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Subject Expert Spotlight: How Dr. C Redefines Biology at Our NYC Private School

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At BASIS Independent Manhattan, our passionate Subject Expert Teachers (SET) are the secret ingredient to delivering our advanced curriculum in an engaging way, helping students take intellectual risks and make real-world connections outside of the classroom.

This month, we spotlight Dr. Chubaryov (Dr. C), our Biology SET at the Upper School in Chelsea, who teaches AP and Honors Biology in addition to AP Environmental Science to our high school students. After reading about her approach in the classroom and what makes her one of the best teachers in Manhattan, come and see for yourself at one of our Fall Open Houses.

Dr. Chubaryov

The Spark: From Opera to Observation

In August, Dr. C balanced a full life that brought huge changes at the start of this school year: she graduated from her PhD program at NYU and got married. Yet, her focus remains on the students. Dr. C’s own passion for biology was ignited in high school by an amazing teacher who made the subject exciting—even “cool.” A fond memory that sticks with her is how her biology teacher would play opera music while instructing the class on how to do dissections. This mix of creativity and deep study informs her teaching today.

Two female students performing a dissection in biology class

Thinking Like a Scientist: Beyond Memorization

Once in high school at BASIS Independent Manhattan, students have already completed three years of physics, biology, and chemistry. With this preparation and budding passion for biology, Dr. C can immediately help grow her students’ intellectual curiosity. She also challenges them to take risks that go beyond just learning biology, helping them feel confident to “do biology.”

Dr. C is one of the best subject expert teachers in manhattan, demonstrating a hands-on learning lab for her students

From NYU PhD to Chelsea Classroom

To enable her students to be active participants, Dr. C emphasizes that they are scientists in training. She often brings her doctoral research into the classroom, sharing personal anecdotes about her work in the NYU lab studying Hirschsprung Disease. These stories help her students connect abstract concepts – like cellular signaling or genetics – and their real-world applications. Dr. C notes that this is when she really sees her students thinking like scientists: reasoning through how biological systems interact and discovering both the beauty and relevance of biology in everyday life.

three female students present a biology poster on cell organelles

A Nurturing Academic Environment

When asked about their teacher, students immediately get wide-eyed and say she is great because of her duality. Dr. C’s teaching style is direct, but it is constantly peppered with personal anecdotes about her PhD studies that bring the subject to life. Students also appreciate how she holds them accountable, but does so by consistently performing “checks for understanding” to ensure every student feels supported. This exemplifies the nurturing academic environment at BASIS Independent Manhattan, where students feel inspired to safely take intellectual risks and achieve their highest potential.

student presenting to her peers in the classroom

The Takeaway

BASIS Independent Manhattan’s unique model, featuring passionate Subject Expert Teachers who deliver an advanced curriculum in a nurturing environment, is why we are recognized among the best NYC private schools. It’s designed to empower students to think critically and achieve great success.

Experience the BASIS Independent Manhattan difference!

Join us at one of our upcoming Fall Open Houses to meet Dr. C and the rest of our incredible teachers.
Upper School
Sunday, October 26
Grades 6–12, Chelsea Campus
10:00 AM–12:00 PM

Lower School
Saturday, October 25
PreK–5, UWS Campus
10:00 AM–12:00 PM

Save Your Spot Today

2024-2025 Year-in-Review: BASIS Independent Brooklyn

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Dear Families and Staff,

The summer months bring reflection that offers a vital pause—a time to transform our hindsight into foresight. Today, we celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our students in our annual reflection, and we honor or Class of 2025 graduates from BASIS Independent Brooklyn as they embark on their university journeys.

Academic excellence unites every corner of our school. We harness data from across our BASIS Independent Schools network not just to measure progress, but also to illuminate paths forward. This is how we master both the art and science of education—turning insight into inspiration and potential into achievement.

This past school year, nearly 70% 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 Scholarship Finalists, Maxwell H. and Gustavo P., and we proudly celebrated three Commended Scholars: James R., Maxim S., and Ryan T. ’25.

We cheered on Gustavo P. ’25 for being named a Presidential Scholarship candidate, joining a total of nine seniors named to the distinction across our network. At the end of the year, we were thrilled to learn that Maxim S. ’25 won the Fellows Scholarship for the best Senior Project across our network. The award is an honor in and of itself and comes with a $10,000 scholarship to college.

Let’s also take a moment to reflect on our seventh graduating senior class! More than 60% of students were offered seats at universities in the top 30-ranked national and international institutions. Today, we can share that our students will matriculate at the following universities and colleges (listed by U.S. News rankings for national universities, liberal arts colleges, and then international universities):

  • Stanford University (2), Duke University, Northwestern University, Cornell University (3), Washington University in St. Louis, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, University of Southern California, New York University, University of California-Irvine, Boston University, Rutgers University, University of Maryland, Purdue University (2), Northeastern University, American University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Hamilton College, Haverford College, and McGill University (2).
Our Class of 2025 posed with Mr. Harmon, Mr. Brauch, and Mr. Yoon during the start of school last year.

Celebrating Accomplishments

Throughout the 2024-2025 school year, one thing remained the same—student accomplishments across all grades reaffirmed the vision to hold ourselves to the highest standards. Our educators took pride in providing structure and stability to support content mastery. 

Our students excelled in their studies, and their accomplishments outside the classroom made us incredibly proud. An overview of 2024–2025 student accolades and significant developments follows.

Fine Arts

  • Scholastic Arts and Writing Competition: Eight of Mr. Opirhory’s Digital Photography students were honored in the 2025 awards. Students were recognized with the following regional awards: 3 Gold Keys, 3 Silver Keys, and 2 Honorable Mentions in photography.
  • Our Upper School Choir was invited to perform at Radio City Music Hall before the Christmas Spectacular once again!
  • Band student Nicole J. ’28 received an “Outstanding” ranking by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) for her solo flute audition, performing Sicilienne, Op. 78 by Gabriel Faure at Level 6, the highest degree of difficulty.
  • Choir student Katha A. ’30 received an “Outstanding” ranking by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) for her rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”
  • Our Spring Musical, Shrek, 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 at the Lower and Upper School hosted wonderful festivals before Winter Break and at the end of the school year.  
Scholastic Arts Gold Key Winning Photo “Old and New” by Henry B. ‘28

Chess/Social Sciences/Languages

  • Our Bears won the 3rd-place team in the very competitive U1400 division at the Chess Super Nationals! Our K—Gr. 6 U100 team came in 9th place, and Gr. 3 Milo S. went undefeated with 6 points to medal for second place in K—Gr. 3 Championships. There were many, many other chess accolades throughout the year.
  • Our Bears earned 6th place in the 2025 All-Girls National Chess Championships in Chicago.
  • Our inaugural DECA Club headed to the NY State Competition in Rochester, making our school proud.
  • On the National Latin Exam, our students were decorated with honors: 6 students received Gold Summa Cum Laude, 9 students received Silver Maxima Cum Laude, 12 students received Magna Cum Laude, 13 students received Cum Laude recognition, and one Blue Certificate of Merit for the School.
  • Nearly all the students in Mr. Bedes’ High School French classes sat for and passed the French DELF (certification) A1, A2, or B1 exams through L’Alliance NY.
  • Mr. Bedes was proud to induct 16 members into our newly established French Honor Society.
  • In the Chinese Bridge Competition, Gr. 4 Scottie F. won 3rd place in the Eastern Region. Two of our Gr. 3 students, Isabelle L. and Bathazar R., also received recognition!
French Honor Society Induction Ceremony

Math/Science

  • Our school won the New York State Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) competition for High School. Thank you to Physics teacher and coach Josh Winter for continuing to grow the team.
  • Our High School Robotics team Ori-Gen went to the Super Qualifier round of the FIRST Robotics Challenge after winning the Inspire Award 3rd place regionally. It was their first year of competition, and we look forward to another great year ahead.
  • Once again, a large group of students sat for the MATH KANGAROO assessment for younger grades across both our campuses and comprised one of the largest groups yet to receive accolades from the organization.
  • NOETIC Math accolades poured in with national winners across several grades across both of our campuses!
Our High School Science Team won 1st place in the New York State TEAMS competition!

Sports

  • Our Varsity Boys and Middle School Girls Tennis teams won the inaugural CPSAL Tennis Championships!
  • Our Middle School Flag Football team won the CPSAL League Championships after an incredible season. Go Bears!!!
  • Our Gr. 4-5 Co-ed Soccer Team won the CONSAT Championships. We are proud of our young student-athletes!
  • Our Middle School Boys won the CPSAL Indoor Track Championship, and our Middle School Girls came in 3rd! High School Student Talia L. took first place in the Varsity Girls 1 mile and 800m.
  • CPSAL Boys and Girls Cross Country Team: Our Bears had a great season, and the High School Boys team took home 2nd Place, High School Girls placed 3rd overall, and Middle School Boys placed 3rd overall.
  • Our High School Flag Football and High School Boys Soccer teams made it to the league semi-finals
  • CSAA Varsity and JV School Volleyball Team, as well as High School Flag Boys Flag Football, made it to the league playoffs.
  • Our Varsity Girls Soccer Team had its first season, winning 2nd place in the CPSAL Spring Classic Tournament.
Middle School Flag Football Champs!

Community Involvement

  • This year, our high school team arranged a Fourth Annual Day of Service in the fall to bring our community together and make a difference locally with nonprofits around Red Hook.
  • Our National Honor and National Junior Honor Society students dedicated more than 2,000 hours to service projects this year!
  • Our Lower and Upper school community donated hundreds of coats, scarves, hats, and more to our local Coat Drive in the fall.
  • Our community created more than 200 Thanksgiving cards for Heights and Hills to deliver with their Thanksgiving meals to seniors.
  • Students in our High School Program conducted a Red Hook Clean Up before Earth Day. They picked up 169 pounds of trash around the neighborhood.


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 under the guiding principles of BEARS–Belonging, Excellence, Accountability, Respect, and Service. Cultivating mutual respect and trust is key for our school after eleven 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 2025 for shaping our sense of community and traditions at our school. What we want to ask from our alumni and parents is to help provide professional advice and even connect our students after they graduate to internships and opportunities as part of our expanded mentorship program.

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 eleven years of educating students in Brooklyn. We truly look forward to the year ahead!

BASIS Independent Brooklyn is a PreK–Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Bears community? To join our interest list for the next school year, please click here.  

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

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

Mountaineers Triumph Again: Second Straight National Science Bowl Victory!

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The Mountaineer Middle School Science Bowl Team triumphantly reclaimed their national championship title by winning the U.S. Department of Energy’s 34th National Science Bowl in Washington, D.C., defeating Hopkins Junior High School from Fremont, CA.

We are incredibly proud of our Mountaineers Team and their remarkable victory. Winning the championship for the second consecutive year is an extraordinary achievement!

BASIS Independent Bellevue competed along with 48 middle school regional winners, with the victorious team receiving a $5,000 prize.

The Grade 8 Mountaineers Team included:


Gordon B.

Kathy L.

Kevin W.

Timothy W.

David X.

Congratulations to the two-time national championship team and coaches Liping K. and Ning W.!

See the official press release from the Department of Energy here.

Local TV Features Team’s Success
Local Fox 13 News recently featured the team’s victory. Our champions and Head of School, Dr. Thies, discuss their national win and what it took to successfully compete on the national stage.

Watch the Interview

The team’s dedication, hard work, and passion for science have helped lead them to this incredible championship win. We celebrate their success and can’t wait to see their future achievements.

Great work, team!

Perseverance in Practice

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In the heart of BASIS Independent Fremont Lower School, a remarkable event unfolded that took our students on an interstellar journey beyond the confines of our classroom and into the vast challenge of space exploration. Celebrating the two-year anniversary of NASA’s Perseverance Rover landing on Mars, we hosted a special science session that dove deep into the marvels of this monumental achievement in human exploration. This event was not just about building a LEGO model; it was about igniting the flames of curiosity, innovation, and teamwork in our young learners.

Day of Discovery

The session kicked off with a dive into the scientific achievements of the NASA Perseverance Rover. Our students were captivated by the intricate fields of mechanical engineering, material science, computer engineering, and communications technology that play pivotal roles in the success of space missions. The discussion also covered the logistical challenges of launching spacecraft and the critical reasons for sending robots instead of humans to explore distant worlds. This foundation set the stage for understanding not just the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of space exploration but the ‘why’ behind these incredible scientific pursuits.

Exploring Engineering

With minds filled with new knowledge, our students embarked on the “Exploring Engineering” phase. This was where the theoretical met the practical. The challenge: to plan and execute the building of the LEGO Perseverance Rover as a team. This task demanded more than just following instructions; it required students to think like engineers, strategizing the most efficient paths to completion, foreseeing potential obstacles, and applying their newfound understanding of the rover’s design and purpose. Witnessing the transformation of individual LEGO pieces into the iconic rover was a testament to the power of applied learning and critical thinking.

Teamwork Triumphs

No part of modern science is accomplished alone. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the day was the lesson on teamwork. Students were grouped into pairs and tasked with constructing different sections of the rover, which would later be assembled into the final model. This exercise in collaboration required not just technical skills but the soft skills of patience, communication, and mutual support. Through this process, our students learned that complex problems are best solved together, with encouragement and patience, mirroring the collaborative spirit of real-world scientific endeavors.

The Value of STEM Education

As we reflect on this extraordinary day at BASIS Independent Fremont, it’s clear that events like these exemplify the value of STEM education in fostering not only academic growth but also critical life skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and perseverance. In a world that is rapidly advancing, creating new and exciting learning opportunities like this ensures our students are not just prepared for the future but are inspired to shape it.

At BASIS Independent Fremont, we are committed to continuing this journey of exploration, innovation, and discovery. Together, we will keep reaching for the stars, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers. Here’s to many more adventures that lie ahead and to the endless possibilities that STEM education can unlock.

Learn more about our Primary Program here.

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.

Celebrating Science at BASIS Independent Fremont

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Science is more than a subject in school. It is more than a career path. Science is a way of thinking, an analytical process-driven way of looking at the world. Science is a worldview fixed upon progress, intellectual humility, and evolving knowledge. This month, the students of BASIS Independent Fremont flexed their science muscles at the BIF Science Fair and STEM Fest. With hundreds of parents in attendance, students from kindergarten to grade 5 showcased projects spanning many branches of science.

Science education teaches children how to think critically and logically, encouraging them to use evidence and reason to form conclusions. This skill is essential in all areas of life, not just science. Above, a team of grade 1 scientists explore how colors form by examining the absorption of liquids.

Science education provides children with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. These fields are in high demand and offer many opportunities for growth and advancement. Above, kindergarten teacher Mr. Jordan questions students during their presentation about microorganisms.

Science education helps children become informed and responsible citizens, enabling them to make informed decisions about their health, the environment, and other important issues that affect their lives. Above, grade 5 student Daphne eliminates waste by storing ketchup in Boba capsules instead of single-use plastic packets.

The parent-led STEM Fest on the weekend followed Friday’s Science Fair. Hundreds of students, parents, and community members came together for the expo to celebrate science education. The extracurricular accomplishments of students were on display as students learned about a breadth of topics, from building artificial ear drums to exploring robotics.

Together, the 2023 Science Fair and STEM Fest brought science to the forefront of the conversation!

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

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

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

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

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

You can view his research on CRISPR viral therapies here.

Congratulations Indeever!

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

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

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

Can you give a general description of your project?

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

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

Where were you able to complete this project?

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

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

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

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

How did you get involved with the Davidson Fellowship?

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

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

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

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

Student Spotlight: Junior Selected for World Science Scholars Program

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

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

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

Congratulations Maggie!

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

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

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

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

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

What was the application process like for you?

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

What are you most excited about?

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

What would you tell other students interested in applying?

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

Congratulations again Maggie, we are so proud of you!

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