Schools

Mount Vernon High School to Appear On 'It's Academic'

Mount Vernon's It's Academic team competes on popular TV quiz show.

A team of students from Mount Vernon High School recently competed on "It's Academic," a high school quiz program.

Seniors and Rachel Nelson and junior Elizabeth Portaluppi faced off against Annandale High School and Oxon Hill High School. The show is in its 51st season and is now hosted by WTOP anchor Hillary Howard. Longtime host Mac McGarry, who was recently featured in The Washington Post, retired from the show earlier this month.

Nelson and Gosaye joined the team last year and Portaluppi joined two years ago. The trio agreed that the camraderie the team has is the best part of being on the team.

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“We’re a really close team,” said Portaluppi. “We’re all in it together.”

Added Nelson, “We win together and lose together. When we lose, we laugh it off and keep going.”

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Gosaye added “You learn from your mistakes.”

Faculty advisor Mitch Luxenburg is in his third year advising the It’s Academic team. The team has 15 members who compete in biweekly scrimmages and monthly competitions against other schools.

“They really seem to enjoy it,” he said. “It’s about strengthening their minds, enjoying the camaraderie, and challenging one another.”

Luxenburg competed on “It’s Academic” in 1970 when he was a student at Paramus High School in New Jersey. The team lost to Long Island’s Oceanside High School.

The show will air on NBC4 this Saturday at 11 a.m.


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