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Fostering Literacy in the Early Years as a Tool for Life-Long Learning

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To kick off Read Across America Month this March, Head of the Lower School Ms. Rose Miller-Sims reflects on how teachers at BASIS Independent Brooklyn nurture a love of reading in our youngest learners.

At BASIS Independent Brooklyn, our team of educators are united in their drive to foster a love of learning from PreK all the way through high school. In the Early Learning Program, we find incredible joy in seeing those meaningful “lightbulb” moments and balancing a child’s natural tendencies and intentional academic learning. One of the most critical foundational skills students must master in their educational journey is literacy. In the youngest years, this means learning the foundational skills to be an excellent reader. This is why our BASIS Curriculum for the early years includes a robust mastery of phonics with built in spiral review rooted in the science of reading.

As students progress through the grades and curriculum, they begin with the building blocks of literacy and quickly expand to encompass processing information, expressing thoughts and ideas clearly, and engaging in dialogue with peers and the larger community on a variety of topics using both oral and written language. What makes excellent literacy skills extraordinary is that you can explore the world through texts, evaluate information with a critical eye, and synthesize information and experiences to form a unique opinion. We strive to nurture in our students global citizens who can contribute to the betterment of their communities and exceptional literacy skills are at the heart of this goal.

Our exceptional Subject Expert Teachers use the science of reading to teach the fundamentals of literacy in our Early Learning and Primary Programs. Instead of focusing on rote memorization of spelling words, our teachers focus on supporting students to learn the spelling rules and specific sounds that make up the English language. Although these rules may be complex, when broken down into a systematic framework of the language, students are more than capable of grasping, remembering, and applying these rules— what’s more they have so much fun doing it! Not only is reading itself fun in the hands of our amazing teachers, but the games, activities, and hands-on learning in use to master these foundational literacy skills bring so much joy into the classroom.

We have big dreams for our young learners and our utmost goal as educators is to provide our students with the tools to lead the life they choose when they exit our doors and enter the world as adults. Without a doubt, fostering true literacy skills in our students is of paramount importance to their future success.

“The ability to read, write, and analyze; the confidence to stand up and demand justice and equality; the qualifications and connections to get your foot in that door and take your seat at that table – all of that starts with education.” ~Michelle Obama

Learn more about BASIS Independent Schools by inquiring with our Admissions Team today!

Shark Tank Sparks Innovation at BASIS Independent Manhattan

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Hey Sharks… Welcome to BASIS Independent Manhattan!

What does a TV show where stuffy millionaires scour the cerebral seas for tasty new ideas have to do with students at BASIS Independent Manhattan? Turns out, the Shark Tank formula is the perfect intersection between drama, English, and engineering, three subjects that our elementary school students happen to excel in.

Gearing up for our very own Shark Tank

When we announced the annual, interdisciplinary Shark Tank project at our private school on the Upper West Side, the grade 4 students were thrilled. They quickly began to scheme up idea after idea to pitch. But there was still a lot that needed to happen before our little entrepreneurs would be ready for the big day. Our top-ranked teachers got right to work.

Starting on the STEM side, students used the engineering design process to brainstorm and develop their inventions. Engineering Subject Expert Teacher Ms. Delaney explained how this unfolded in her class: “The first step was to guide students through drafting detailed blueprints to transform their ideas into reality. Once we identified their most innovative designs, the class collaborated to create working prototypes they were excited to pitch to the Sharks.” 

Shark Tank display of photos and inventions

Moving along to English, this is where students wrote persuasive essays with a strong hook, crucial supporting details, and a concise conclusion. Ms. Lauten (English Subject Expert Teacher, Gr. 4–5) said, “It was important that students understood the connection between their writing and their upcoming Shark Tank presentation, By using these components of a persuasive essay, it was a smooth process pulling out the strongest elements to craft a compelling oral pitch.”

Time for the last leg of the project! In drama students honed their public speaking skills. Ms. Boscolo (Drama Subject Expert Teacher) worked with them on projection, posture, eye contact, and enunciation. She went on to say, “These skills not only enhance public speaking, performing, and presenting, but they also boost individual self-confidence.” It was evident students learned that a solid presentation could make all the difference between sealing the deal or walking home empty-handed.

Learning to manage those pre-pitch jitters

As the looming day drew closer, students’ nerves increased. Here are a few ways our expert teachers supported students throughout the process:

  • Talked about using a growth mindset to approach challenges with resilience and confidence.
  • Focused on learning from feedback and seeing setbacks as opportunities for growth.
  • A special lesson led by our School Counselor emphasized the value of maintaining a positive attitude and believing in one’s abilities.
  • Teachers gave students strategies to help them stay calm under pressure, using their emotions as motivation for success rather than a reason to give up.

The Big Day

One by one, our young entrepreneurs proudly stood to pitch their ideas, all of which were incredible. Here are a few highlights:

  • “Tweet,” by Morgan, is a pencil case that has games, music, and lots of other things attached to it. Morgan explained how Tweet can make life more fun and give us easier access to technology.
  • Ryder pitched “The Lingle Bingle,” a powerful, cheap, GPS tracker that can work anywhere in the world.
  • “The Reminder Watch,” pitched by Ella, is a watch that glows and vibrates whenever the wearer has forgotten something. And the best part? The Reminder Watch comes in many different shapes and patterns. 😊 Each of our students pitched something that we were proud of.

Success for all

BASIS Independent Manhattan takes great pride in being a top-ranked liberal arts school. We also understand the importance of balancing rigorous academics, such as STEM, with joyful learning. Through interdisciplinary and real-world lessons, like the Shark Tank project, we prepare our students to be inquisitive, solution-oriented collaborative problem solvers.

We are proud of our young entrepreneurs for thinking outside the box and showcasing their innovations!

We invite you to learn more about our Wildcat community at one of our upcoming admissions events. Interested in joining us for the 2025-2026 school year? Our rolling application cycle is now open — apply here!

New Teacher Feature: Introducing Ms. Garza!

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This school year, we are thrilled to have added 12 teachers to our growing community. One such new addition, Ms. Garza, stands out amongst her peers for her enthusiasm and impressive professional background. She joins us as a Humanities Subject Expert Teacher for grades 2 and 3 and works with our Learning Expert Teachers to help students develop their literacy skills to their highest potential.

Ms. Garza attended the University of Texas at Brownsville where she received a partial scholarship to play golf! She now has over ten years of experience in education and has taught Kindergarten all the way through grade 5. She recently moved from Texas to Washington state in July 2024 and joined our team this summer. Since then, she has demonstrated exceptional competency in the classroom and is a supportive presence for our primary students. We sat down with Ms. Garza for an interview to highlight her experience and get her perspective on being a BASIS Independent Bellevue educator. 

Professional Background and Experience

  • Tell us a bit about your journey in education? What inspired you to become a teacher?  

“I began my career as a teacher’s assistant for grades 3 – 5. I did this for two years before being hired as a full-time 2nd grade teacher. I remained in that role for another two years before I moved on to teaching Kindergarten. I was a Kindergarten teacher for three years. During my role as a Kindergarten teacher, I was asked to observe and help manage a cohort of my peers to provide them with meaningful feedback about their instruction. It was through this that I was later asked to apply to be the Assistant Principal for the school!  

I was fortunate enough to be offered the position and then worked as the Assistant Principal for the subsequent three years. I loved my time in the administrative role because it allowed me to get a behind the scenes look at how a school runs, but ultimately, I missed being in the classroom and seeing students grow day by day. I love to see that “Aha!” look from students and I missed out on that as the Assistant Principal. That feeling led me to begin looking for teaching positions again, which brought me to BASIS Independent Bellevue. I feel like I have really come full circle because it was my second-grade teacher that helped me fall in love with learning and now, I’m back in the classroom as a second-grade teacher myself!” 

  • What’s been the most rewarding thing from your journey so far? 

“In 2018 – 2029 I was named Teacher of the Year at my school, which was a huge honor for me. I was a member of the founding cohort of educators as the school opened and worked to help improve and grow the school community. It was great to see those efforts recognized” 

  • How do you continue to grow as an educator?

“I really love feedback, and I thrive off being observed by my mentors. Of course, I still get a little jittery when admin comes in my room for an observation, but I truly do feel like it has been the most valuable tool in helping me grow as an educator. It is one of the things I love about BASIS Independent Bellevue. There are so many built in observations from mentors that all want to push you to be better.”

    Impact

    • What do you hope your students take away from their time in your class?

    “First and foremost, I want to be a role model for my students. I want to demonstrate a love of reading in my own life and hope that translates to their lives. But of course, I also want to impart valuable skills like reading comprehension and writing. I hope they learn applicable skills for the real world while having fun doing it!” 

    • How do you build strong relationships with your students and their families?

    “I think it is very important to get to know your students on a personal level. I make sure to take time during our Morning Meetings to ask about their hobbies and interests outside of school. I want them to know I care about them beyond the classroom.  

    To extend those relationships with my students’ families, I make sure I have regular communication with them. I love to send home positive notes regularly, so the parents don’t just hear from me when their child needs improvement. This is why our Communication Journal is a helpful tool because it allows me to send home regular feedback that I know parents will see. Most importantly, I try to keep the lines of communication open with families so they know we are working in partnership to support the best outcomes for their child.” 

    • If you could give one piece of advice to students joining our school, what would it be?

    “I believe if I had a program like our phonics program, Logic of English, when I was younger, I would have fallen in love with reading much sooner. It is important to know that this program may be difficult at first and will take effort to get used to it. We really do challenge our students and expect a lot from them academically, but it’s so rewarding to see them thrive when they master these concepts. I want students to not get discouraged if things don’t immediately make sense to them because we are all here to help them on their journey.” 

    Teaching Philosophy

    • What is your teaching philosophy and how do you implement it in the classroom?

    “I make sure I have regular collaboration time with my Learning Expert Teachers because it’s important that we are on the same page when we conduct our coteaching lessons. We always focus on making our lessons engaging and fun so it doesn’t feel like we are just reading from a script. We want our students to be up and using the classroom space, so we often utilize things like stations and centers. I love to see students genuinely excited to learn.” 

    • How do you create an inclusive and engaging learning environment for all students?

    “Because of our coteaching model, we can utilize small groups in our classrooms very frequently. We often have two or three groups of students working at a time and this allows those students to have closer connections with the teachers and gives them the confidence to be able to share more within the safety of a small group. It allows us the flexibility to differentiate and meet the needs of students more carefully. 

    I also observe the different personalities and learning styles of my students in the classroom and try to meet those needs. For example, sometimes we have students that are very bright and sometimes take the opportunity to shout out answers and or be a little bit chatty during class time. For those students, I might assign them a teacher helper task so that they can be empowered to use their outgoing personality for leadership in the classroom.” 

    • Can you share how your experience with BASIS Independent Bellevue has been so far?

    “My experience with BASIS Independent Bellevue has been nothing but positive. Our students are so driven and bright and they’re always a joy to work with. But what I really appreciate the most has been the culture of support and positivity that is created by the Administration. Our Head of School and Student Affairs Department are always pushing us to be better educators, and they provide so many resources to help us get there. They truly want to see us grow, and this positive support is unlike any other school I have worked at.” 

    Personal Life

    • What do you enjoy doing in your free time when you’re not teaching?

    “I love to watch my friends do karaoke – but not do it myself, ha! I also really like activities that get me out and moving. Paddleboarding is a hobby of mine that has grown since I moved to Washington because there are so many beautiful spots for it! I also enjoy traveling when I can. My favorite place I have traveled recently was Costa Rica, because I love to be by the beach” 

    • What’s one personal goal you hope to achieve in the next year?

    “I picked up running as a hobby and usually participate in a 5k or 10k every month. My goal for this next year is to successfully complete my first half marathon!”

     

    • What’s something that people might be surprised to learn about you?

      “I love playing golf! It was something I got into during my junior year of high school because it brought me close to my dad. I used to drive the golf cart around for him while he played until he finally convinced me to give it a try. I ended up being pretty good and was able to use it to get a partial scholarship to college!” 

      A Warm Welcome!

      Ms. Garza has shown her dedication to building literacy and reading skills with our primary students. She goes above and beyond to make her classes engaging and fun, inspiring our students to think critically about the world around them and to become participants, not just spectators. Her energy and enthusiasm for her lessons nurtures a love of learning in each of them and it is clear that students feel supported and cared for in her classroom. We are thrilled to welcome Ms. Garza to our faculty this year and we look forward to her continued contributions to our Mountaineer community! 

      2023-2024 Year in Review

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      Dear Families and Staff,

      During the summer months, we reflect on the past school year as we reset our school for the year ahead. Today, we celebrate with our community many of the student accomplishments from the past year and pay tribute to our 2024 graduates. We are incredibly proud of our Bears.

      Let us start with academics. Data from across our BASIS Independent Schools inform our practice, identify our areas for growth, and allow us to celebrate our successes knowledgeably. For these reasons, we can truly say we practice both the art and science of teaching. Without data, we would not understand our own goals, or we would just assume we were lucky when we met them!

      This year more than 60% of our students earned the AP Scholar designation (scoring a 3 or higher on at least three AP Exams). This impressive result is consistent with year-over-year scores, showcasing our program’s strength. Also, in high school, we celebrated our National Merit Scholar winner Jack B. ’24, and 30% of our seniors were recognized as commended scholars.

      Speaking of our seniors, let us take a moment to reflect on our sixth graduating class about to head off to the next stage of their educational journey! Approximately 60% of students were offered seats at universities in the top 25 ranked national and international institutions. Today we can share that our students will matriculate at:

      • University of Pennsylvania (2), Duke University (2), Johns Hopkins University, Northwestern University, Cornell University, University of Michigan, Georgetown University (2), Emory University, University of Southern California, NYU (2), Boston University, Northeastern (2), George Washington University, Barnard College (2), Colgate University, Haverford College, Skidmore College, Stevens Institute of Technology, Chapman University, and Cooper Union.

      Our Class of 2024 posed on the roof during their senior year. Photo Credit: Danny Dolan at www.dannydolan.com

      Celebrating Accomplishments

      Throughout the 2023-2024 school year one thing remained the same— student accomplishments across all grades continued to reaffirm the vision behind all that we have built here in Brooklyn. Our educators took pride in providing structure and stability to support content mastery. 

      Our students continued to excel at their studies and outside the classroom, our students’ accomplishments made us incredibly proud. An overview of 2023–2024 student accolades and significant developments follows.

      Fine Arts

      • Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition: Our students were recognized yet again with many honors this year. One National Gold Key in photography was awarded to Mateo K. ’25; Yuna S. ’24 received a National Silver Key for her work in Digital Art. Many other students were recognized with regional awards: 7 Gold Keys, 6 Silver Keys, and 9 honorable mentions in photography, digital art, painting, and drawing illustration.
      • Our Upper School Choir was invited to perform at Radio City Music Hall before the Christmas Spectacular once again! They won top honors at the Hershey Park Choral Festival as well!
      • High School Choir and Band were invited to play at Universal Studios as part of the Disney Music Series.
      • Our Spring Musical SpongeBob was a rave hit. Upper School drama performances in elective classes were a wonderful celebration of creativity all year long.
      • Our entire Fine Arts team hosted wonderful festivals before Winter Break and at the end of the school year.  

      National Scholastic Arts Gold Key winning photo by Mateo K. ’25

      Humanities/Social Sciences

      • High School Debate Team won 1st place in team and 1st place speaker in the NYC Urban Debate League Championships.
      • Our Middle School Debate Club tied for 3rd place in the New York Debate League Championships.
      • The Grizzly Co-Editors-in-Chief founded our initial chapter of Quill and Scroll International Journalism honor society, initiating six student journalists.
      • Our Bears won 1st place team in the very competitive K-5 U1200 division at the Primary Chess National Championships! Our K-5 U900 team came in 7th place, and our team of two in K-3 U700 tied for 16th place with just two students. This news came on the heels of winning big at the New York State Championship. There were many, many other chess accolades throughout the year.
      • On the National Latin Exam, Abraham G. ‘29 earned a gold medal, Indi S. ’29 a silver. One of our Grade 6 students Dylan C. was recognized by both the American Classical Association and National Junior Latin League for receiving a perfect score. Four students received gold medals, ten received silver medals in Grade 6 this year as well!
      • This year we launched our inaugural Quiz Bowl team under the leadership of Mr. Koppel. The team performed well in their first year and look forward to picking up steam in the fall!

      Our Chess Team at Nationals. Photo credit: Ian West of ICN

      Math/Science

      • Our MATHCOUNTS team came in 1st Place in Brooklyn regionals and went on to compete at the New York State Championships. Special shout out to Michael S. ’28 who won top individual honors in Brooklyn. Coach Hughes was very proud of them.
      • The largest group of students ever sat for the MATH KANGAROO assessment for younger grades across both our campuses and comprised our largest group yet to receive accolades from the organization.
      • NOETIC Math accolades poured in with national winners across several grades across both of our campuses.
      • Our school won both 2nd and 3rd Place in New York State TEAMS competition. Thank you to Physics teacher and coach Josh Winter for continuing to grow the team.

      Our Lower School Cubs proudly posing with their NOETIC math ribbons and medals.

      Sports

      • Our Middle School Baseball team won the CSAA league championship after an incredible first season under Coach Starks. Go Bears!!!
      • Our Middle School Girls Volleyball Team won the CSAA Region 3 Championships!!! Coach Nalipinski was incredibly proud of her players, who participated in this middle school division for the first time.
      • CSAA Boys and Girls Track Team: Our Bears had a great season, and the High School team took home 3rd Place in the CSAA Region 3 championship. Given this was their first season, we could not be prouder of them!
      • Our CSAA Boys Varsity Soccer team made the league playoffs and we were very proud of their determination and drive during the year.
      • CSAA Girls Volleyball made the playoffs after a tremendous fall season with Coach Nalipinski.
      • CSAA Co-ed JHS Flag Football team finished 2nd place in the league! Team spirit could not be stronger, and we want to thank families for showing up consistently to cheer on our Bears.

      Coach Starks and our middle school baseball team won 1st place in their league.

      Community Involvement

      • This year our high school team arranged a Third Annual Day of Service in the fall to bring our community together and make a difference locally.
      • Our National Honor and National Junior Honor Society students dedicated more than 2,000 hours to service projects this year!
      • Back-to-School Textbook Exchange – Families donated nearly 3,300 textbooks and others bought used textbooks to benefit the Red Hook Art Project.
      • 500 coats, hats, scarves, gloves, and blankets as well as 200 care packages were assembled to support Red Hook’s Redemption Church community.
      • Our Lower School Cubs created more than 100 toiletry kits around the holidays to share with families in Red Hook through Redemption Red Hook Church.
      • Our community created more than 100 Thanksgiving cards for Heights and Hills to deliver with their Thanksgiving meals to seniors.
      • Our Primary School assembled more than 300 bedtime bags for asylum-seeking families through Project Rousseau!
      • Our High School students formed a chapter of JASA at the school with 16 student members who collectively spent 200 hours spending time with nursing home residents and participating in projects to support them.


      These awards and examples of community involvement are an amazing testament to the school and the power of the curriculum and teachers. Most importantly, they are an incredible representation of our creative, diverse, driven scholars. It is important to us that as a school we prioritize opportunity, finding opportunities for students to showcase their skills, define their interests, and pursue their passions. 

      Looking Ahead

      Without community, academic success is temporary and limited. We have made significant growth as a community this year, and it is our priority to support and grow in the year ahead. Cultivating mutual respect and trust is key for our school after ten years in Brooklyn.

      Teachers continue to express to us that they love this school because they are allowed to teach the subjects they know best the way they know best. They are allowed to share their passion for their subjects with their students and this builds engagement. We are excited to bring new faculty into the fold and continue supporting veteran teachers returning to our campus.

      As we close our thoughts on the year, we want to salute our Class of 2024 for their leadership in shaping our sense of community and traditions at our school. We are grateful to them and want them to know they always have a place here. What we want to ask from our alumni and parents is help to provide professional advice and even connect our students after they graduate to internships and opportunities. This coming year we will be expanding our mentorship program, and we need the help of our community to open doors for our wonderful students.

      Overall, we want our students to look back, feel a great sense of pride in their school, and share in the school’s success that they helped create. We have much to celebrate, and we are in an exciting position after ten years of educating students in Brooklyn. We truly look forward to the year ahead!

      Sincerely,

      Josh Harmon and Rose Miller-Sims

      2024 Senior Projects: Humanities Spotlight

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      The Senior Project, the pinnacle of the BASIS Curriculum, is a prestigious program where students undertake an off-campus research project or internship of their choice during the final trimester of their senior year.

      Each senior selects a BASIS Independent Schools faculty member as an advisor and collaborates with an external mentor at their research site. They develop comprehensive project plans, compile bibliographies of resources, and create personal syllabi, all of which must be approved by a committee of teachers and administrators.

      At the end of the trimester, students return to campus to present their findings to peers, staff, and parents. To stay engaged with the school community during their time in the field, students blog about their experiences throughout the project.

      To explore a sample of this year’s Humanities Senior Projects and to access a link to their blogs, keep reading below.

      EMILY C.

      PROJECT TITLE: Demagoguery for Dummies

      PROJECT LOCATION: The Onion

      ABSTRACT: In a close race with the goldfish, humans get the award for the “most forgetful” organism on the planet. Our lack of memory ranges from minor domestic inconvenience (Really, how many times can you not notice that molding, blinking cheese creature in the fridge?) to the most major international debacles. The latter is what my project aims to address: All of the lost experience of grandparents past, and how their blunders remain essential life lessons today. From Caesar, to Mao, to Gaddaffi, dictators use the,same fear, propaganda, and populist rhetoric to maintain unjust control over the people. These authoritarian regimes peaked after the World Wars, feeding off of the despair of the downtrodden. After the advent of international humanitarian organizations, like the United Nations, as well as a marginally stabilizing world economy, democracy started to take the reins again. But prosperity doesn’t last forever, leaving crooked and charismatic leaders to steal the stage—crowing false promises about the necessity of revolutionary change or revolutionary tradition. That’s why, for my senior project, I examine infamous leaders and events from the 20th century and write about the uncanny similarities they share with many contemporary politicians. This is in an attempt to teach people to be more free thinking citizens. Historical and current news research, as well as support from my advisors, has resulted in six short satirical stories that mock the absurdities of these autocrats and how best to spot their hypocrisies.

      To view Emily’s project, click here.

      ALINA H.

      PROJECT TITLE: A Symphony of Scents: Crafting Art-Inspired Perfumes

      PROJECT LOCATION: YOSH and Modern Peasant

      ABSTRACT: Ever thought about what a painting would smell like? According to evidence, scent is a powerful trigger of memory and emotion, yet it remains underutilized in the context of visual arts. However, as the appreciation for the multisensory art experience grows, the potential for integrating different sensory modalities, particularly olfaction, into art appreciation has emerged as an exciting frontier in both the art and fragrance industries. My project, “A Symphony of Scents: Crafting Art-Inspired Perfumes,” seeks to interpret the essence of iconic paintings into complex fragrances with aromatic essences as my palette. Additionally, through this, I will explore the fascinating interplay between the olfactory and the visual senses to deepen our understanding of how art can be perceived and appreciated across sensory boundaries. This project has two key objectives: firstly, to delve into the intricate chemistry of perfumery, uncovering the distinct practices and scents crafted by individual perfumers; and secondly, to investigate whether the synergy of scent with visual stimuli can amplify our sensory experiences.Guided by the expertise of perfumers Yosh Han and Lakenda Wallace—masters in mixed media and natural perfumery, respectively—as well as my Faculty Advisor Dr. Mo, the exploration begins by selecting evocative artworks that will inspire the creation of bespoke fragrances. Through extensive initial and final surveys and the making of the fragrance itself, I then gather diverse insights into how colors, shapes, and emotions intertwine with smells, and if and how people’s emotional engagement with art changes when experienced through the added dimension of scent.

      To view Alina’s project, click here.

      NIVEDITA K.

      PROJECT TITLE: I’m With The Band

      PROJECT LOCATION: Milpitas Guitar Lessons

      ABSTRACT: My favorite band, Måneskin, was started when the members were in highschool, busking on the streets of Rome. Last year, they played at the Oakland Arena to an audience of nearly 20,000 as part of their world tour for their fourth album. Inspired by them, my project, “I’m With The Band,” aims to seek out the talent of musicians in high school. The overarching goal of this project is to create an environment where budding musicians can experiment with genres and combine ideas without being forced to adhere to tropes of popular music. Through Instagram, I contact various high school musicians and bands. I use social media to gauge public opinion of these bands, through posting weekly content, clips of music, and advertising upcoming events. The creative portion of this project involves sitting in on rehearsals, aiding with the musical process if necessary, giving them the opportunity to professionally record songs they create or cover, and hopefully finding areas for these bands to perform live. With the help of my outside advisor, who has written, recorded, and produced music, I learn the ropes on how to promote songs straight out of the recording studio. The final result is an album or anthology consisting of all the songs that my bands create.

      To view Nivedita’s project, click here.

      BRANDON T.

      PROJECT TITLE: Jaws: The Classic that Doomed Sharks

      PROJECT LOCATION: Aspiring Scholars Directed Research Program

      ABSTRACT: “Monster of the Deep” or “Ecological Savior”? Since the release of Jaws in 1975, sharks have been central to fears and apprehensions of the ocean and its unknowns. Prior to the movie, shark attacks were reported infrequently. However, since the movie’s screening, the number of reports of shark interactions with humans, general rhetoric, and control programs have substantially increased in prevalence and severity despite deaths from shark attacks being extremely rare. Accordingly, how has public media’s portrayal (movies, documentaries, and news stories) of sharks affected Australian White Shark populations and public perceptions of the animal? Utilizing existing databases and sightings, this project attempts to determine the statistically significant link between public information and yearly changes in these populations, contextualized on a timeline of notable shark-related media releases and expert opinions. The publication of villainous depictions of sharks and their overexaggerated threat to humans have changed common perceptions related to the animals, but determining their impact may be helpful in driving any necessary change in communication to save ecosystems of species from extinction. Discovering what types of messages minimize the damage done to shark populations can keep smaller predators’ populations in check and food chains in equilibrium. Consequently, transforming these aquatic apex predators’ narrative towards conservation may be essential for maintaining the longevity of our world’s largest natural environment.

      To view Brandon’s project, click here.

      ELLIE X.

      PROJECT TITLE: Designing Themedior: Immersive Narratives and Characters

      PROJECT LOCATION: Visalia Health Center

      ABSTRACT: In the modern era, video games have been prominent literary mediums for examining the human psyche. Through engrossing narratives, graphics, and interactive decision-making options that may impact the outcome of the storyline, these games such as Omori and Fran Bow allow audiences to immerse themselves in unique worlds and step inside the intricacies of a character’s mind. Furthermore, as our society has become increasingly “digitized,” video games have become sought after for educational purposes and their great potential to be affordable, readily accessible, and effective resources for coping with pyschological challenges. With support from my mentor Dr. Side Xi, I am responsible for the story and creating the visuals for the prologue of an original game titled Themedior. The game is set in a fantasy world inspired by late 18th and early 19th century aesthetics and is centered around the disappearance of Everly Crow, the wife of the protagonist, Cynefin Alcestis. The project utilizes Procreate and Live2D to experiment and illustrate game assets and components in an aesthetic that best engages with a younger audience.

      To view Ellie’s project, click here.

      To view our complete collection of 2024 Senior Projects, click here.

      BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK – Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Bobcat community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here. 

      Young Author Spotlight: Seleema A., Grade 5

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      In a testament to the flourishing Humanities Program at BASIS Independent Fremont, several students have recently achieved the remarkable feat of becoming published authors. This week, we had the privilege of sitting down with Seleema A., a grade 5 student from our Lower School, to delve into her inaugural venture into the world of publishing. Join us as we explore her journey, creative process, and gather valuable insights for aspiring student authors.

      Tell us about your story and what inspired you to write it.

      My story is called “Tales of a 5th Grade Soccer Champion,” and it’s kind of based on a true story. It’s about a girl who was inspired by my experiences playing soccer. A girl in her class keeps saying that she is not good at soccer and teasing her, and she has an upcoming game against this classmate that is really important. So, she gets really nervous but goes through with it and plays her best because deep down, she has known all along that she really is good. She just had to dig down and bring up her confidence, and in the end, she won! I decided to write this story because it has a good message, and it happened to me, so it was quite natural to write about.

      Do you have a favorite character? What makes them so special to you?

      I like the main character – she’s based on me, but she’s also different in a lot of ways. She’s a little different from me in some ways and similar in others. The fact that she gained her confidence so quickly is something that it’s a little different from me. I can gain confidence, but it can take a while. I could use her journey to explore and not just write everything that happened to me. I could change it up a little.

      It helped when I wrote about her. It helped me to realize in real life that what that person was saying about me was wrong. I was a good soccer player, and I tend to do really well. The main character is a very competitive person, and sometimes, that can bring out the best in you. You shouldn’t be afraid and always stand up for yourself with confidence.

      Did you face any challenges while writing your story?

      The word restriction was the main thing that I struggled with. Sometimes, if there’s a limit to the number of words that I can use, it’s hard for me to put everything that I have in my mind into words. This limit was 100 words, so it was a challenge. But I like being challenged, especially in writing. I was hesitant at first. I was like, ‘Oh, it’s only 100 words,’ but it was actually something that worked out, and I really enjoyed it in the end.

      How did you think to submit your story for publishing? Did you get any special encouragement from mentors or teachers in your life to try to publish your story?

      My mom is always encouraging me to find new competitions to submit to because I’m always up writing. When I found this competition, I decided to enter it. My parents are always very encouraging and supportive when I’m writing. A lot of my Humanities and English teachers at BIF also helped me to get into writing and really enjoy it.

      How did you feel when you heard that your story had been selected to be published in a real-life book?!

      I honestly didn’t think that I was going to be chosen, and I was really excited because I always wanted to be actually published. To see that it’s actually there in a real book that you can buy and people will read felt really nice. I felt like I could make a difference and actually publish my own books one day.

      Do you have any special memories from your classes or teachers here at BIF about learning to write stories?

      I think I started writing in first grade, but I really got serious when I had a great second grade teacher, Ms. Mishra. We were online for half the year because of COVID, but we had a historical fiction writing assignment that I really enjoyed. I think that’s where my passion for writing really started to come out. Ms. Mishra sure helped me a lot.

      Mr. K Wagner has helped me a lot. We had a lot of writing in fourth and fifth grade with him as our teacher. He always helped with my writing, especially on things like our Native American and descriptive essays.

      In third grade, Mr. Acevedo assigned us a great mythology unit where we got to write about Greek Gods, and I found that really exciting. I’ve always liked characters that are heroic or brave – I’ve always liked reading and writing about them. I got some ideas for some of my books and stories from them!

      What would you say to other young students who aspire to be authors?

      I would say, first and foremost, never give up. It’s good to have ideas and sometimes change those ideas into something that can be even better. But if you have an idea that you think is good, stick with it, and you can create something really nice out of it. I remember when my friend and I were in second grade. We started a book together. All of our friends who were writing together took a break, and we ended up stopping for a really long time. Then, this year, my friend picked up that book again, and she turned it into something so much better!

      Even if you think your story isn’t perfect, don’t let that stop you. There are always more opportunities. One contest isn’t going to make or break how much you love writing. I think young authors out there have to keep on going and never give up. Always believe that you can do your best and be the change. I just want to say to all the authors out there: never give up, and always remember that your writing can change the world.

      Seleema’s story serves as an inspiration for budding authors within the BASIS Independent Fremont community and beyond. Her advice for aspiring student authors is rooted in the encouragement she received from her teachers and peers. She emphasizes the importance of embracing creativity, persisting through challenges, and cherishing the guidance provided by mentors within the Humanities program.

      BASIS Independent Fremont’s Humanities Program continues to foster a community of young, talented authors who dare to dream and achieve greatness. Seleema A.’s journey stands as a shining example of the program’s commitment to nurturing creativity, critical thinking, and effective communication skills. As we celebrate her accomplishments, we eagerly anticipate the future literary endeavors that will undoubtedly emerge from the inspiring environment at BASIS Independent Fremont.

      BASIS Independent Fremont is a grades TK-12 private school based in Fremont, California, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum.

      2023 Senior Projects: Humanities Spotlight

      by

      The Senior Project, the pinnacle of the BASIS Curriculum, is a selective program that involves an off-campus research project or internship of the student’s choice and design for the last trimester of their senior year.

      Seniors select a BASIS Independent Schools faculty member as their advisor and work with a mentor at their research site. These students create detailed project plans, bibliographies of resources, and a personal syllabus for their projects, all of which are approved by a committee of teachers and administrators.

      At the end of the trimester, students return to campus and present an analysis of their findings to peers, staff, and parents. To remain connected to their school community while in the field, students are required to blog throughout their experience.

      To view a sample of this year’s Senior Projects, keep reading below.

      Student: Anavi C.

      Project Title: The Conundrum of the Morally Ambiguous Female Character

      Internship Location: Paramount

      Abstract: This research explores the portrayal of morally ambiguous female characters within media, and more specifically cinema. While there is nothing inherently novel about this topic, through further research, there remains a gap in the presence of moral ambiguity and female likability. Through analysis of various television shows and movies, this study aims to examine the ways in which these characters are developed and portrayed, and the implications of their complexity for societal understandings of femininity and morality. This study will also consider the cultural and societal context in which these texts were created, and how that may have influenced the portrayal of these characters. This study will also investigate the potential for these characters to challenge traditional gender roles and stereotypes. Ultimately, this research seeks to shed light on the importance of well-developed, multi-faceted female characters in shaping cultural narratives and perceptions of women. By reviewing several female-led shows and movies, ranging from Gone Girl to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo to Handmaid’s Tale to Fleabag, this study will aim to create an archetypal character that exhibits these attributes. By analyzing these morally ambiguous female characters, this study will strive to provide insight into the ongoing conversations surrounding representation and representation within media.

      Student: Brandon F.

      Project Title: Blending Abstract Expressionism With Chinese Art

      Internship Location: Fong Chung-Ray Studio

      Abstract: What is the relationship between Abstract Expressionism and traditional Chinese art? There is a familiarity between the two in their glyphs, fluidity, and ideology. Yet, how does some Abstract Expressionism resemble Chinese aesthetics so closely while remaining distinct from traditional work? In this Senior Project, I create a painting after analyzing artworks from acclaimed artists in both fields and putting art into practice, where unveiled similarities can bridge Western and Eastern art, and encourage a holistic view. The final work I paint blends these cultures together while using key techniques from both styles, such as Xie-Yi, Shui-Mo, calligraphy, “paint splatter, drip, splash”, and collage. I am working at Chinese Abstract artist Fong Chung-Ray’s art studio, where he will guide me in addition to my advisors Mrs. Karen Ourthiague and Ms. Carolyn Phillips. By the end of this Senior Project, I am now able to compare manners of style in Abstract Expressionism and traditional Chinese art and see how they can come together.

      Student: Savitha S.

      Project Title: Legacies of Inter-Ethnic Tensions and Colonization on the Mental Health of South Asian Youth

      Internship Location: San Jose State University

      Abstract: South Asians have generally avoided discussions about mental health, resulting in serious detriments as time goes on when unresolved stressors accumulate. However, among other factors, historic South Asian conflicts like British colonization also affect youth mental health. The Bay Area, the region of focus of this project, is especially unique because of the large South Asian demographic. As such, the purpose of my project is to understand how South Asian history and the retellings of past events, from the internet or family, impact the mental health of South Asian American youth from the Bay Area. To do this, under the guidance of Dr. Trung Ngyugen, who is the assistant professor of Ethnic Studies at SJSU, I am conducting and analyzing interviews of South Asian youth to better understand how influential ethnic history is on current youth mental health. Additionally, I am incorporating the sociological technique of “haunting,” which is the process in which both the manifestations of history in everyday life and the missing pieces of the past are equally studied to gain a larger perspective of the human experience. Ultimately, the project will help policymakers and medical professionals make more informed decisions to better battle social stigmas and stereotypes often placed on South Asians. With this, public resources can be made more culturally sensitive to South Asian history and South Asian American experiences, through more staff trainings, better-informed institutional policies, and more.

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