Acton-Boxborough Regional High School (ABRHS) has a team that will be competing in Season 16 of GBH’s High School Quiz Show, and a strategy for winning the academic tournament for Massachusetts high school students.
I interviewed three of four members of the ABRHS team last week along with their coach, Peter Montalbano, as well as Hillary Wells, Executive Producer of High School Quiz Show and the Director of Youth Media at GBH.
About Season 16 of High School Quiz Show
Joe Hanson, creator and host of PBS Digital Studios’ Be Smart, will return to host the Emmy Award-winning competition. Seventeen teams from high schools across the Commonwealth will go head to head each week, competing to advance through the bracket and earn the title of High School Quiz Show State Champion. The teams of four will work together to demonstrate their knowledge in categories such as math, history, science, literature, civics, and current events.
Lexington High School, the reigning champions of Season 15 and previous winners of Seasons 7 and 8, will compete to retain their title. Acton-Boxborough Regional High School was the champion in Season 5. Acton-Boxborough made it to last year’s semi-final round vs. Lexington, beating Weston and Littleton to get there.
“This season of High School Quiz Show showcases the incredible academic talent from high schools across Massachusetts, giving students the opportunity to come together, have fun, and show off everything they’ve learned,” said Wells. “We look forward to welcoming family, friends, and fans to cheer on an incredibly competitive group of teams as they compete head-to-head for the coveted title of High School Quiz Show State Champion.”
The 17 teams competing in Season 16 of High School Quiz Show are:
- Acton-Boxborough Regional High School.
- Andover High School.
- Belmont High School.
- Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (Cambridge).
- Deerfield Academy.
- Hopkinton High School.
- Lexington High School.
- Maimonides School (Brookline).
- Mansfield High School.
- Milton Academy.
- North Quincy High School.
- Saint John’s High School (Shrewsbury).
- St. John’s Prep (Danvers).
- Sharon High School.
- Somerville High School.
- South High Community School (Worcester).
- Weston High School.
ABRHS will be filming their first episode on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2025, against St. John’s Prep. Free tickets to join the studio audience can be reserved at gbh.org/events. If Acton-Boxborough wins, they will advance through the bracket and film their quarterfinal episode on Sunday, Feb. 2.
GBH’s High School Quiz Show premieres on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at 6 p.m. ET on GBH 2 and the High School Quiz Show YouTube channel. Acton-Boxborough’s first episode will air on March 22.
The ABRHS team is up for the challenge
On Thursday, Jan. 16, I met with Coach Montalbano and three members of the ABRHS team: Seniors Zayd Dhasthageer, Eric Chen, and Ryon Das. The fourth member of the team is freshman Nathaniel MacDonald. Zayd was part of last year’s team, so he’s familiar with show’s four rounds: Tossup, Head-to-Head, Category, and the Lightning Round. And the seniors have a strategy for who will “buzz in” to answer questions in math, history, science, literature, civics, current events, and other categories.
The team members expressed their excitement for the upcoming competition and their respect for their opponents. They have been rigorously preparing by practicing with past questions and simulating the actual quiz show environment. The students’ hard work and dedication are evident, and their enthusiasm is contagious. They hope to inspire other students at ABRHS to engage in similar academic challenges and to showcase the intellectual prowess of their school.
The coach highlighted the importance of teamwork and quick thinking. He emphasized that while individual knowledge is crucial, the ability to collaborate effectively under pressure is what sets successful teams apart. The students have been working on improving their communication skills and learning to trust each other’s strengths.
As the competition date approaches, the Acton-Boxborough community is rallying behind their team. Teachers, classmates, and family members are eager to support them, whether by attending the live taping or cheering them on from home. The collective support serves as a powerful motivator for the team, reminding them that they are not just representing themselves, but their entire school.
In the spirit of friendly competition, the ABRHS team is determined to give their best performance and make their school proud. Their journey on High School Quiz Show is not just about winning, but about celebrating knowledge, perseverance, and the joy of learning.
Perspective from the Executive Director of the show
In the 1940s and 1950s, there was a popular radio and TV show called Quiz Kids. I asked Wells if GBH’s High School Quiz Show was the latest example of a long line of popular programs in this genre.
She replied, “When we developed High School Quiz Show we looked at Quiz Kids, but it emphasized individual academic excellence. This produced what was called buzzer wars and it was bad television.”
Wells added, “We were more inspired by the GE College Bowl, which was very popular from the 1950s to 2022 because it emphasized team play versus dominant players. So, our format ensures that the whole team is involved.”
I also asked Wells if she had seen any trends over the previous 15 seasons in what it takes to win.
Wells said, “There has been a push to drop some of the categories like literature. But we think this is an important area and have kept it in High School Quiz Show.”
Finally, I asked her if there was a question that I hadn’t asked but should have.
Wells chuckled and answered, “You didn’t ask about the secret sauce for winning. It’s commitment. This includes commitment by coaches, players, GBH staff, and corporate sponsors like Safety Insurance. We care about this show.”
She concluded, “The other secret sauce is the integrity of the question sets. We fact check everything.”
Greg Jarboe writes on many topics for the Acton Exchange and he is the Senior Center beat reporter.