Boston, Mass. (May 18, 2026) - Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (BB&N) has earned the title of High School Quiz Show® Season 17 State Champion. Throughout Boston public media producer GBH’s bracketed academic tournament, BB&N proved their knowledge, strategy, and speed, resulting in a final win against Sharon High School during the season finale on Saturday, May 16.
Hosted by Joe Hanson, creator and host of PBS’s Be Smart, High School Quiz Show showcases the academic aptitude of 17 teams from across the Commonwealth. The fast-paced tournament tests students’ knowledge in categories such as literature, math, history, science, civics, and current events. Season 17 of High School Quiz Show is available to stream in its entirety on highschoolquizshow.org, the High School Quiz Show YouTube channel, and PBS Passport.
This victory marks a triumphant return to the top for the Cambridge-based school. BB&N previously secured the Season 14 Championship in 2023. After falling to Lexington High School in the Season 15 and Season 16 finales, the Knights returned this year with a focused resolve.
“Congratulations to the Buckingham Browne & Nichols team on their spectacular Season 17 victory. Returning to the winner’s circle after several hard-fought seasons is a testament to the students’ resilience and depth of knowledge,” said GBH President and CEO Susan Goldberg. “Year after year, we continue to be impressed by the academic excellence in our own neighborhoods, and we’re proud to highlight it through this deeply local program that bridges communities across the Commonwealth with the shared pursuit of learning.”
Coached by BB&N teachers Sam Crihfield and Chip Rollinson, teammates Andreas, You-Yan, Dean, and Alec led the team to victory. Seth and Peilin supported the team as alternates.
“I’m truly proud of the hard work our students and their Quiz Team advisors put into this tremendous achievement against so many impressive opponents. Having watched years of High School Quiz Show live in studio, I always come away invigorated by the spirit of scholarship and impressed by the electric atmosphere generated among the competitors and the audience,” said Dr. Jennifer Price, BB&N Head of School. “Thank you to GBH for making this amazing opportunity available to Massachusetts schools.”
In addition to the championship title, BB&N received a $1,000 check, a commemorative trophy, gold medals for each student and coach, and a banner to be displayed at the school.
Seventy schools competed in the Super Sunday event last November. The 17 schools that competed in Season 17 of High School Quiz Show earned the highest scores during Super Sunday.
The schools that competed this season were:
- Amherst Regional High School
- Andover High School
- Belmont High School
- Brookline High School
- Buckingham Browne & Nichols School (Cambridge)
- Cambridge Rindge and Latin School
- Lexington High School
- Mansfield High School
- Milton Academy
- Natick High School
- Sharon High School
- Somerville High School
- The Academy at Charlemont
- Waltham High School
- Wellesley High School
- Weston High School
- Westwood High School
The complete Season 17 bracket can be found here.
Major funding for High School Quiz Show is provided by Safety Insurance. Additional funding is provided by the Museum of Science, Massachusetts Teachers Association, Britebound, UMass Amherst, Subaru of New England, and Direct Federal Credit Union. High School Quiz Show is endorsed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education and the Massachusetts PTA.
For more information, visit highschoolquizshow.org and follow the show on YouTube, Facebook,and Instagram.
About GBH
GBH is the leading multiplatform creator for public media in America. As the largest producer of content for PBS and partner to NPR and PRX, GBH delivers compelling experiences, stories and information to audiences wherever they are. GBH produces digital and broadcast programming that engages, illuminates and inspires, through drama and science, history, arts, culture and journalism. GBH is the creator of such signature programs as MASTERPIECE, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, FRONTLINE, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and ARTHUR and Molly of Denali and a catalog of streaming series, podcasts and on-demand video. GBH’s television channels include GBH 2, GBH 44, GBH Kids and national services GBH WORLD and Create. With studios and a newsroom headquartered in Boston, GBH reaches across New England with GBH 89.7, Boston’s Local NPR; CRB Classical 99.5; CAI, the Cape and Islands NPR station, and as a partner to New England Public Media in Springfield. Dedicated to making media accessible to and representative of our diverse culture, GBH is a pioneer in delivering media to audience members who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired. With PBS LearningMedia, GBH creates curriculum-based digital content for educators nationwide. GBH’s local programming includes Boston Public Radio, GBH News Rooted, Stories from the Stage, The Culture Show, The Curiosity Desk, and High School Quiz Show. GBH has been recognized with hundreds of the nation’s premier broadcast, digital and journalism awards. Find more information at gbh.org.
