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Term Project Trip 2023: Tanzania

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During the final week of the academic year, BASIS Independent Silicon Valley celebrates Term Project Week, an enriching experience for students across all grade levels. This week provides a unique platform for collaborative, multidisciplinary projects, and engaging activities or trips. Students are grouped with dedicated teachers who guide and facilitate their learning throughout the week. 

Each year, we offer a diverse range of project options, continually seeking to expand our offerings based on the interests and input of both our faculty and students. These projects challenge our students to be cooperative learners and to function as a team. On this specific trip, students were also able to earn community service hours towards their various clubs and volunteer programs.  This Term Project Trip was to Tanzania, where students traveled through the Serengeti to Zanzibar!

Day 1: Students and their chaperone departed from SFO to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Upon arrival at the airport in Kilimanjaro, students met with their designated program leaders and drove to the Danish Center in Arusha, Tanzania. Over the first five days of the trip, students engaged in service work within the local villages and used this center as their main hub. 

Day 3 – Day 5: Each morning, students partnered with Sura Village members to build the medical testing lab facility for the village clinic. They roughly dedicated 2-3 hours of service work in the morning, followed by lunches with the local community. In the afternoon, they resumed their efforts for a few more hours. Their tasks included mixing cement, shoveling sand, and gathering rocks to build the foundation of the building. Beyond their service hours, students engaged in cultural and fun activities such as milking cows and cooking traditional food alongside village members. 

The village commissioner expressed that the clinic’s construction will leave a lasting impact for generations. Upon its completion, he plans to display our school’s name on the building, showcasing our student’s dedicated efforts.  

Day 6: Having completed their service work at the Sura Village Clinic, students departed from the Danish Center and made their way to Tarangire National Park for a safari adventure. Led by tour guides, they learned about the ecosystems and conservation efforts of the species that populate the area. Tarangire is known for its dense elephant population, providing a unique opportunity to witness them up close. The day concluded at a camping resort overlooking the Rift Valley in Migombani, Tarangire, where students settled in for the night. 

Day 7 & 8: Students went on an expedition to Serengeti National Park, one of Tanzania’s most renowned and protected areas. Guided by their tour leaders, they ventured into vast savannahs by safari car in search of wildlife that inhabits the world-famous national park. Students observed a variety of animals including elephants, giraffes, wildebeest, and zebras during their exploration. They set up tents and slept in sleeping bags at the national park campsites. 

Day 9 & 10: The group headed to Ngorongoro Crater where they settled into a new campsite. Ngorongoro Crater is a smaller area than the Serengeti and is known as Tanzania’s richest game park. Throughout their time there, our students learned about animal behavior, conservation, tribal customs, and wildlife-human interaction from their safari guides. 

Day 11: Students took a flight to Zanzibar, famously known as the “Island of Spice.” They explored the local spice farms, learned the historical significance of the spice trade, and gained insight into Zanzibar’s evolution into the renowned Isle of Spice. 

Day 12: Students visited Stone Town, a historic area that was once a trading hub. They took a walking tour through its winding alleys and streets. Later they enjoyed snorkeling along Stone Town’s beaches and explored Prison Island. On Prison Island, the group visited a giant tortoise sanctuary and learned about the endangered species. 

Day 13: The students participated in a dhow sailing activity, setting off from the beachside of Zanzibar in classic wooden sailboats. Their destination was the Menai Bay Conservation Area, known for its dolphins, coral reefs, and diverse marine life. When they arrived, they snorkeled in the clear blue water of the Indian Ocean and had a seafood buffet on Kwale Island Beach. Following their adventure, they sailed back to Zanzibar for their final night of the trip. 

Day 14: The group made their way to the airport in Zanzibar and headed home on a long flight back to SFO.

Term Project Trip 2023: Ireland/UK

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During the final week of the academic year, BASIS Independent Silicon Valley celebrates Term Project Week, an enriching experience for students across all grade levels. This week provides a unique platform for collaborative, multidisciplinary projects, and engaging activities or trips. Students are grouped with dedicated teachers who guide and facilitate their learning throughout the week. 

Each year, we offer a diverse range of project options, continually seeking to expand our offerings based on the interests and input of both our faculty and students. This Term Project Trip was to Ireland and the UK and consisted of 61 students and 10 chaperones.

Day 1: The first day of the trip was dedicated to travel. 

Students and chaperones at SFO for their AM flight to Dublin, Ireland

Students and chaperones at SFO for their PM flight to Dublin, Ireland

Day 2: Upon arrival at the airport, the morning group was greeted by their assigned tour guide, who would be one of two tour guides accompanying and guiding our students throughout the duration of the trip.

Having arrived in Dublin, Ireland ahead of the afternoon group, they took advantage of their early arrival and explored Bunratty Castle. It was a great opportunity for them to immerse themselves in the rich history and cultural heritage of the region while awaiting the arrival of the afternoon group. 

Shortly after the morning group’s excursion to Bunratty Castle, the afternoon flight group landed at the airport and was welcomed by their dedicated tour guide. Both groups began to make their way to meet each other at their first hotel in Killarney, Ireland. They had their first dinner together as a group and called it a night.

Day 3: Our students went on an exciting adventure to Killarney National Park, where they rode on a horse and carriage through the park. The journey took them through lush greenery and landscapes, ending at Ross Castle on the lake. 

Following the exploration of Ross Castle, our students then headed to West Ireland along the scenic route of The Ring of Kerry. The Ring of Kerry is known for its rolling green hills, rugged Atlantic seascapes, and quaint Irish villages. Along the way, they had the privilege of visiting Kerry Bog Village, where they traveled back to 18th-century Ireland and witnessed traditional thatched cottages and rural life from a bygone era.

They ended their excursion around the Ring of Kerry at Kissime Sheep Farm, where they witnessed an authentic sheepdog and sheering demonstration. Our students really enjoyed observing the skilled sheepdog commander’s whistle calls and the obedience displayed by the sheepdog as it herded sheep down the hill.

Day 4: Students ventured to Blarney Castle, where they explored its gardens and participated in the tradition of kissing the Blarney Stone. Following their time at the castle, they proceeded on a short walk to Blarney Woollen Mills, renowned as the largest Irish store in the world. Here, they went shopping for authentic Irish goods such as wool caps, chocolates, and flutes. 

Day 5: During their time in Dublin, students went on a guided bus tour led by a local Irish expert. As they drove through the historic streets of Dublin, they learned about the Georgian Squares, witnessed the hustle and bustle of O’Connell Street, and walked Phoenix Park. A highlight of the tour was their visit to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, an architectural gem steeped in religious and historical significance. 

They then went to EPIC, The Irish Emigration Museum in Dublin. The immersive experience featured the history of the Irish people, shedding light on their struggles, triumphs, and enduring resilience throughout the ages. 

For their last stop of the day, students went to The Irish Dance Party. Dancers dressed in traditional Irish attire and played Irish-made instruments. Some of our students even had the chance to learn some traditional Irish footwork.

Day 6: The group departed from Dublin to Holyhead by ferry boat. After a couple of hours of travel, they arrived in Wales. Their first destination was Conwy Castle, where they walked across ancient walls and explored the guard towers of this historic fortress. 

Day 7: The group began their day with a visit to Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of William Shakespeare. They first explored Anne Hathaway’s cottage, followed by the Shakespeare Centre and Birthplace. Afterward, they split into smaller chaperone groups to further explore the city, with some visiting the Holy Trinity Church where Shakespeare is buried and others exploring local markets and eateries. 

Shakespeare 1

Continuing their exploration, the group stopped in the city of Oxford on their way to London. Our students had time to explore the campus of Oxford University, the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, and the Oxford City Centre. 

Day 8:  On their first day in London, they began with a guided walking tour. During the tour, they visited notable landmarks including Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, Piccadilly Circus, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Westminster Abbey. 

Following the tour, the group split up into four mini excursions: The Harry Potter London Experience, The London Dungeon, The London Tower, and Hyde Park. 

Later in the day, a portion of the group attended a captivating performance by Eddie Izzard, while the remaining members went shopping at the M&M and Lego stores nearby.

Day 9: On their last full day of the trip, the group traveled to the Tate Museum as their first stop. They then walked along the River Thames to the famous Borough Market in South London to have lunch. After lunch, they proceeded to the Globe Theater to watch a performance of “The Comedy of Errors.” 

Following the performance at the Globe Theater, they explored the British Museum, where they viewed famous artifacts firsthand, including the iconic Rosetta Stone. 

To conclude their trip, the group enjoyed their final dinner together at a Japanese fusion cuisine restaurant in London. 

Day 10: Both groups departed from London and traveled back to San Francisco. It was a great trip that our students will remember forever! 

Some students arriving at SFO from London to greet their parents

2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards

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Congratulations to the 2023 winners of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. We wanted to celebrate the inspiring student work from BASIS Independent Brooklyn this year by sharing the work with our community. Students have created visually stunning and meaningful imagery, and we wanted to share many of the pieces honored by Scholastic in the hopes of inspiring others. We are proud to see them brilliantly uphold the BASIS Independent Brooklyn standard for setting the bar high for our school community and rising to meet those goals. 

“Our students’ hard work has led to great outcomes,” commented Head of School Josh Harmon. “I’m proud of their creativity and the execution that earned them their awards. Thank you to our teachers for inspiring and guiding our students to express themselves and capture their unique perspectives.”

Overall across BASIS Independent Brooklyn, 13 students were recognized with awards in the 2023 Scholastic Art & Writing Competition. A full list of students honored follows:

  • Olivia B. ‘27 – Honorable Mention (Drawing & Illustration)
  • Katey B. ‘23 – 2 Gold Keys (Photography)
  • Laila G. ’24 – Silver Key (Digital Art)
  • Samantha G. ‘24 – Honorable Mention (Photography)
  • Mateo K. ‘25 – Honorable Mention (Drawing & Illustration)
  • Avi L. ‘24 – Gold and Silver Key (Photography)
  • Yorgo M. ‘27 – Gold Key (Photography)
  • Alex R. ‘24 – National Silver Medal, Gold Key, and 2 Honorable Mentions (Drawing & Illustration)
  • Yuna S. ‘24 – Silver Key (Digital Art)
  • Arthur S. ‘27 – Honorable Mention (Photography)
  • Beckham V. ‘26 – Honorable Mention (Photography)
  • Isaac W., ’24 – Honorable Mention (Photography)
  • Maren W. ’23 – 2 Silver Keys (Photography)

Art Awards
On top of the regional accolades, this year Alex R. ’23 was honored with a National Silver Medal in recognition of exceptional work in drawing and illustration. His award-winning work was displayed in the national exhibit that toured the country. 

“Alex is a wonderfully talented artist,” said Ms. Heather Corbett, Fine Arts Subject Expert Teacher. “He had a solid background in realistic drawing coming into class this year and has worked to expand his comfort zone by exploring 5-point perspective in colored pencil, portraits in acrylics and landscapes in watercolors. He is generous and encouraging with his peers and thoughtful in his approach to both his work and the work of his classmates. I am very pleased to have been able to get to know and teach him this year.” 

Alex R. ‘S National Silver Medal Drawing:

“Congratulations to this year’s winners,” said Mr. Opirhory, Fine Arts Subject Expert Teacher. “Their dedication to the arts and unique vision represents the best of our community. With art ranging from photography to digital art, and drawing they continue to impress.”

Proud of his students, Mr. Opirhory provided background on each one that we wanted to pair with their recognized entries. All of his students awarded Gold and Silver Keys follow alphabetically.

“Katey Brickner’s contributions to the arts at BASIS Independent Brooklyn have been extensive through the years.  Her artistic merit is immense.  She works in a variety of mediums and it’s great to see her gain acclaim for her photography.  These images are a direct reflection of her creativity, emotional intelligence, and dedication to skill.”

Katelyn B.’s Gold Key Photograph “Veil of Silence”: 

Katelyn B.’s Gold Key Photograph “The Web Whisper”:

“Avi Lockner has excelled at capturing stark and vivid imagery.  His photography set such a unique mood with his use of contrast and composition. Dark in tone, they confront us with their underlying ideas.”

 Avi L.’s Gold Key Photography “Works”:

“Yorgo Malafis is a newcomer to photography yet he’s created a number of wonderful works in a short time. He has an eye for iconic and structured imagery and accentuates order in urban environments.”

Yorgo M.’s Gold Key in Photography “The Wall”:

“Yuna Stechert Is an amazing draftsperson/painter. Her talent working with figurative narratives improves with each piece. She works with oil, acrylic, gouache, and watercolor with an attention to detail and a solid understanding of what makes a great image.”

Yuna S.’s Silver Key in Digital Art “Fleeting Happiness”:

“Maren Williard’s photographs are a spectacular look into the idiosyncrasies of life. This is done so succinctly by juxtaposing the roles of children and adults in a comedic and introspective fashion.” 

Maren W.’s Silver Key in Photography “Eve’s Temptation”:


Maren W.’s Silver Key in Photography “They Grow Up So Fast”:

Dean of our High School Program Mr. Goldman was proud to share that Laila G. ’23 was awarded a Silver Key for her layered and deeply-historical work created as part of his AP U.S. History class. Dean Goldman shared that it is an “impressive synthesis work, encompassing multiple centuries, and asserts her answer to the question ‘What is the Story of America?'”

Laila G.’s Silver Key in Digital Art “The Pursuit of Happiness”:

Our students continue to inspire us. We are extremely proud of them, their intelligence, artistic vision, and – most of all – their potential. 

The Communication Journal: How our Students Use Their CJ to Be Successful

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Helping students manage their time and schoolwork effectively is core to the BASIS Curriculum. One of our most important tools in developing students with life-long habits of self-direction and disciplined, critical enquiry is the Communication Journal (CJ).

At first glance, it’s an analog daily planner. In practice, it’s the epicenter of our students’ educational experience, a record of their wins, their losses, and most importantly, their areas for improvement. During the school day, we focus on building the student-teacher relationship. The CJ is critical in helping families feel involved in their child’s education at the end of the day. It is the first daily touch-point between teachers and parents and acts as a discussion started at home between students and their families.

The CJ is central to our curricular philosophy not to post homework or grades online, or remove students from conversations about their own education. It is the tool that makes this philosophy a powerful growth opportunity for students to own their own academic and intellectual progress.

Over time, after successful usage of the CJ has been proven, students can expect to have more independent ownership of their CJ, and less and less oversight by their teachers and parents. Our goal is to start strong and while they are building their habits, have consistent daily checks. But as the years move on, we train students to become more independent, and less dependent on others for their own academic responsibilities.

TK – K Communication Journal

Even our youngest students have their own CJs to record their work and have their parents sign each evening. For TK, their teachers are writing their notes, but in K that all changes and students are expected to record their own CJ notes each morning.

Students in Kindergarten recording their CJ notes for the day

Grades 1 – 3 Communication Journal

Unlike students in TK and K who primarily stay in their classroom throughout the day, students beginning in Grade 1 travel from classroom to classroom for each subject. The expectation of a CJ note from each Subject Expert Teacher (SET) begins in Grade 1 and continues on through high school. Students in Grades 1 – 3 receive assistance recording their CJ notes from their Learning Expert Teachers (LET) who will often give out stamps or stickers for a job well done!

A Grade 2 student’s CJ notes for the week

Grades 4 – 5 Communication Journal

For students in Grades 4 and 5, the use of the CJ is now a daily habit. Though our Grade 4 students still have their LET to help them, in Grade 5 the responsibility rests solely on the student. Students who have been with us throughout their elementary years know its power in keeping them accountable for their education, and even new students can appreciate this tool for helping them keep their upcoming assignments and assessments organized on a daily basis.

A student in Grade 4 sits right down to record their CJ note for Science even before class begins

Grades 6 – 8 Communication Journal

In middle school, we start to see more and more students not needing their parent signature every night. There are fewer CJ checks happening in the classroom and at home depending on the student. But, at the first sign of disorganization, the first step expressed by their Dean of Students, one of their SETs, or their parents is always the same, “Let’s look at your CJ.”

A Grade 8 student shows off their well-organized CJ with their friend

Grades 9 – 12 Communication Journal

In high school, the CJ is perfected. Not only are students rarely needing their parents to sign their CJ, but they are now using it as their own tool to organize their after-school activities. Many high school students will write reminders for things to print at home, office hours to attend, and even their clubs in their CJ. The goal of being organized, thinking ahead, and ready for each day has been achieved.

Grade 9 students CJ showing its use for not only their classes, but also their after-school enrichment activities

Unsurprisingly, our Alumni often cite the use of the CJ as one of the most helpful habits learned from our program. Many use their own tools of organization with their electronic devices now, but every year we have a few seniors who ask us for an extra CJ before they leave us.

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. 

2022-2023 Student Accomplishments

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Though many things about fall 2022 were unfamiliar, our students continued to shine through clubs and contests that were held in person and virtually. Here, we highlight our students’ accomplishments from the first part of the 2022-2023 school year. Congratulations, Red-Tailed Hawks!

STEM

Nation’s Top Teens in STEM
Chelsea H. ’24, a Buteo Scholar, was named one of “16 Under 16 in STEM” by The74, a news site covering education, and became one of the nation’s top teens in STEM. 
Click the link to read the news.

STEM Day by Hexagon US Federal 
Alina A. ’26, Grace A. ’26, and TJ Z. ’25 participated in a STEM Day event hosted by Hexagon US Federal in November and competed in a contest to share how they think Hexagon US Federal technology can address the challenges of the future.

Scholarship 

National Merit Scholarship
Seven Seniors- Robert D. ’23, Spencer A. F. ’23, Cavan B. G O ’23, Arthur H. ’23, Aneesh V. ’23, Robert W. ’23, and Raleigh C. W ’23 were named Finalists in the 2023 Competition for National Merit Scholarship awards.  

Volunteer

President’s Volunteer Service Award
A letter from the White House. Fiona X. ’24 received a gold medal and certificate from the President’s Volunteer Service Award Program. The gold medal for young adults (16-21) is the highest award for the program and is eligible only for volunteers with more than 250 hours of service within the last 12 months. 

Math

Mathcounts Team
Twelve selected mathletes from the mathcounts team attended the NOVA chapter competition.  Our school won 2nd place in this super competitive chapter.  

The top 25% of students from the selected mathletes of the chapter are recognized.
Congratulations to:
 
Rebecca C. ’27, 4th place
Ian W. ’27, 5th place
Chloe G. ’27, 18th place
Sophia W. ’27, 23rd place
Anna W. ’27, 24th place
Tang T. ’27, 26th place
Delia A. ’28, 32nd place

American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 10/12 
We have several students that have qualified for the American Invitational Mathematics Exam, (AIME)  after receiving exceptionally high grades on the American Mathematics Competition (AMC) 10/12. These students are listed below. Anna W. ’27 also scored in the top 1% nationwide during the AMC on10/12. We hosted the AIME at BASIS this month.

Students who received a Certificate of Achievement for being an 8th grader scoring above a 90 and Acceptance to the AIME:
–    Chloe G. ’27
–    Anna W. ’27 (Also received Honor Roll for scoring in the top 1% Nationwide)
–    Ian W. ’27
Acceptance of the AIME:
–    Adithya P. ’26
–    Enxiang “Gabe” Z. ’26
–    Chelsea H. ’24


Mathleague 
Congratulations to Owen H. ’30 and Jude B. ’31 participated in the qualifying round of Mathleague, and both have made it to the next level. They will be participating in the State Rounds in May. 

Quiz Bowl

Middle School Invitational Quiz Bowl Tournament
Our MS Quiz Bowl Teams participated in the Burleigh Manor Middle School Invitational Quiz Bowl Tournament on 11/5/2022. Our school has one team that qualified for the 2023 Middle School National Championship Tournament (MSNCT). Justin Y. ’27 was ranked No. 1 and Mohan P. ’27 was ranked No. 3 among MS players in the preliminary rounds of the tournament.

BIM HS Quiz Bowl Team
On December 3rd, the BIM High School Quiz Bowl team triumphed at the VCU Winter Quiz Bowl Tournament. The team of Caden Z. ’25, Cavan G. ’23, and Phoenix D. ’25 won the tournament. This is the first time a BIM Quiz Bowl team has won a state-wide, varsity level tournament. Three of our players were recognized as individual All-Stars. In the novice division, James F. ’26 came in 3rd, and in the upper division, Henry P. ’25 came in 7th, and Cavan G. ’23 finished in 1st place and was the 3rd highest scoring player in VCU’s 15 years hosting state-wide tournaments. Our teams’ results have qualified them for 3 national Quiz Bowl tournaments to be held in the spring. The members of each team were:
-Caden Z. ’25, Cavan G. ’23, Phoenix D. ’25
-Henry P. ’25, Raleigh W ’23, Ram T. ’23
-Aarya V. ’26, Brandon D. ’26, James F. ’26, Jiashu Z. ’25.

Longfellow Academic Tournament To Endallwars (LATTE)
Our Middle School Quiz Bowl team won 3rd place at the 2023 Longfellow Academic Tournament To Endallwars (LATTE) on Saturday, February 11, 2023. The team had the following students: Delia A. ’28, Colin S. ’28, Mohan P. ’27, Richik P. ’27, Kameron L. ’27, and Brayden B. ’27. 

Science Olympiad

Fairfax Invitational Tournament
Our entire High School Science Olympiad Team proudly represented BIM in the recent (01/07) Fairfax Invitational Tournament which included high schools from MD/DC and all of VA.  It was particularly exciting to go against BASIS DC. This is the inaugural year of BIM having a competitive, full high school team. The top 5 placements were recognized and medaled:

1st place in Scrambler (engineering): Team Caden Z. & Phoenix D. ’25
1st place in Detector Building (engineering): Team Caden Z. & Phoenix D. ’25
4th place in Anatomy Physiology Team: Veer B. & Orien L. ’25
5th place in Chem Lab Team: Fiona X. ’24 & Hera L. ’26

2023 Science Olympiad at Virginia Tech Invitational (Division B)
Our school’s Science Olympiad Division B team ranked number 5 among many strong teams across the country.
We’d like to congratulate the following teams who got recognized in the award ceremony.

In 1st place:
Disease Detective: Grace Y. ’27 and Justin Y. ’27
Fast Facts: Rebecca C. ’27 and Sophia W. ’27

In 2nd place:
Anatomy and Physiology: Rebecca C. ’27 and Grace Y. ’27
Forestry: Sophia W. ’27 and Grace Y. ’27
Road Scholar: Rebecca C. ’27 and Ian W. ’27

In 3rd place:
Crave the Wave: Ian W. ’27 and Ellie Z. ’28
Green Generation: Lillian S. ’27 and Grace Y. ’27

In 4th place:
Solar System: Sophia W. ’27 and Justin Y. ’27

In 5th place:
Meteorology: Zain M. ’28 and Sophia W. ’27

Sports

Fencing

Tahiyah H. ’27 won 7th place in woman’s foil Division 2 and 6th place in Junior women’s foil, 5th place in cadet women’s foil at the American Challenge; Tahiyah H. ’27 was awarded the bronze medal at the Super Youth National Competition of the Rockies for youth 14 women’s foil;  3rd place at the National Super Youth Challenge in Cadet Women’s Foil; 3rd place for Junior Women’s Foil at the Nova Knights Regional Youth Competition; 1st  place in both Junior and Cadet Women’s foil at RYC River City Rumble. She also won 2nd place in the Y14 women’s foil! 

Sahar H. ’31 won 2nd place in the youth 10 women’s foil and 2nd place in the NoVA Knights youth 12, women’s foil, and regional youth competition. 




Fairfax Challenge Fall RYC/RJCC & Y8 (Non-Regional)
Andrew Y. ’32 participated and won 1st place with the GOLD medal in Mixed Y8 Sabre in a fencing tournament (Fairfax Challenge Fall RYC/RJCC & Y8 (Non-Regional))!

Cobra Challenge SYC/RCC/Y8
Andrew Y. ’32 and Aiden L. ’33 won the silver medal and the bronze medal respectively for men’s Y8 saber at the Cobra Challenge SYC/RCC/Y8.

Apex Regional Fencing Tournament 
Ifechi O. ‘31 won the gold medal at the Apex Regional Fencing Tournament for Youth 10 Women Epee in Apex, North Carolina. 



Karate
King of the Hill 
Aaryasinh V. ‘26 won 1st place 🥇 in King of the Hill, a Karate Tournament in the DMV area.


Shooting
Shooting XIII CAT Championships Lima 2022
Suman S. ‘23 was in Lima, Peru competing at the Championship of the Americas (CAT Games) in women’s 10-meter Air Pistol, which is an Olympic event. Suman won first place in both individual and group events and secured a quota position for Team USA for the 2024 Olympics. 

Dance
National Solo Dance Final (U.S. Figure Skating)
Evelyn Z. ‘28 won 1st place in the National Solo Dance Final! (Bronze Solo Pattern Dance) and a silver medal in the Juvenile Solo Combined Dance. 

Art

Scholastic Art Awards 
Chelsea H. ’24 received 3 Honorable Mentions, 1 silver key, and 4 Gold keys.

The titles of Chelsea’s awarded works:

A Silkworm Pseudo-science Drawing & Illustration Mclean Honorable- Mention
Urban Flight Painting Honorable- Mention
Seafloor Mixed Media Honorable- Mention
Asian Express Grand Design-  Silver Key
Fracking And Fractures Drawing & Illustration- Gold Key
Metamorphosis Drawing & Illustration- Gold Key
Brainstorming Roots To Scientific Fruits Mixed Media- Gold Key
Jiaozi Drawing & Illustration-  Gold Key

Piano
The NVMTA Bach Baroque Competition and Festival
Fiona X. ‘24 participated in the Northern Virginia Music Teachers Association (NVMTA) annual Bach-Baroque festival at Columbia Baptist Church, Falls Church VA, and got selected for the second round audition for her piano performance.  

All second round performers, whether or not they are chosen to play in the Honors Recital, will be recognized at the Honors Recital. A select number of students from the second round will be chosen to perform in the Honors Recital on Saturday, February 25 at 2:00 pm at Columbia Baptist Church.

The NVMTA Bach Baroque Competition and Festival is an annual event that celebrates the music of Johann Sebastian Bach as well as many other Baroque composers. Only exceptional performers are selected to 2nd round out of dozens of seasoned performers.

Foreign Language

State Latin Convention
Grade 7 Latin students won the State Latin Convention.

Chinese National CLASS Essay Contest 
Back in September and October, our grades 8-12 Mandarin students wrote essays to participate in a national-level Chinese Essay Contest: the 19th National CLASS (Chinese Language Association of Secondary-Elementary Schools) Essay Contest, an opportunity brought to them by the high school Mandarin teacher, Ms. Li. Although everyone in the High School Mandarin program submitted an essay, our school could only submit 10 students’ essays. These 10 students were identified as the top 10 at the school level after a thorough evaluation. Students were tasked to craft an original, 2-page essay in Chinese in response to their respective prompts. They worked tirelessly on their essays to compete against other K-12 students around the USA in three categories: Regular, Immersion, or Heritage. Essays were evaluated by a committee of judges. The committee recognized our students’ essays were exceptionally strong!

This month, we were notified that several of our students have won awards! Awards include Gold, Silver, and Honorable Mention.
Gold Award:
Kingston Z. ‘27
Yilin Z. ‘27
Joel C. ’26
Sophia J. ‘26
Angela J. ‘26
Michelle Y. ‘26
Silver Award:
Jessica D. ‘25
Fiona X. ‘24

2022 National Chinese EXPO of Student Works  
In December, our Grade 11 Mandarin students participated in the 2022 National Chinese EXPO of Student Works with their video submission of the shadow show: “Nian’s Story.” The 11th-grade students worked extremely hard on this project. They started this project last school year and worked on it this year for the 2023 Lunar New Year Celebration. Students created and drew their own puppets, and backgrounds, and even wrote an original script telling the story of Nian and Xi. It is an important story of why red is such an important color in Chinese culture. This past January, “Nian’s story” won an award for their entry in the 2022 National Chinese EXPO of student Works (NCESW).
 
Congratulations to:
Haasini A. ‘24
Devin P. ‘24
Justin L. ‘24
Logan S. ‘24
Fiona X. ‘24

Debate Club

Debate Regular-Season Tournament

The team of Rebecca C. ’27 and Chloe G. ’27 went undefeated and took first place in the novice divisions. The teams of freshman Sophia J. ’26, Angela J. ’26, Ben R. ’26, and junior Paulina H. 24 went undefeated in the junior varsity division and took 3rd and 4th places.

The team of Xinyu Y.  ’27 and Grace Y. ’27 went undefeated and took 2nd place out of 66 entries in the Novice division, and the team of Ben R. ’26 and Paulina H. ’24 went 3-1 and took 6th place in the Varsity division in their second tournament of the season.

Our debate team participated in its final regular-season tournament of the year. The team of Juniors Shaun J. ’24 and Chelsea H. ’24  went 4-0 and earned first place in the varsity division.

Well done, Red-Tailed Hawks! 

Four Things I Love This Year About BASIS Independent Brooklyn

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by Fauve T., 7th grade Student Ambassador

Our Student Ambassadors Program is a way for students to help share their perspectives on our school and the broader community. One of our 7th Grade students volunteered to create a blog post featuring what she loves about this year so far. 

1 – Classes are challenging, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun. Chemistry is one of my hardest subjects, yet my teacher Ms. Susanto finds ways to make it exciting too. One day we figured out how many fingernails we would need to cover the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Many of my teachers are approachable and make jokes during class to keep us focused. The teachers also have student hours where they can answer many of your questions in an informal setting.

2 – Through the school’s system of mixing up the classes every year, I’ve expanded my friendship group and got to know so many new and amazing people. I was still able to see some of my friends from last year, who I was worried I would never see again, through electives and school activities. Today I have so many friends with different backgrounds and interests who have also inspired me a lot.

3 – This year I’ve found that there have been so many more opportunities to get involved with the wider school. The student programs the school has provided to us, like the National Junior Honor Society, Math Club, and Student Ambassador, have all helped me to feel welcomed and a part of the bigger community. [By the way, I’m not part of the Math Club even though my parents wanted me to. I am presenting it as an example. Maybe next year :)]. I particularly like being a Student Ambassador because I get to answer some of the questions I had myself going into Middle School for other kids, and now that I can answer them too, I can support the School. I am looking forward to Shadow Days, which I didn’t do as a prospective student, but it’ll be really great for new students to show them around the School and let them know what an actual day in our community is like.

Middle school hallway

4 – Learning the more advanced curriculum gives me a sense of satisfaction and a feeling that I am better preparing myself for my future no matter where I take it. Right now, I’m considering going into animation, becoming a scientist, being an actor, developing games, or becoming an author. No matter what I will end up doing – the classes, the teachers, and the friendships at BASIS are setting me up for success, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be here.

Thank you, Fauve for sharing your thoughts and experiences. If you want to learn more about our school, we have a series of admissions events throughout the year to consider.

  1. Classes are challenging, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun. Chemistry is one of my hardest subjects, yet my teacher Ms. Susanto finds ways to make it exciting too. One day we figured out how many fingernails we would need to cover the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Many of my teachers are approachable and make jokes during class to keep us focused. The teachers also have student hours where they can answer many of your questions in an informal setting
  2. Classes are challenging, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun. Chemistry is one of my hardest subjects, yet my teacher Ms. Susanto finds ways to make it exciting too. One day we figured out how many fingernails we would need to cover the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Many of my teachers are approachable and make jokes during class to keep us focused. The teachers also have student hours where they can answer many of your questions in an informal setting
  3. Classes are challenging, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have fun. Chemistry is one of my hardest subjects, yet my teacher Ms. Susanto finds ways to make it exciting too. One day we figured out how many fingernails we would need to cover the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Many of my teachers are approachable and make jokes during class to keep us focused. The teachers also have student hours where they can answer many of your questions in an informal setting

BASIS Independent Brooklyn is a private school serving students in PreK through Gr. 12. Please join our interest list for updates, event information, and more.Click here to join our interest list!

Math Team Wildcats Win Second at MATHCOUNTS Regionals

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BASIS Independent Manhattan’s middle school math club participated in the MATHCOUNTS Manhattan Chapter Regional Competition on Feb. 4, 2023. They performed at the top of their game and finished in second place as a Top Team, above the best and brightest teams from a slate of other schools in Manhattan.

We had several stellar performances by our students with Cooper H. (’28) placing third in the individual rankings out of 284 students. There were two more Wildcats who finished in the top 77 participants – Shreyas S. (’28) in 32nd and Alex S. (’27) in 60th.

To prepare for this annual competition, the math club has been meeting weekly for the whole school year to practice problems, complete mock contests, and participate in other competitions. With all of their preparations, the students were exuberant about showing off their skills in the MATHCOUNTS competition.

On the day of the event, our Wildcats showed up and did a fantastic job! Mr. Schuman (Math Club Coach & Subject Expert Teacher, Math) recounted how exciting the announcement of winners turned out to be.

“School team awards were announced starting with eighth place, and as each one was announced I could see our students’ hopes diminish. Then when we heard ‘…and in second place, BASIS Independent Manhattan,’ and a high-decibel roar erupted from our section of the audience.

It was amazing to share in the pure joy and sense of accomplishment that was behind that roar. I am so proud of this math team and all of the hard work that they put into preparing for this event.”

Congratulations to the entire team:

  • Shreyas S. (’28)
  • Cooper H. (’27)
  • Alexander S. (’27)
  • Itamar L. (’29)
  • Matthew G. (’28)
  • Aiden T. (’28)
  • Shepherd L. (’28)
  • Michael H. (’29)
  • Arnav M. (’28)
  • Deven A. (’29)

The BASIS Independent Manhattan team has advanced to the MATHCOUNTS New York State Competition, which will be held in Saratoga Springs on March 4.

Mr. Schuman summed up how he was feeling with an eye on the future:

I am very pleased with our math team’s performance. We will continue to work on problems and discuss strategies for the remainder of the school year, with the goal of building on our success. My hope is that returning math club students will provide mentorship and leadership that will make our team even stronger. I am also enthusiastic that new students will join the club next year to expand our team’s breadth of knowledge and problem-solving abilities.

About MATHCOUNTS
MATHCOUNTS is a national middle school math enrichment program offering competition and club activities designed to foster an appreciation of math among U.S. students so as to prepare students for future career opportunities and success.