• Register your interest by 5:00 pm on October 20, 2023, by emailing quizshow@mainepublic.org

• With an authorized coach or coaches, form a team of 4 primary players and up to 2 alternates.

• During the week of October 30, 2023, the team will take the online qualification test (can be taken anytime from October 30 to 8:00 pm on November 3 and takes less than an hour)

• The top 16 scoring teams will be invited to the show which records in Lewiston. Tapings are scheduled for weekday afternoons in November, December and January. Teams receive a travel stipend for each trip.

• Teams can expect up to four trips to Lewiston (Prelim, Quarter, Semi and the Championship)

The Game

High School Quiz Show: Maine is a televised academic quiz tournament set up in a single-elimination knockout format. The winner of each match moves on to the next round of competition while the losing team is eliminated from further competition for that season. The season is comprised of eight regular games, four quarter-finals, two semi-finals and the championship. (The two teams that make it to the championship will have played three games prior and most likely four separate trips in total.)

The winning team will receive a $1,000 check and the second-place team will receive a $500 check to go towards their school’s "Project Graduation" or other appropriate use as determined by the winning school’s administration.

Application and Selection for Competition

Any Maine secondary school, public or private, serving grades 9-12 is eligible to participate. Homeschooling groups may also apply (these students must be at a level equivalent to grades 9-12). Schools or home school groups may combine with other schools or home school groups to enter as a regional team if neither can field an entire team from within their school or group. Schools or groups need to have the permission of the appropriate administrator to enter this contest. An authorized person shall contact Maine Public by 5:00 pm on October 20, 2023 to be put on the list of interested schools.

Interested schools will form a team of six members — four players and two alternates — to take a qualifying test the week of October 30, 2023. This online test may be started anytime during that week but once begun must be completed within one hour. The test must be completed by 8:00 pm on Friday, November 3, 2023. 16 teams scoring the highest on the test move on to the televised games to be recorded over the coming weeks. The two highest-scoring teams that do not qualify will become alternates in the event a higher-scoring school cannot participate. All participating teams will be notified of the results by 2:00 pm November 8, 2023. Qualifying teams will then receive more detailed information regarding scheduling, gameplay, etc.

Teams compete in a bracket format with their positions determined by the qualification test scores. (Team 1 plays Team 16, Team 2 plays Team 15, etc.)

Shows are scheduled to be recorded on weekday afternoons, generally either at 2:30 pm or 3:30 pm at the Maine Public Television studio in Lewiston throughout November, December and January. Teams that win their preliminary match will return another day for the quarter-final match. That winning team will return another day for the semi-final. The two winners of the semi-finals will then return for the Championship.

Team Formation

Each school selected to compete must appoint a coach or coaches who will serve as the school’s liaison with Maine Public. All specific information regarding taping dates, show format, scoring procedures, etc. will be handled by the coach and Maine Public.

Additionally, each competing school is responsible for the selection of team members. Each team must consist of FOUR regular playing members, one of which shall serve as team captain. At least one regular playing team member must be a Maine resident. Each team must also retain TWO alternates. These alternates, at the discretion of the coach and with advance notice to Maine Public, may be rotated into playing status for a regular team member who is absent on the day of a show taping. Family members of Maine Public employees may not participate on a team.

The coach is tasked with the responsibility of preparing their team for competition on the program. Each school/team must decide for themselves the best way to prepare their students. General guidelines on the type of material typically encountered will be provided by Maine Public along with suggestions on where practice material may be obtained. The specifics of how teams train are left to the individual schools and coaches. No one school will receive information from Maine Public that may put them at an advantage over another school. Any information offered by Maine Public regarding team preparation will be shared equally with all competing schools.

Maine Public may request that schools also bring their "mascot" for a possible appearance on the program.

Gameplay

The broadcast games will have a general question-and-answer format over the course of several rounds. While rounds may differ in terms of specifics, they will usually consist of answering questions put forth by the host. For an idea of how the game will play out, check out previous episodes here.

Teams appearing on the broadcast will be given more details about actual gameplay prior to the first recording date.

In all cases the decisions made by the judges in the course of game play are final. This can even mean that a round in progress can be stopped and started over with the scores reverting to what they were and new questions. This can be due to technical issues or contestant actions. No exceptions can be made.

School Participation

Participation in this contest shall be considered a school function, with the competing schools or groups taking full responsibility for the students’ transportation to and from the Maine Public Television studios and agreeing to accept full liability for the students’ conduct and safety. Teams not conducting themselves in an appropriate manner may be disqualified from further competition regardless of the outcome of their game.

Maine Public will provide each participating team with a small stipend used to offset travel costs for each day travel is required to the Lewiston studio. Maine Public reserves the right to adjust the amount of the stipend depending on each school’s/team’s location.

The dress code should be no less strict than each participating school’s rules. Uniforms or clothing with school or team logo are encouraged but not required. Clothing that prominently features a non-school/team logo, business name, music/band names, words/phrases, or any other distracting, promotional or commercial interest will not be allowed on any team member or coach. Bright white shirts are discouraged for technical reasons but will be allowed if that is the only choice of dress.

Schools/teams will notify Maine Public if any team member requires special accommodation to physically be on the set so that Maine Public may be able to properly adapt to such needs.

Teams are welcome to bring supporters to the taping. Due to limited seating in the studio, some guests may have to watch from another location within the studio facility.

The results of each match are to be kept secret until after the program airs. Failure to do some may result in disqualification in future seasons.

Right to Amend Rules

Maine Public, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to add to, amend, or eliminate any or all of the above rules without prior notice. If such changes are made this page will be updated to reflect those changes and team coaches will be contacted and directed to review the updated rules.

By entering the studio facility, individuals (both participants and guests) thereby agree to grant Maine Public all rights to use their likeness, name, voice, etc. on, but not limited to, television, radio, online, in print and any other medium that Maine Public may use either now or in the future.

Furthermore, Maine Public retains all rights in perpetuity. This includes delivery for all known and future methods of transmission, broadcast or digital delivery and without geographical limits.

HIGH SCHOOL QUIZ SHOW™, the High School Quiz Show logo and its related indicia are trademarks of WGBH Educational Foundation, used under license.