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BASIS Means Business: Wildcat Edition

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Upper School students were invited to participate in a new initiative across all BASIS Independent Schools introduced earlier this year.

BASIS Means Business encourages our students to create and innovate as they develop an entrepreneurial business idea and present it in a Shark Tank-style competition.

One finalist from each network school will compete in the finals on Saturday, Feb. 25 (held via Zoom) and the winner will receive $10,000 toward their charity of choice.

On Wednesday, Feb. 15, Pierce B. (’24) and Scarlett S. (’24) presented their ideas to the Upper School student body and our three judges.

The panel of judges included Kirk Murphy (Intro to Business elective teacher), Paul Kim (Wildcat parent and businessman), and Ms. Ermakova (Subject Expert Teacher, Math & Economics).

The presentations were on:

Biowrap – an eco-conscious replacement for plastic wrap (Pierce)

GardEco – Gardens for the urban home (Scarlett)

Both students showed impressive composure and professionalism. As far as the judges were concerned, high marks for both students were given regarding their public speaking. During the Q&A portion, the judges didn’t hold back from asking critical and pointed questions not to be too harsh but because they saw the potential in the students and their ideas. For example, they challenged the students about R&D, the cost of having a zero-carbon facility, and how to monetize online content behind a paywall.

The benefit of this project extended beyond the participants to the audience of high school students. The presenters demonstrated to their peers what it means to lead and set the tone for future competitions. It is clear that while marketing strategies and overall business acumen will always grab everyone’s attention, the foundation of success relies on the manner in which you present yourself and your ideas.

…and the Wildcat advancing to the BASIS Means Business finals is:

Scarlett S., Class of ’24

Now, the judges agreed that Scarlett has what it takes to go against her competitors from BASIS Independent Brooklyn, McLean, Fremont, Silicon Valley, and Bellevue and bring home the big prize. She has access to all of the resources and support offered by the BASIS Independent Manhattan community to prepare her for success. We look forward to the finals this month, but even more, we are eager to watch this program grow over the years to come.

100 High School Students (and 10 Chaperones) Visit NYC and D.C.

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For the 2022 – 2023 school year, BASIS Independent Silicon Valley was excited to bring back our New York City and Washington D.C. trip for high school students! 100 of our high school students and their chaperones toured both cities for six days seeing the sights, visiting historical monuments, and experiencing American History “in the room where it happened.”

The high school history curriculum at BASIS Independent Schools includes AP U.S. Government and Politics, AP U.S. History, AP World History, AP European History, and a number of Capstone Courses such as Crime and Punishment: Criminal Justice and the Constitution, Existentialism and the Absurd, and Law and Philosophy.

This trip allowed these students to experience and see much of what they learn in the classroom, in real life.

Day 1

After taking a red-eye and landing in Washington D.C. early that morning, our students wasted no time seeing the sights. First, was a biking tour of the National Mall. Students saw a few historical monuments, the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court, and the White House.

After a quick break for lunch, their tour began again at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

To end the first day they gathered together for dinner, arcade games, and bowling!

Day 2

Students were up bright and early to hop on the DC Metro and head to the Capitol Building. Our group took a guided tour through the Capital as well as the Supreme Court.

After stopping for lunch they made their way to the National African American History Museum for the afternoon.

Later after dinner, they joined a night walking tour of some of the national memorials.

Day 3

On day three our students had another early morning. This time heading to the Arlington National Cemetery. They were able to take a private tour and view the grounds before heading on a bus to make their way to New York City.

After checking into a hotel and dropping off their luggage, students got to ride the subway to their last stop of the day – Hamilton the musical. They even got to meet some of the cast after!

Day 4

On Day 4 students got to sleep in a little bit and got a later start before hopping on the subway to their first stop of the day. Students toured the 9/11 Memorial Museum before heading out for their next walking tour.

While walking around Greenwich Village students got to try authentic NYC pizza, bagels, cupcakes, and more sweet treats.

After the Village, students continued their walking tour to Midtown Manhattan. Midtown is home to 30 Rock, Times Square, Trump Tower, Central Park, the Empire State Building, Broadway, and St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

After doing some shopping and touring Times Square, students got to stop for some famous New York cheesecake before ending the night.

Day 5

On their last full day in NYC, students started their morning by heading to Battery Park and boarding the ferry to Liberty Island. Students then took a guided tour of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

After lunch, it was time to visit the world-famous Central Park in style! Students took a biking tour of the park and learned about its history with the city and its residents.

To end the night, they made their way to the top of the Empire State Building.

Day 6

Before departing for the airport, students got to take one last walking tour around Lower Manhattan.

After their tour, they grabbed their luggage, headed to the airport, and started to make their way back home.

Airport

On the way back to San Jose, students reflected amongst themselves as well as with their chaperones on their journey. For many, this was their first trip without their family and their first trip to the East Coast. They all had both personal and shared experiences when visiting humbling places such as the Holocaust Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, and Ellis Island. One student commented, “History feels more real to me now because I’ve been here and stood where they stood.”

Memories of a lifetime were made and our students and chaperones, though tired and amazed at the sheer amount of steps they had completed in those six days, were happy to have gone on this adventure together.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Bobcat community?

Student Spotlight: Senior Wins Davidson Fellowship for Research on CRISPR Viral Therapies

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BASIS Independent Silicon Valley student Indeever M., Class of 2023, has become the first person in the world to sequence the genome of the freshwater angelfish!

Indeever sequenced the genome of his pet angelfish Calvin after it died in March this past year. “Although my fish was dead, I wanted to preserve it forever,” he says. “So I decided to sequence the genome of the angelfish with the hopes that I could contribute that information to the scientific community, and so that the angelfish could one day be used as a model organism for biological research!”

You can view his sequence data on this public database and his research paper describing his work was published here.

Indeever has also been awarded a 2022 Davidson Fellowship for his research on CRISPR viral therapies. Recognized by Forbes as “one of the nation’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships,” the Fellows scholarship is one of “The 10 Biggest Scholarships in the World” by TheBestColleges.org and one of “7 Prestigious Undergrad Scholarships” in U.S. News & World Report.

You can view his research on CRISPR viral therapies here.

Congratulations Indeever!

We sat down with Indeever to learn more about his research and experience with these projects.

Congratulations on these amazing accomplishments! What made you start this CRISPR project?

With the ongoing pandemic, I wanted to conduct novel research to find a way to better protect immunocompromised people from viral infections. I was also incredibly excited to develop mastery over various wet bench techniques. That’s how this project took off in mid-2021.

Can you give a general description of your project?

With the COVID-19 pandemic having taken the world by storm, one reliable way to protect ourselves from a viral infection is by getting vaccinated. However, vaccines have limited efficacy in immunocompromised people as their bodies cannot mount a strong response to the vaccination and develop antibodies. A complement to vaccinations is necessary to thoroughly protect the immunocompromised from viral infections, and I turned to bacteria for a solution.

In my current work, I hypothesized that the bacterial CRISPR-Ca9 system, which protects bacteria from viral infections, could be repurposed to function as an intracellular defense mechanism for human cells. After genetically engineering human cells to express Cas9, I introduced viral DNA into the cells and found that the Cas9 enzyme significantly reduced the expression of the viral DNA, effectively protecting the cell from infection.

Where were you able to complete this project?

I conducted my self-directed research at BioCurious, a local community biology lab in Santa Clara.

Sounds amazing! What gave you the confidence to do all that on your own?

I joined BISV in Grade 6, and my favorite subject has always been biology. Thanks to BISV’s rigorous curriculum, I greatly enjoyed all the STEM exposure I had in biology, chemistry, and physics.

In Grade 11, I made sure to take the Biotechnology elective with Dr. Allendoefer. She helped me a lot outside of class. Her class and her willingness to always discuss my ideas are what really ignited my interest in CRISPR technology.

How did you get involved with the Davidson Fellowship?

I heard about the fellowship from a family friend. The Davidson Institute looks for significant projects that are meaningful and have the potential to make a positive contribution to society. I submitted a research paper that was reviewed by a panel of experts. By the way, they accept non-stem projects as well. My submission was 34 pages long! They judged the research work on the following criteria – Scientific rigor, societal impact, and also the applicant’s understanding of the specific domain.

What advice would you give to future students who are interested in pursuing a project outside of school?

Keep learning about the world you live in, identify challenges that afflict people, and try to develop solutions through your research. Make sure to talk to the talented teachers at BISV and learn from their wisdom and experiences. Find what you’re interested in and pursue it. Don’t be afraid of what other people think or even what the results will be.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings.

Student Spotlight: Junior Selected for World Science Scholars Program

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The World Science Scholars (WSS) program, an initiative of the World Science Festival, has announced its newest and largest class, with 55 young Scholars from 13 countries. These exceptionally talented mathematical minds will have an unparalleled opportunity to apply their abilities to unexplored disciplines.

Led by world-renowned experts, Scholars examine the ways that advanced mathematics skills can be applied to solve complex challenges in a wide range of multidisciplinary fields.

One of our very own BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Bobcats, Maggie Peng, Class of 2024, has been selected as a World Science Scholar.

Congratulations Maggie!

Maggie will begin a year-long journey of learning and discovery with WSS faculty, including Nobel and Breakthrough Prize winners, best-selling authors, and experts working at the cutting edge of their fields.

They will take advanced, self-paced courses with interactive demonstrations, exercises, discussions, and video lectures. They will collaborate on projects, attend virtual lab tours, and have the unique opportunity to interact directly with these unmatched experts and teaching fellows through riveting lectures and live virtual discussions. Maggie will also join a vibrant and supportive online community that encourages discussion, debate, and collaboration among the students, enabling them to forge lifelong connections with their peers.

We sat down with Maggie to ask her a few questions about her experience.

Congratulations on this amazing achievement! What made you want to apply?

I found WSS after watching a few of Dr. Brian Greene’s publicly available lectures and getting interested in his research. World Science Scholars not only covered what he teaches but also incorporates lectures from other university professors. I applied because I wanted to broaden my horizons and learn about more advanced topics that are not covered at the high school level.

What was the application process like for you?

The process of applying was relatively simple: there are three forms to fill out; one for you, one for a parent, and one for a teacher. It focuses a lot on your interests and achievements in mathematics. I would encourage any of my peers who are interested in applying to go for it!

What are you most excited about?

When I first heard about WSS, I was mainly interested in the range of STEM subjects they covered. Right now I’m just excited to keep taking more courses and learning! There are many STEM subfields out there that I’ve yet to become acquainted with and I’m excited about the exposure this program will give me.

What would you tell other students interested in applying?

I would tell them that there is a good amount of time required to keep up with the coursework. It’s not overbearing in my schedule, but I do spend a lot of time studying. If you are a dedicated student with strong organizational skills it’s the perfect program for you.

Congratulations again Maggie, we are so proud of you!

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings.