School is a secondary school located in Columbia, Maryland's Village of Wilde Lake, one of 12 public high schools in Howard County. Opened in 1971 as a model school for the nation, it was Columbia's first high school. It had a unique open doughnut-shaped design with "open... Central Virginia: St. Anne's-Belfield School St. Anne's-Belfield School St. Anne's-Belfield School is a co-educational, independent boarding and day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.The school is located on in Charlottesville, VA, USA, near the campus of the University of Virginia.... |
| 1988 | Baltimore: Dulaney High School Dulaney High School Dulaney High School is a secondary school in Timonium, Baltimore County, Maryland. The school serves a generally middle- to upper-middle class suburban community, with students from Timonium and surrounding areas in Baltimore County. Dulaney is a Blue Ribbon School and ranked #259 nationwide in... Washington: Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet. It is fed into by Thomas W. Pyle Middle School.-History:The... |
| 1989 | Washington: Georgetown Day School Georgetown Day School Georgetown Day School is a pre-K-12 private preparatory school in Washington, D.C..-History:GDS was founded in 1945 as the first integrated school in the District of Columbia.-Academics:... Central Virginia: Thomas Jefferson High School Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is a Virginia state-chartered magnet school located within Fairfax County, Virginia, United States... Baltimore: Dulaney High School Dulaney High School Dulaney High School is a secondary school in Timonium, Baltimore County, Maryland. The school serves a generally middle- to upper-middle class suburban community, with students from Timonium and surrounding areas in Baltimore County. Dulaney is a Blue Ribbon School and ranked #259 nationwide in... |
| 1990 | Baltimore: Oakland Mills High School Oakland Mills High School Oakland Mills High School was established in 1973 as one of the first high schools to service the Columbia, Maryland area. It is part of the Howard County Public School System.The building had its first renovation in 1991, then again in 1998... Washington: Rockville High School Rockville High School (Maryland) Rockville High School is a comprehensive, four-year high school in Rockville, Maryland, United States. The school was founded in 1968 and its current building was completed in August, 2004. As of 2009, enrollment was 1,243 students. Earle B... Central Virginia: St. Anne's-Belfield School St. Anne's-Belfield School St. Anne's-Belfield School is a co-educational, independent boarding and day school for pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.The school is located on in Charlottesville, VA, USA, near the campus of the University of Virginia.... |
| 1991 | Baltimore: Dulaney High School Dulaney High School Dulaney High School is a secondary school in Timonium, Baltimore County, Maryland. The school serves a generally middle- to upper-middle class suburban community, with students from Timonium and surrounding areas in Baltimore County. Dulaney is a Blue Ribbon School and ranked #259 nationwide in... Washington: Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School Walt Whitman High School is a public secondary institution serving roughly the western part of Bethesda--an unincorporated suburban area of Washington, DC, in Montgomery County, Maryland. The school is named in honor of the American poet. It is fed into by Thomas W. Pyle Middle School.-History:The... |
| 1992 | Baltimore: Wilde Lake High School Wilde Lake High School Wilde Lake High School is a secondary school located in Columbia, Maryland's Village of Wilde Lake, one of 12 public high schools in Howard County. Opened in 1971 as a model school for the nation, it was Columbia's first high school. It had a unique open doughnut-shaped design with "open... Washington: Thomas Jefferson High School Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is a Virginia state-chartered magnet school located within Fairfax County, Virginia, United States... |
| 1993 | Washington: Thomas Jefferson High School Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology is a Virginia state-chartered magnet school located within Fairfax County, Virginia, United States... Baltimore: Gilman School Gilman School Gilman School is a private preparatory school for boys located in the Roland Park neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1897 as the Country School for Boys, it was the first country day school in the United States. Gilman enrolls approximately 978 students, ranging from kindergarten to... |
| 1994 | Baltimore: Linganore High School Linganore High School Linganore High School is an American high school located in Frederick County, Maryland, near the city of Frederick. The school's mascot is the Lancer, and its colors are red and black.-History:... Washington: Eleanor Roosevelt High School Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Greenbelt, Maryland) Eleanor Roosevelt High School , is a Maryland public magnet high school specializing in science, mathematics, technology, and engineering. The school was established in 1978 at its current location in Greenbelt, Maryland and is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system... Central Virginia: Woodberry Forest School Woodberry Forest School Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-male boarding school located in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia, in the United States. Woodberry's current enrollment is 402. Students come from 28 U.S... |
| 1995 | Washington: Montgomery Blair High School Montgomery Blair High School Montgomery Blair High School is a public high school located in unincorporated Silver Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States... Central Virginia: Woodberry Forest School Woodberry Forest School Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-male boarding school located in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia, in the United States. Woodberry's current enrollment is 402. Students come from 28 U.S... |
| 1996 | Washington: Georgetown Day School Georgetown Day School Georgetown Day School is a pre-K-12 private preparatory school in Washington, D.C..-History:GDS was founded in 1945 as the first integrated school in the District of Columbia.-Academics:... Central Virginia: Woodberry Forest School Woodberry Forest School Woodberry Forest School is a private, all-male boarding school located in Woodberry Forest, Madison County, Virginia, in the United States. Woodberry's current enrollment is 402. Students come from 28 U.S... Baltimore: Mount Saint Joseph Mount Saint Joseph College Mount Saint Joseph High School, is a private, Catholic high school located in Baltimore, Maryland in the community of Irvington. The campus consists of four academic buildings, an athletic field house, and housing for the school's chaplains. It was founded by the Xaverian Brothers in November 1876... |
| 1997 | Washington: Georgetown Day School Georgetown Day School Georgetown Day School is a pre-K-12 private preparatory school in Washington, D.C..-History:GDS was founded in 1945 as the first integrated school in the District of Columbia.-Academics:... Baltimore: Oakland Mills High School Oakland Mills High School Oakland Mills High School was established in 1973 as one of the first high schools to service the Columbia, Maryland area. It is part of the Howard County Public School System.The building had its first renovation in 1991, then again in 1998... Central Virginia: Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School is a public high school in the independent city of Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from 9th to 12th grade. It is a part of Charlottesville City Schools.... |
| 1998 | Washington: Gonzaga College High School Gonzaga College High School Gonzaga College High School is a Jesuit high school for boys located in Washington, D.C. The school is named in honor of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian saint from the 16th century... Baltimore: Hammond High School Hammond High School (Columbia, Maryland) Hammond High School, established in 1976, is a public secondary school located in Columbia, Maryland and is part of the Howard County Public School System. It is located near the Kings Contrivance Village Center, south of Maryland Route 32, east of U.S... |
| 1999 | Washington: Rockville High School Rockville High School (Maryland) Rockville High School is a comprehensive, four-year high school in Rockville, Maryland, United States. The school was founded in 1968 and its current building was completed in August, 2004. As of 2009, enrollment was 1,243 students. Earle B... Baltimore: Towson High School Towson High School Towson High School is a high school in Baltimore County, Maryland, founded in 1873. The school's current stone structure was built in 1949. Located in the northern Baltimore suburb of Towson and serving the surrounding communities of Towson, Lutherville, and Ruxton, it is part of the Baltimore... |
| 2000 | Baltimore: Howard High School Washington: Eleanor Roosevelt High School Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Greenbelt, Maryland) Eleanor Roosevelt High School , is a Maryland public magnet high school specializing in science, mathematics, technology, and engineering. The school was established in 1978 at its current location in Greenbelt, Maryland and is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system... Central Virginia: Robert E. Lee High School Robert E. Lee High School (Staunton, Virginia) Robert E. Lee High School is a public high school in Staunton, Virginia, United States.- External links :*... |
| 2001 | Washington: Eleanor Roosevelt High School Eleanor Roosevelt High School (Greenbelt, Maryland) Eleanor Roosevelt High School , is a Maryland public magnet high school specializing in science, mathematics, technology, and engineering. The school was established in 1978 at its current location in Greenbelt, Maryland and is part of the Prince George's County Public Schools system... Baltimore: Howard High School |
| 2002 | Baltimore: Howard High School Washington: Holton-Arms School Holton-Arms School Holton-Arms is an independent college-preparatory school for girls in grades 3–12, located in Bethesda, Maryland. The School's mission is to cultivate the unique potential of young women through the “education not only of the mind, but of the soul and spirit.” Holton-Arms is an independent... |
| 2003 | Washington: Holton-Arms School Holton-Arms School Holton-Arms is an independent college-preparatory school for girls in grades 3–12, located in Bethesda, Maryland. The School's mission is to cultivate the unique potential of young women through the “education not only of the mind, but of the soul and spirit.” Holton-Arms is an independent... Baltimore: Centennial High School Centennial High School (Ellicott City, Maryland) Centennial High School is a secondary school in Ellicott City, Maryland that opened in 1977. The school is based in Howard County and is part of the Howard County Public Schools system... |
| 2004 | Baltimore: Howard High School Washington: Richard Montgomery High School Richard Montgomery High School Richard Montgomery High School is a secondary public school located in Rockville, Maryland.Richard Montgomery High School is named for Richard Montgomery, an American General who died while attempting to capture the British-held city of Quebec... |
| 2005 | Washington: Walter Johnson High School Walter Johnson High School Walter Johnson High School is located at 6400 Rock Spring Drive in Bethesda, an unincorporated region of Montgomery County, Maryland.WJHS serves areas in Bethesda and Rockville, as well as the towns of Garrett Park and Kensington.-History:... Baltimore: Centennial High School Centennial High School (Ellicott City, Maryland) Centennial High School is a secondary school in Ellicott City, Maryland that opened in 1977. The school is based in Howard County and is part of the Howard County Public Schools system... Central Virginia: Robert E. Lee High School Robert E. Lee High School (Staunton, Virginia) Robert E. Lee High School is a public high school in Staunton, Virginia, United States.- External links :*... |
| 2006 | Washington: Richard Montgomery High School Richard Montgomery High School Richard Montgomery High School is a secondary public school located in Rockville, Maryland.Richard Montgomery High School is named for Richard Montgomery, an American General who died while attempting to capture the British-held city of Quebec... Baltimore: Hammond High School Hammond High School (Columbia, Maryland) Hammond High School, established in 1976, is a public secondary school located in Columbia, Maryland and is part of the Howard County Public School System. It is located near the Kings Contrivance Village Center, south of Maryland Route 32, east of U.S... Central Virginia: Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School is a public high school in the independent city of Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from 9th to 12th grade. It is a part of Charlottesville City Schools.... |
| 2007 | Washington: Walter Johnson High School Walter Johnson High School Walter Johnson High School is located at 6400 Rock Spring Drive in Bethesda, an unincorporated region of Montgomery County, Maryland.WJHS serves areas in Bethesda and Rockville, as well as the towns of Garrett Park and Kensington.-History:... Baltimore: Centennial High School Centennial High School (Ellicott City, Maryland) Centennial High School is a secondary school in Ellicott City, Maryland that opened in 1977. The school is based in Howard County and is part of the Howard County Public Schools system... Central Virginia: Robert E. Lee High School Robert E. Lee High School (Staunton, Virginia) Robert E. Lee High School is a public high school in Staunton, Virginia, United States.- External links :*... |
| 2008 | Washington: Rockville High School Rockville High School (Maryland) Rockville High School is a comprehensive, four-year high school in Rockville, Maryland, United States. The school was founded in 1968 and its current building was completed in August, 2004. As of 2009, enrollment was 1,243 students. Earle B... Baltimore: Mount Saint Joseph Mount Saint Joseph College Mount Saint Joseph High School, is a private, Catholic high school located in Baltimore, Maryland in the community of Irvington. The campus consists of four academic buildings, an athletic field house, and housing for the school's chaplains. It was founded by the Xaverian Brothers in November 1876... Central Virginia: Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School is a public high school in the independent city of Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from 9th to 12th grade. It is a part of Charlottesville City Schools.... Buffalo, NY: Iroquois Central School District Iroquois Central School District The Iroquois Central School District is a large school district about outside of Buffalo, New York that consists of about of land in the towns of Elma, Marilla, Wales, Aurora, Lancaster, and Bennington. The district consists of about 2,895 students in six schools. The interim superintendent of... |
| 2009 | Baltimore: Centennial High School Centennial High School (Ellicott City, Maryland) Centennial High School is a secondary school in Ellicott City, Maryland that opened in 1977. The school is based in Howard County and is part of the Howard County Public Schools system... Washington: Montgomery Blair High School Montgomery Blair High School Montgomery Blair High School is a public high school located in unincorporated Silver Spring in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States... Central Virginia: Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School is a public high school in the independent city of Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from 9th to 12th grade. It is a part of Charlottesville City Schools.... |
| 2010 | Washington: Rockville High School Rockville High School (Maryland) Rockville High School is a comprehensive, four-year high school in Rockville, Maryland, United States. The school was founded in 1968 and its current building was completed in August, 2004. As of 2009, enrollment was 1,243 students. Earle B... Central Virginia: Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School Charlottesville High School is a public high school in the independent city of Charlottesville, Virginia, serving students from 9th to 12th grade. It is a part of Charlottesville City Schools.... Baltimore: Gilman School Gilman School Gilman School is a private preparatory school for boys located in the Roland Park neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1897 as the Country School for Boys, it was the first country day school in the United States. Gilman enrolls approximately 978 students, ranging from kindergarten to... |
| 2011 | Washington: W.T. Woodson High School Baltimore: Walkersville High School Walkersville High School Walkersville High School is a four-year public high school in Walkersville, Frederick County, Maryland, United States. The school's colors are blue and gold and athletic teams are known as the “Lions.”-Overview:... Central Virginia: Rappahannock County High School Rappahannock County High School Rappahannock County High School is a public high school in Washington, Virginia. Certain students from the school are eligible to apply to Mountain Vista Governor's School to take advanced math, science, humanities, and research courses.... |
External links
- Official It's Academic web site
- Washington DC area It's Academic
- Baltimore area It's Academic
- Cleveland area Academic Challenge
- In September 2011, the VOA Special EnglishSpecial EnglishSpecial English is a controlled version of the English language first used on October 19, 1959, and still presented daily by the United States broadcasting service Voice of America. World news and other programs are read one-third slower than regular VOA English. Reporters avoid idioms and use a...
service of the Voice of AmericaVoice of AmericaVoice of America is the official external broadcast institution of the United States federal government. It is one of five civilian U.S. international broadcasters working under the umbrella of the Broadcasting Board of Governors . VOA provides a wide range of programming for broadcast on radio...
broadcast a story about "It's Academic" on its weekly Education Report. A transcript and MP3 of the program, intended for English learners, can be found at A TV Quiz Show for Teens Turns 50