Honors

Nine BASIS Independent Schools Seniors Named Presidential Scholar Candidates

April 1, 2025 by mirandamartinez Leave a Comment

External recognition reinforces the accomplishments BASIS Independent School educators see each day inside their classrooms. Today, we are incredibly proud to share the news that nine seniors across our network of schools have been recognized as 2025 U.S. Presidential Scholars candidates. The Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964 to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduating high school seniors.

Each year, approximately 4,000 candidates across the country are selected based on their outstanding performance on the SAT and ACT assessments. This distinction not only showcases students’ exceptional abilities but also highlights the advanced, globally benchmarked BASIS Curriculum that helped foster their critical thinking, problem-solving, and deep content mastery.

Presidential Scholar Candidates Named Across BASIS Independent Schools:

BASIS Independent Brooklyn – Gustavo P.

BASIS Independent Fremont – Atharv D., Aditi K., Luoxi W.

BASIS Independent McLean – Caden Z.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley – Nicole L., Andrew L., Antony W., Olivia Z.

All candidates will now be reviewed based on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership, and service activities. Candidate essays are also reviewed and factor into the selection. Approximately 650 candidates are named semifinalists and forwarded to the Commission for further review. In April, up to 161 U.S Presidential Scholars are selected and honored for their accomplishments.

In the more than 60 years since the United States Presidential Scholars Program was established, approximately 8,000 U.S. Presidential Scholars have been named based on demonstrated leadership, scholarship, and contribution to school and community.

The BASIS Independent Schools Legacy

At BASIS Independent Schools, we empower students to push boundaries and achieve their highest potential. Our challenging curriculum, expert educators, and dynamic learning culture ensure that students cultivate their interests and are set up for success in college and beyond.

Congratulations to all of our 2025 Presidential Scholar Candidates! You are an inspiration to us. We look forward to celebrating your continued success as you move ahead to the next stage of your academic journey.

Stay tuned for more updates as we celebrate these exceptional scholars and their accomplishments!

Nine BASIS Independent Schools Seniors Named Presidential Scholar Candidates

April 1, 2025 by mirandamartinez Leave a Comment

Presidential Scholar Candidates Named Across BASIS Independent Schools:

BASIS Independent Brooklyn – Gustavo P.

BASIS Independent Fremont – Atharv D., Aditi K., Luoxi W.

BASIS Independent McLean – Caden Z.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley – Nicole L., Andrew L., Antony W., Olivia Z.

The BASIS Independent Schools Legacy

Stay tuned for more updates as we celebrate these exceptional scholars and their accomplishments!

See what sets our students apart—explore our High School Program today!

Nine BASIS Independent Schools Seniors Named Presidential Scholar Candidates

March 31, 2025 by jogoldfarb Leave a Comment

Presidential Scholar Candidates Named Across BASIS Independent Schools:

BASIS Independent Brooklyn – Gustavo P.

BASIS Independent Fremont – Atharv D., Aditi K., Luoxi W.

BASIS Independent McLean – Caden Z.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley – Nicole L., Andrew L., Antony W., Olivia Z.

The BASIS Independent Schools Legacy

Stay tuned for more updates as we celebrate these exceptional scholars and their accomplishments!

See what sets our students apart—explore our High School Program today!

Nine BASIS Independent Seniors Named U.S. Presidential Scholar Candidates

March 28, 2025 by jessicagrear Leave a Comment

Each year approximately 4,000 candidates across the country are selected based on outstanding performance on the SAT and ACT assessments. This distinction not only showcases students’ exceptional abilities but also highlights the advanced, globally benchmarked BASIS Curriculum that helped foster their critical thinking, problem-solving, and deep content mastery.

Presidential Scholar Candidates Named Across BASIS Independent Schools:

BASIS Independent Brooklyn – Gustavo P.

BASIS Independent Fremont – Atharv D., Aditi K., Luoxi W.

BASIS Independent McLean – Caden Z.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley – Nicole L., Andrew L., Antony W., Olivia Z.

The BASIS Independent Schools Legacy

Stay tuned for more updates as we celebrate these exceptional scholars and their accomplishments!

See what sets our students apart—explore our High School Program today!

National Junior Honor Society at BASIS Independent Bellevue

January 21, 2025 by michaeldiambri Leave a Comment

The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) plays an integral role in building up the students in our Middle School Program as young leaders. As one of the premier student organizations in the nation, NJHS empowers members to contribute meaningfully to their communities while excelling academically. This year, our NJHS chapter has been busier than ever as our school continues to grow.

Character, Citizenship, Leadership, Scholarship, and Service.

The National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) pillars—character, citizenship, leadership, scholarship, and service—align with BLV’s mission to foster well-rounded students. NJHS encourages students to pursue academic projects and take the lead on initiatives that benefit their community. In grade 10, students transition to the National Honor Society (NHS), which introduces additional requirements to further their growth. This progression reflects BLV’s commitment to teaching foundational skills and guiding students toward confidently reaching higher levels of achievement.

The number of members fluctuates yearly depending on the number of applicants. The admittance process is rigorous, and students must re-apply annually. Students need to have earned high marks in school, complete the application questions which show examples of how they work to achieve the pillar characteristics, and write an essay based on the chosen topic. Once they have submitted their application, it is looked over by the Chapter Head and by the faculty committee which is made up of teachers from our school.

Currently, our chapter has 30 students, each doing their best to stay committed to upholding NJHS’s principles. Becoming a member of NJHS at BASIS Independent Bellevue is an honor and a responsibility. Membership requires ongoing dedication. Students must maintain strong academic standing, contribute 15 volunteer hours, and participate in NJHS activities. Students have done many creative projects such as cleaning up parks and leading informational lessons at libraries. These expectations and activities of NJHS ensure that members remain engaged and committed to their personal growth and community impact.

NJHS at BASIS Independent Bellevue: This Year so Far

At the beginning of the school year, students who had been accepted into the BASIS Independent Bellevue NJHS chapter joined the organization during our Induction Ceremony. During this event, select students read passages relating to the five pillars. Students then took their NJHS oath and received their certificate from Head of School, Dr. Thies.

In the months of November and December, BASIS Independent Bellevue hosted a food drive in partnership with Renewal Food Bank. During this time, NJHS students had the opportunity to volunteer with counting, storing, and organizing the food and hygiene products that were donated. At the end of the food drive, NJHS students went to deliver the food to the bank and received a tour to learn more about the food bank process and the communities impacted by the donations.

Lending support to our on campus community is also a passion for many of our NJHS students. For example, four grade 8 students from NJHS are currently working on a student-led project. To help support their peers in grades 6 through 8 who are taking their Pre-Comprehensive exams at the end of January, they have partnered with the primary students to create encouraging notes. The primary students wrote personal messages of support which the grade 8 students then attached to folded origami cranes that they had hand-crafted.

As our learning community grows further, NJHS is becoming a force that strengthens our student body. Through their dedication to service, leadership, and character, NJHS members set an example for their peers.

Nearly 70% of High School Students Awarded AP Scholar Distinction

September 16, 2024 by jogoldfarb Leave a Comment

At BASIS Independent Brooklyn, we prioritize celebrating our students’ accomplishments across many areas–from fine arts to community service, debate competitions, sports, and beyond. However, academic accomplishment remains a shared priority within our community. Today we can proudly share that based on the 2024 AP scores approximately 68% of our high school students qualified as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars during their time in our program. Students move from AP Scholar to AP Scholar with Honor and then AP Scholar with Distinction. Approximately 75% of our students reach that highest level of AP Scholar with Distinction by the time they graduate.

“The AP Scholar distinctions our students earned this year are yet another measure of the success that’s earned here at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, ” said Josh Harmon, Head of School for BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Upper School. “Academically all of our high school students qualified as AP Scholars by the time they finished their junior year. When looking at all students in grades 9-12 nearly 70% of our high school was awarded the honor of AP Scholar or higher. Moreover, our students sat for more AP exams in 2024 than ever before with the growth of our high school.”

AP Scholar awards recognize students who have demonstrated both a depth and breadth of knowledge and whose work has shown college-level mastery across multiple disciplines. The College Board awards the following distinctions for AP exams, and we have students who have achieved all levels.

- AP Scholar: students who received a score of 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams.

- AP Scholar with Honors: students who received a score of 3 or higher on 4 or more exams, and have an average score of at least 3.25 across all exams taken.
- AP Scholar with Distinction: students who received a score of 3 or higher on at least 5 exams, and an average score of 3.5 across all exams taken.

Nationwide, only about 10% of students earn the distinction of AP Scholar or higher by the time they graduate (based on historic data provided by the College Board). We are thrilled to share some of the top accomplishments here:

- 75 students in our high school were named AP Scholar or higher distinctions, representing approximately 68% of our high school in May 2024 when the exams were taken.
- 75% of our seniors received the AP Scholar with Distinction, the highest award offered by the College Board.

Our school has been recognized as a Platinum Member of the AP School Honor Roll. This is the highest recognition possible for a school on the Honor Roll, and it is based on our students’ outstanding results.

Congratulations to all our students who have earned an AP Scholar Award for their performance on the exams during their High School tenure. See the full lists of student recipients updated to include the 2024 results below:

AP Scholar: Students who received a score of 3 or higher on 3 or more AP exams.

Victor B. ’25

Matthias B. ’25

Leo B. ’25

Eden E. ’24

Abraham G. ’27

Joaquim H. ’26

Douglas H. ’27

Gabriel H. ’26

Charlotte J. ’24

Rachel K. ’25

Katherine K. ’26

Avi L. ’24

Hendrix N. ’25

Jason P. ’25

Saajan P. ’26

Sasha T. ’25

AP Scholar with Honors: Students who received a score of 3 or higher on 4 or more AP exams and have an average score of at least 3.25 across all exams taken. Nationwide, only about 6% of students will graduate high school with this degree of recognition or higher. Nearly all of these honorees have done so well before graduation.

Wyatt A. ’26

Laila G. ’24

Archie H. ’26

Laith J. ’25

Alexa L. ’24

Viola L. ’25

AP Scholar with Distinction: Students who have a score of 3 or higher on at least 5 exams, and an average score of 3.5 across all exams taken. These students have already completed at least a semester’s worth of college credit while still in high school. Only about 4% of graduating seniors receive this award, and less than 1/10th of 1% of students receive it after sophomore year.

Overall in our high school, the following 50 students received this honor:

Philip B. ’26

Radha B. ’26

Jack B. ’24

Zeke B. ’24

Jack C. ’25

Nathaniel C. ’26

Mia C. ’26

Nicolas D. ’25

Colin D. ’25

Axel F. ’25

Sofia G. ’24

Alexa G. ’26

Samantha G. ’24

Diego G. ’24

Angelina G. ’24

Maxwell H. ’25

Mateo K. ’25

Lianna L. ’26

Aidan L. ’25

Ye L. ’24

Thomas M. ’25

Sabrina M. ’26

Dilan M. ’24

Maddox M. ’25

Ben N. ’24

Sefir O. ’26

Oliver P. ’24

Talin P. ’26

Charles P. ’24

Gustavo P. ’25

Daniel P. ’24

Kanika R. ’26

Noah R. ’26

James R. ’25

Alexander R. ’24

Skye S. ’25

Nadia S. ’25

Xinyi S. ’26

Gregory S. ’26

Maxim S. ’25

Nadine S. ’24

Yuna S. ’24

Jasmine S. ’26

Jonah S. ’24

Lucas S. ’24

Ryan T. ’25

Beckham V. ’26

Isaac W. ’24

River W. ’26

Andre Z. ’24

Photo (above): Our Class of 2025 posing with Associate Head of School Leo Yoon, Head of School Josh Harmon, and College Counselor Matt Brauch.

Please join us in congratulating our Bears!

BASIS Independent Brooklyn Students Honored by National Merit Scholarship

September 21, 2023 by msnyder

Ofﬁcials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) just released the names of Semiﬁnalists and Commended Scholars in the 69th annual National Merit Scholarship Program – including 9 BASIS Independent Brooklyn students. Jack B. ’23 was named as a Semifinalist and will continue on in the competition for some 7,140 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $28 million that will be offered next spring. Along with Jack, we proudly celebrate 8 Commended Scholars recognized by NMSC.

Photographed above: Left to right – College Counselor Brauch, Head of School Harmon, Dean Goldman, Charlie P. ’24, Jack B. ’24, Samantha G. ’24, Associate Head of School Robert Runyon, Director Forde. Seated left to right: Nadine S. ’24, Alex R. 24, and Jonah S. ’24.

High school juniors entered the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2023 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®), which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of Semiﬁnalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.

“I’m so grateful to have watched these students grow over the years,” said Josh Harmon, Head of School at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. “They are all exceptional students and individuals. They are very deserving of the recognition.”

The honored students at BASIS Independent Brooklyn are:

Jack B.
Syun D.
Samantha G.
Charlie P.
Daniel P.
Alex R.
Colton R.
Nadine S.
Jonah S.

While we could talk for hours about each and every one of our seniors, we wanted to share a brief overview of the students recognized by NMSC.

Jack B. ’24 is a leading player on our Varsity Basketball team who helped grow the team through the years. He is one of the founding members of our Latinx Affinity Group and our school’s chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America.
Syun D. ’23 graduated in June, and he is taking a gap year now before heading to Imperial College London to pursue an engineering degree. Syun joined our school in year one ten years ago. He founded the Aerospace Club at our school, and he was a proud member of Science Bowl with Mr. Winter.
Samantha G. ’24 is the Leadership Club President and Co-Editor of The Grizzly student news site. She has been published in the University of Pennsylvania’s Journal of Urban Education and she has a column with the Red Hook Star-Revue. She joined our school when the doors opened in 2014.
Charlie P. ’24 is interested in pursuing a career in medicine, and he won the World Food Prize New York Youth Institute as a Borlaug Scholar for his paper about obesity in Nauru. He traveled to Cornell’s Ithaca campus in March to present his results.
Alex R. ’24 won the National Strogatz Prize for Math Communication, and national and local Scholastic Arts awards through the years. He is also a proud member of our Science Bowl, which won honors in the TEAMS competition last year. He is also a founding student who has helped design more Communication Journal covers than any other student!
Colton R. ’23 graduated in the spring and is currently taking a gap year that involves meditating in Nepal without any devices. He was a key member of our band, where he led concerts with incredible drum performances.
Nadine S. ’24 just joined our Bear community last year, and she won honors in Forensics Debate League competitions and went all the way to the New York State competition last year. Nadine is a dedicated tutor at the Red Hook Art Project, and she proudly works closely with the nonprofit on events.
Jonah S. ’24. founded our Future Business Leaders of America chapter on campus, and he is the founding Director of Communications in our Leadership Club. Jonah was one of the first students at our school, and he is also one of our 15 seniors who joined BASIS Independent Brooklyn from day one.

From over 16,000 Semiﬁnalists, more than 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February they will be notiﬁed of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. The scholarship winners of 2024 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 375,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.

Network Results

Across our network of BASIS Independent Schools with 187 seniors across our five campuses, we are celebrating 38 Semifinalists and 69 Commended Scholars this year! Each state has different cutoff scores for the honors, and our BASIS Independent Schools are in some of the most competitive states — CA, NY, and VA — for semifinalist qualification.

On behalf of all BASIS Independent Schools, we are so proud of you – and of all of our students – for your continual academic achievements both big and small. Please join us in congratulating our Bears!