Lexington Takes on BU Academy in 'High School Quiz Show'

Article and photo by WGBH

WGBH has unveiled the official bracket for the 2015 High School Quiz Show tournament.

The seeded, 16-team, single-elimination tournament is produced and broadcast by WGBH and hosted by Billy Costa.

Sixteen teams from across the Commonwealth advanced from a pool of 120 schools to compete in the televised academic tournament. The season six field includes three past champions and three schools making their first appearance in the tournament.

BU Academy takes on Lexington High on Feb. 14.

“I’m excited to welcome a new and talented group of Massachusetts high school students into the High School Quiz Show fold,” said Executive Producer Hillary Wells. “Showcasing the state’s quality of education and the hard work of the students and coaches on public media is a victory for everyone.”

“High School Quiz Show provides a dynamic stage for Massachuetts’ brightest students to show off their smarts, pride in their education and spirit of competition,” said WGBH President and CEO Jon Abbott. “We are delighted that WGBH continues to play an important role in educating the public about the intellectual prowess of the Commonwealth’s youth.”

The 2015 High School Quiz Show team matchups and corresponding episode premiere dates follow. All episodes premiere Saturdays at 6 p.m. on WGBH 2.

WGBH will begin taping first-round playoffs the weekend of Saturday, January 24 and Sunday, January 25 in front of a studio audience at WGBH Studios in Brighton. Tickets are free, but an RSVP is required.

The winner of the High School Quiz Show tournament will compete in the third annual Governor’s Cup Challenge – a winner-take-all matchup against the winning school of New Hampshire Public Television’s Granite State Challenge. This year’s Governor’s Cup Challenge will be hosted by WGBH.

High School Quiz Show is endorsed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education and the Massachusetts PTA. The Princeton Review judges the televised competition and reviews the program’s questions. Questions on the show are aligned with the Massachusetts high school curriculum standards in subjects that include literature, history, science and math, as well as current events and general knowledge. Major funding for High School Quiz Show is provided by Safety Insurance. Additional funding is provided by Massachusetts Teachers Association, XFINITY from Comcast, Harvard Summer School Secondary School Program, Bentley University and Subaru of New England.