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38 BASIS Independent Silicon Valley Seniors Named 2026 National Merit Finalists

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We are proud to celebrate an exceptional milestone for our senior class: 38 of our students have been named National Merit Finalists, placing them among the top academic performers in the nation. This achievement reflects their talent, dedication, intellectual curiosity, and commitment to excellence both inside and outside the classroom.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is one of the most prestigious academic competitions in the United States. Starting with the PSAT/NMSQT in junior year, students must demonstrate academic excellence, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and personal achievement to advance from Semifinalist to Finalist—a distinction earned by only about 15,000 students nationwide.

Our Finalists exemplify engaged scholarship and leadership. They have challenged themselves with rigorous coursework, contributed to school life, and pursued their passions with purpose. Their success is a testament to their perseverance and the supportive, challenging community at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley, where curiosity, critical thinking, and excellence are cultivated every day.

As Finalists, these students are now considered for National Merit Scholarships, awarded by the organization, corporations, and colleges. While not all will receive a scholarship, reaching this stage is a significant honor and opens doors to future opportunities.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all 38 of our National Merit Finalists. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments and excited to see the impact they will continue to make.

2026 National Merit Finalists:

Aaditya B.

Peter C.

Xiangtuo C.

Anna D.

Eileen G.

Maximilian G.

Aanya G.

Ellen H.

Chloe H.

Grace H.

Nishka J.

Arshiya K.

Manant K.

Aaron H. L.

Albert S. L.

Angela L.

Junren L.

Leo L.

Weiping L.

Maggie L.

Alexander M.

Arjun M.

Nikola M.

Nelson N.

Helen P.

Xinyue R.

Archita S.

Manasi S.

Yifan S.

Caroline T.

Lily T.

Aryan T.

Richard W.

Yujie W.

Maggie X.

Catherine Y.

Yiyang Z.

Lawrence Z.

BASIS Independent Silicon Valley is a TK–Grade 12 private school, offering 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. 

2026 Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards

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For the past 10 years, BASIS Independent Brooklyn students have consistently earned significant recognition in the prestigious Scholastic Arts and Writing Awards, which is one of the longest-running and most celebrated competitions for creative youth in the country. Each year, we take pride in honoring our winners, and this year is no exception.

Starting with writing, our sophomore Yohtaro S. ’28 took home a 2026 Scholastic Arts and Writing Gold Medal in Journalism for his article The City on My Shoulders, reflecting on his visit to Hiroshima with his grandfather. He originally published in our student news site, The Grizzly.

Shifting to the Visual Arts, our Visual Arts and Photography teacher, Mr. Opirhory, wanted to help us honor the students recognized for their exceptional work. His commentary on the honored Photography follows.

Inke F. ’30 – “One Way Street” – 2026 Gold Medal

Inke’s photo “One Way Street” captures the essence of life.  It frames a unique perspective of text, power lines, and a chaotic movement of direction, which is both literal and metaphorical.  Inke has a great eye and a classic photographic sense.

William J. ’30 – “Lloyd” – 2026 Gold Medal

William’s “Lloyd” is an odd masterpiece.  It defies traditional composition, yet feels perfect.  His use of leading lines and indifference to the rule of thirds shows a creative approach that cannot be quantified, but somehow is filled with a story, both comedic and dark.  William will surely make work in the future that pushes the boundaries of traditional techniques in the best way possible.

Eli M. ’28 – “One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap” – 2026 Gold Medal

Eli’s “One Small Step for Man, One Giant Leap for Ben” is Epic.  It flaunts the joy of youth and action.  As “Ben” floats through the air, we see him leave the ground below, even if only for a moment.  Eli is a wonderful student and artist who exhibits clarity and confidence in his work.

Claudia S. ’30 – “City Walks” – 2026 Gold Medal

The perfection of Claudia’s photo, “City Walks,” is stunning.  She had used all available tools to frame One World Trade as a stark reminder.  Surrounded by old buildings with their archaic fire escapes and pointing up into the blank sky, the picture reminds us of the turbulent past and a boundless future.  All things are possible.  Claudia is one of those unique individuals who can rise to any occasion.  She is a prominent participant in class who is unafraid to take on anything and perfect it with tried-and-true approaches.

Therese D. ’30 – “A Tall Church” – 2026 Silver Medal

Therese’s “A Tall Church” carries the weight of our world.  It depicts a tall church, as the title states, but the contrast of light, perspective, and the meeting of the land and sky at a pivotal Gothic structure brings it all home.  It cannot be denied that empathy and collaboration are the foundation for the success humans have developed on Earth.  Therese’s wisdom is seen in most of what she does.  She is soft spoken, yet consistent in her skills.  She is a wonderful photographer who doesn’t seem to lose sight of the bigger picture.

Blake S. ’30 – “Life’s Centered Perspective” – 2026 Silver Medal

Blake’s “Life’s Centered Perspective” is an example of intelligent storytelling.  This photo was taken in a landscape surrounded by nature, yet Blake chose to barely show it.  By sub-framing the land with an imposing shadow of a structure, we realize how much we need the natural world.  The circular window amplifies this with a shape that universally represents continuity.  Blake is an amazing artist who always brings a positive demeanor and joy with her.  Yet oddly, she often photographs dark scenes.

Dalya B. ’30 – “Into the Light” – 2026 Honorable Mention

Dalya’s “Into the Light” is a wonderful metaphor for passage and perspective.  Surrounded by the shadows, she frames a path and a map.  As the eye moves into the picture, we see there is more to a journey than the current state.  Dalya is a force of nature.  She has an exceptional eye and an admirable confidence.

Elsie M. ’30 – “Construction Men” – 2026 Honorable Mention

Elsie’s “Construction Men” is a masterwork of simplicity.  We see a construction worker, high above us on shaky scaffolding, working to build something he will not reap the rewards of.  The image is a celebration of those who toil endlessly without distinction and make the greatest contributions.  Elsie is a diamond; she creates work that shines a light on many aspects of life.  

Congratulations to our many photography winners! We are incredibly proud of our artistic Bears, and look forward to their work at our upcoming Spring Fine Arts Festival in April!

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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. 

Calculated Success: AMC and NOETIC MATH Accolades

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Today, we are incredibly proud to announce that BASIS Independent Brooklyn students distinguished themselves yet again on the prestigious American Mathematics Competition (AMC) exams, with three high school students placing in the top 5% nationally and advancing to the American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) competition—Theo Q. ’28, Victor Y. ’27, and Isabella Y. ’27. Theo also qualified for the United States Mathematical Olympiad!

Founded in 1950, the AMC is the preeminent math competition, and more than 300,000 students in 50 states and more than 30 countries sit for the exam to bolster their confidence and passion for math.

We are incredibly proud of our students’ success! Thank you to our Math Competition faculty advisor, Ms. Nuritova, and Math Honor Society Mu Alpha Theta chapter advisor, Ms. Olender, for nurturing a true love of math in our students.

Please join us in congratulating:

AMC 10A

  • Theo Q. ’28 – Team Winner, AIME qualifier who scored in the top 5% nationally. He also received a Certificate of Distinction, which places him at the top of the qualifiers.
  • Sophia N. ’28 – 2nd place
  • Sophie V. ’29 – 2nd place

AMC 10B

  • Theo Q. ’28 – Team Winner, AIME qualifier who scored in the top 5% nationally. He also received a Certificate of Distinction, which places him at the top of the qualifiers!
  • Billie M. ’28 – 2nd place
  • Sophie V. ’29 – 2nd place

AMC 12A

  • Victor Y. ’27 – Team Winner, AIME qualifier who scored in the top 5% nationally. He also received a Certificate of Distinction, which places him at the top of the qualifiers.
  • Indi S. ’27 – 2nd place
  • Isabella Y. ’27 – 2nd place

AMC 12B

  • Victor Y. ’27 – Team Winner, AIME qualifier who scored in the top 5% nationally. He also received a Certificate of Distinction, which places him at the top of the qualifiers!
  • Isabella Y. ‘ 27 – 2nd place, AIME qualifier, who scored in the top 5% nationally.
Fellow students cheer on Gr. 5’s Wanru for her perfect score.

Growing a love of math starts young at BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Ms. Nuritova led our Bears in sitting for the NOETIC math awards. This year, we had 68 students honored in our NOETIC Math Wall of Fame, and we wanted to give a special shout-out to our National Honor Roll students:

Gr. 3 – Axel M. – National Honor Roll and Team Winner

Gr. 4 – Livia P. – National Honor Roll and Team Winner

Gr. 5 – Wanru Y. – National Honor Roll and Team Winner (with a perfect score)

  • More Gr. 5 National Honor Roll recipients – Alex R., David A., and Sai P.-B.

Gr. 6 – Luca L. – National Honor Roll and Team Winner

Gr. 7 – Flora S. – Team Winner

Gr. 8 – Sophie V. and Dylan C. – Tied Team Winners and National Honor Roll

Please join us in congratulating our mathematical Bears!!

NOETIC Math honorees in Gr. 3-5 at our House Assembly before Winter Break.

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.

BASIS Independent McLean Student Earns Silver at International Skating Union Edge Cup

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We are proud to celebrate Evelyn Z., a student at BASIS Independent McLean, who recently earned a silver medal at the 2026 International Skating Union Edge Cup in Poland.


Competing against nearly 40 skaters representing more than 16 countries, Evelyn placed second in an impressive international field — a remarkable accomplishment that reflects years of discipline, perseverance, and dedication both on and off the ice.

Evelyn began skating at just three years old and eventually chose to pursue figure skating over other athletic passions, including floor dance, gymnastics, swimming, and karate. Her commitment includes daily 60–90-minute training sessions, with even more intensive work during summer breaks.

Balancing elite athletics with the rigorous academic program at BASIS Independent McLean is no small feat. Evelyn credits her teachers and school community for their support:

“It is hard to balance school and athletics… I am very thankful to my school and teachers’ support at BASIS Independent.”

Beyond the medal, Evelyn says the experience reinforced an important lesson:

 “This experience taught me that hard work really does pay off… If you work hard and do well, you get the experience and confidence you need.”

We congratulate Evelyn on this extraordinary international achievement. Her success reflects the resilience, independence, and pursuit of excellence that define our students.

We can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next.

See how BASIS Independent McLean supports students in pursuing excellence — in the classroom and beyond. Schedule a campus tour or connect with our Admissions team today.

Visit Our Campus

BASIS Independent McLean is an Age 2–Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Red-Tailed Hawks community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

Alumni Panel Insights 

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Recently, four of our BASIS Independent Brooklyn alumni generously offered to share their reflections on our school and what they have been up to since their transition to university. We welcomed Sid R. BIB ’22, Johns Hopkins ’26, Courtney H. BIB ’22, Cornell ’26, Yuna S. BIB ’24, Barnard ’26, and Maxim S. BIB ’25, Stanford ’29, to share their thoughts on their years at our school and any advice they could offer to younger students and their families. 

Several themes emerged during the panel, and we wanted to share them in an overview and more detail. 

  • Curriculum Prepares for College: Rigorous coursework and Advanced Placement (AP) classes allow students to skip introductory college courses, focusing on advanced material. 
  • Experiential Learning Through Capstone Courses and Senior Projects: Senior students engage in internships and projects that connect academic learning to real-world applications. 
  • Community Supports Transition: A small, close-knit environment fosters collaboration and lifelong friendships, making college adjustments smoother for alumni. 
  • Balanced Extracurriculars Enhance Skills: Alumni successfully managed academics along with sports and arts while at BASIS Independent Brooklyn, developing essential time management skills for college success. 
  • Parental Encouragement is Key: Parents and guardians are encouraged to support exploration of diverse interests without pressure, aiding student growth and independence. 
  • Technology Use in Learning: Students learn to effectively utilize AI tools, enhancing their understanding and efficiency in academics without superficial reliance on technology. 

College Preparation and Academic Rigor 

Our panelists hit home that the BASIS Independent Brooklyn curriculum effectively prepares students for college through rigorous coursework and strong foundational skills. Alumni emphasized the role of AP courses and Capstone Classes in building a solid academic base, with Maxim crediting AP Physics C and AP Calculus BC for allowing him to skip introductory college courses at Stanford, enabling focus on advanced material he finds challenging and inspiring. 

Sid highlighted that BASIS Independent Brooklyn teaches students how to learn and develop intuition, which helped him adapt quickly to college-level challenges. Yuna and Courtney pointed out that the small class sizes fostered close relationships with teachers, making it easier to seek help and build confidence, which translated well into larger college environments. Maxim also described the curriculum’s upward spiral structure as crucial for managing STEM workload and balancing multiple rigorous classes efficiently. 

Mr. Winter leading an advanced physics lab with Maddox M. ’25.

Capstone Courses and Senior Project 

The panelists all pointed to Senior Capstone courses and Senior Projects as providing practical, in-depth experiences that link to college and career paths, with students pursuing personalized research and internships during the senior year. 

Yuna conducted her Senior Project off-site placement at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, focusing on Martian soil simulant and plant cultivation. Courtney’s Senior Project involved documenting the revitalization of NYC Chinatown’s local economy post-COVID througha partnership with a nonprofit. Maxim interned with Ukrainian Railways while studying high-speed rail development in the United States for his Senior Project. Sid worked with a Columbia professor on engineering CAR-T cells for his Senior Project, connecting research exposure directly to his biomedical engineering studies. 

The BASIS Curriculum’s emphasis on interdisciplinary learning extends beyond STEM, offering significant humanities and arts courses, including AP Seminar, AP Research, English literature, history, and art electives, which build critical thinking and communication skills valued in college. 

Maxim noted that humanities courses helped him contribute meaningfully in Stanford’s citizenship class by evaluating multiple perspectives. Courtney and Yuna shared how art and writing opportunities nurtured creativity and independent thinking critical for their academic and personal growth. 

Yuna S. ’24 at work on her Senior Project at Cold Harbor Springs Laboratory.

Community and Social Environment 

The small, close-knit community at BASIS Independent Brooklyn fosters collaboration, diverse interests, and lasting relationships that ease the transition to college. Alumni panelists agreed that the school’s small size encourages peer collaboration over competition, allowing students to pursue unique passions without pressure and build supportive friendships across interests. 

Courtney emphasized that her BASIS Independent Brooklyn classmates became lifelong friends and a strong support network through college and beyond. 

Sid recalled socializing in the senior lounge and group activities, which helped build close bonds and a sense of belonging. Yuna and Maxim reflected on informal group outings such as volleyball games, beach trips, and lunch gatherings that strengthened community ties. 

Going to college with peers from BASIS Independent Brooklyn provides comfort and support during the transition to larger university settings, as multiple panelists reported attending college with classmates and maintaining close connections. Yuna’s freshman year roommate was a classmate from BASIS Independent Brooklyn, which helped her adjust quickly to Barnard. 

The community culture encourages inclusivity across disciplines, supporting students in both STEM and non-STEM interests, and fostering interdisciplinary respect and engagement. Alumni noted that their high school peers excelled in diverse areas such as photography, art, writing, and music, enriching the school’s academic environment. 

Our Class of 2025 together on campus before their graduation.

Extracurricular Engagement and Time Management 

Extracurricular activities, including arts and athletics, play a vital role in high school student life, contributing to well-rounded development and effective time management. Students successfully balanced rigorous academics with sports, arts, and clubs, supported by structured routines and peer participation. 

Yuna joined volleyball in junior year and continued intramural volleyball in college, finding it a joyful and social outlet. Maxim participated in varsity soccer, basketball, and tennis in high school, and later he led a championship intramural soccer team at Stanford. 

Sid managed music commitments (violin) on weekends alongside martial arts during the week, demonstrating diverse extracurricular involvement. 

The arts program offers multiple in-school and after-school options, including studio art, photography, drama, band, orchestra, choir, and an annual spring musical, enriching student experiences. 

Yuna’s AP Studio Art work earned a Scholastic Art and Writing Award, highlighting the program’s quality and college-preparedness value. Performances and trips, like the band’s planned Disney World visit, create additional engagement and exposure. 

Time management skills developed through balancing academics with extracurriculars are seen as essential for college success, with alumni crediting routine, planning, and support systems for their ability to handle multiple commitments. 

Our Varsity Soccer Team welcomed back alum Nico D. ’25 at a game held over his Fall Break.

Parental Support and Student Mindset 

Encouragement from parents to explore interests and a proactive student mindset are key factors in maximizing the BASIS Independent Brooklyn experience. Alumni recommended that parents encourage exploration without pressure and support diverse interests, allowing students to try electives, clubs, and internships freely. 

Courtney’s parents took a hands-off approach, allowing her to pursue interests organically, which she found beneficial for her growth. 

Panelists stressed the importance of being proactive and asking for help, including seeking academic support, extracurricular opportunities, and college recommendations. Sid advised resilience through challenges, sharing how failing exams early on in middle school did not prevent his success. Courtney and Maxime emphasized leveraging the small community to network with seniors and alumni for guidance on college and beyond. 

Alumni highlighted that BASIS Independent Brooklyn fosters a resilient and curious mindset, teaching students to embrace challenges and seek support resources like office hours and peer study groups. 

Alum Sid. R. ’22 presented his Senior Project on CAR-T Cell Therapy.

Technology and AI Integration 

Panelists spoke about how BASIS Independent Brooklyn prepares students to effectively use technology and AI tools as part of their learning and research processes.  

Sid shared how the curriculum’s focus on understanding concepts over memorization enables smart AI usage to boost efficiency without losing comprehension. He emphasized that AI tools help with coding and learning but require students to transform the information into personal understanding, a skill BASIS Independent Brooklyn cultivates. 

Parent Ian Saville leads a Future-Ready Mentor Program Workshop with our seniors.

Transition and Integration Support 

BASIS Independent Brooklyn supports students joining at various grade levels and helps them adjust through structured support and community integration. 

Students joining in middle school or later grades experience an adjustment period but receive ample support, making integration achievable regardless of entry point. The school’s practice of enrolling new students in every grade creates peer groups that facilitate social and academic integration. 

Familiarity with peers and teachers from BASIS Independent Brooklyn helps students transition smoothly into college and beyond, supported by active alumni networks and ongoing connections. 

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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. 

Student Highlight: Mykola D. ’27—A Story of Resilience and Thriving Effort

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Mykola D. is a Grade 11 student at BASIS Independent McLean, who moved here from Ukraine for the start of his tenth-grade year. Mykola’s story is a fascinating one, both because of his resilience in the face of change and because of the amazing work he’s doing in orthotics and prosthetics.

Mykola was always planning to go abroad to study engineering, but because of the war in Ukraine, he moved earlier than expected. His family moved to Poland on short notice when he was in 8th grade. He didn’t speak Polish, he was doing his schoolwork in English at a British school, and he was living outside his country for the first time. Despite all of that, he passed his state exams at the end of the year…in Polish!

Mykola learned about BASIS Independent McLean the next year while attending a Ukrainian school in Poland. He moved by himself to Virginia to start Grade 10. Living far from family and friends for the first time was hard, but Mykola has not only adjusted, but he has thrived. And, he has found a number of ways to stay connected with Ukraine.

First, Mykola works as the US representative of a seed oil plant in Ukraine. Yes, you read that right. He is a Grade 11 student representing a Ukrainian business. He built and maintains a database of potential clients in the food industry, networks and cold calls companies, and sets up meetings with executives. He said that his company has already shipped twenty shipping containers worth of sunflower kernels to the United States.

Most of Mykola’s work, however, has come in orthotics and prosthetics – a natural intersection of his interest in engineering and need in Ukraine. Last summer, he interned at a hospital in Ukraine, where he met and then joined a team working on orthotics. They take 3-D scans of patients in Ukraine, and Mykola cleans up the digital scan and 3-D prints orthotics that he ships to Ukraine. He has produced over two hundred since he started working with them.

Left: Mykola’s working model of ReTouch

Right: A digital scan of an orthotic device

His most exciting work, though, is on his own project: ReTouch. Mykola has designed and created a non-invasive device to restore the feeling of touch for people with prosthetics or severe hand neuropathy. It translates the pressure felt by the sensory glove and sends it to an armband, where mechanical pressure is proportionally applied to the arm. He has created a working prototype, which he is optimizing before conducting trials at a hospital in Ukraine.

Mykola hopes to someday start his own company working in prosthetics.

Mykola’s story demonstrates what it means to be resilient and to thrive in any circumstance. We are incredibly proud to have him as a Red-Tailed Hawk and can’t wait to see which path he chooses next.

BASIS Independent McLean is an Age 2–Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Red-Tailed Hawks community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

From Curious and Passionate Students to the Ivy League: 5 Takeaways from our 2025 Alumni Panel

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The Full Circle Moment

There is no better testament to a school’s mission than the success of its graduates. Recently, the BASIS Independent Manhattan Upper School hosted five alumni (representing Cornell, UVA, Penn State, and Boston University) to share their insights with our current students.

From the “flawless transition” to university-level rigor to the emotional intelligence required to navigate a 20,000-person campus, here are the highlights from our 2025 panel.

the five alumni panelists before they spoke to students
The panel consisted of four BASIS Independent Manhattan alumni and one graduate from BASIS Independent Brooklyn.

1. Small School, Big Advantage

A common theme among the panelists was the value of BASIS Independent Manhattan’s small class sizes. One alum noted that moving from a class of 20 to a lecture hall of 200 made them truly appreciate the deep teacher relationships and personalized letters of recommendation they received. “You have a support system here that is set in stone,” noted Charles D. (Penn State ’25).

2. The “Flawless” Academic Transition

When asked about the jump to college-level work, the consensus was clear: BASIS Independent Manhattan students are ready. One panelist described college as “AP season every week,” but noted that the work ethic they developed in middle and high school made the transition feel manageable and rewarding.

alumni panel

3. Passion Over “Extracurricular Inflation”

In a world of “try-hards” and “sweats,” our alumni gave refreshing advice: Do what you love. Colleges can see through a million superficial activities. Our alumni encouraged students to find 1–2 things they are genuinely passionate about—like the DECA Business Club or running the Pan-Asian Union affinity group—and lead them well.

4. Your Major Isn’t Set in Stone

Mila K. (UVA ’24) shared her journey from being a “Humanities kid” to declaring an Economics major. The takeaway? Use your first year of college to explore. BASIS Independent Manhattan gives you the foundation to be a “math kid,” a “humanities kid,” or both—allowing you to evolve as your interests do.

5. Advice for the Admissions Journey

  • For 8th Graders: Don’t shy away from the challenge; the foundation you build now is what makes college feel easy later.
  • For 11th Graders: Start dialing into your specific interests.
  • For Seniors: Enjoy the ride. “There is a light at the end of the tunnel,” the panelists reminded our current seniors. “Have a plan you love, but keep your hope high.”
Are you looking for a school that prepares students for the world’s top universities?

Visit our school, join our interest list, or meet with our Admissions team!

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Best Practices: The Co-Teaching Model in Our Primary Program

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BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s co-teaching model in Gr. 1-4 pairs teachers together to deliver tailored instruction and support for Primary Program students. This co-teaching model consists of a Learning Expert Teacher, who draws on childhood development and pedagogical expertise to teach one class of students throughout the day, and Subject Expert Teachers, who focus on the content area they are most passionate about from their years of study. Their combined expertise energizes students and deepens engagement in specific subjects, such as math, science, and humanities, while providing differentiated instruction to challenge each student at the appropriate level of mastery.

Head of School for BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Lower School, Ms. Rose Miller-Sims, cites the co-teaching model as one of the reasons that she was first drawn to BASIS Independent Brooklyn. Ms. Miller-Sims started her long career in education, first teaching at the collegiate and adult level and then shifting to primary school. She first joined our school as a Gr. 3 Learning Expert Teacher in 2017.

“This is a really unique model of co-teaching,” shared Head of School Rose Miller-Sims. “In other schools, co-teachers are focused on one very specific aspect of learning, such as supporting English Language Learners or students with diagnosed learning differences. In our model, we have two experts in teaching in a classroom, each with a different lens for how to support student learning. That is a big part of how we ensure that foundational skills are fully solidified in the primary years. The model leads to tailored instruction that really helps students fill gaps.”

“We have two experts in teaching in a classroom, each with a different lens for how to support student learning.”
– Rose Miller-Sims, Head of School at BASIS Independent Brooklyn Lower School

Our Learning Expert Teachers focus on students’ social, emotional, and academic needs, building deep relationships to support individualized learning and behavior. Learning Expert Teachers greet students in the morning, help students prepare for what to expect over the course of the day, and continuously monitor their progress toward individualized goals. These teachers also lead the “Connections” class, which helps guide students to draw connections across their classes through interdisciplinary projects, fostering collaboration and social skills. They work very hard to ensure every student, whether in need of extra support or advanced challenges, receives instruction suited to their current level of achievement.

“The Learning Expert Teacher is focused on one specific class of students,” commented Ms. Miller-Sims. “They get to know that group of students really well and make sure each child is getting what they need- not just on an academic level, but also behaviorally and socially. They spend a lot of time with students throughout the day. I like to say that they are the expert in their group of students and how they learn best.”

Subject Expert Teachers, on the other hand, focus on their passionate content area, designing lesson plans and managing academic learning outcomes in areas such as math, science, humanities, physical education, languages, and the fine arts. These teachers construct syllabi and communicate learning goals to parents in collaboration with the Learning Expert Teacher.

Proprietary research conducted by BASIS Independent Schools staff on our LET/SET model found that a true partnership between two actively engaged teachers working in tandem to bring out the best in one another and design lessons that best fit the needs of their particular students is unique.

Our Learning and Subject Expert Teachers raise the standard of learning in the classroom. While we set advanced goals for student learning, we also have a strong culture of support. We want to make sure that students have the confidence to take on what is presented to them each day in the classroom and throughout their school experience at BASIS Independent Brooklyn.

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.

Student Spotlight: Hera L-Y—Researching Forever Chemicals in Our Water

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Hera L-Y, a senior at BIM, conducted a series of water-quality analyses on samples collected from several local areas during her free time. After testing samples from Falls Church, Loudoun County, Washington, D.C., Montgomery County (MD), and Alexandria, VA, she discovered a significant discrepancy between Alexandria’s results and those of the other regions. Dr. Hight recently interviewed her about her process and findings.

Hera, I know you’ve been doing your own research on Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in our water, and it was recently written about in the Alexandria Times. How did you get started looking into forever chemicals?

In the summer after my sophomore year, I did an internship in a chemistry lab in China, and the professor who was mentoring me introduced me to PFAS and gave me a project to work on with the help of some graduate students. I learned a bunch of different simulation software and then simulated the interactions between PFAS and proteins. We used Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which is really common. We studied its interaction with bovine serum albumin, which is a protein in cows very similar to human serum albumin but a bit less complicated.

We found that the binding energy was really strong, which told us that PFOA was really likely to bind to the protein. And then we calculated how much the protein changed after interaction with PFOA and found it hadn’t changed much at all. We realized that because the interaction was so stable, the body wasn’t recognizing it as a foreign particle. But binding to the protein could still knock it out of service.

Hera presenting on PFAS during her internship.

It harms protein function without triggering any sort of immune response? That doesn’t sound good.

Not good.

So your lab work got you interested in PFAS. How did you get from there to testing local water?

After that summer, I knew that this was something that I wanted to continue looking into. I built my own website about PFAS, trying to, like, educate people as much as possible about products that contain them. And then in March or April of 2024, I started this project. What sparked the whole thing was that I found these filters online that let you test your own tap water’s PFAS level. So I bought two and tested my tap water, and then also tested boiled water, because my family drinks a lot of tea.

Then I wondered if the concentration in my home would be different from my friends’ homes. So I tested in a bunch of different towns: Arlington, Alexandria, Loudoun, and Falls Church. The average was around 9-10 PPT, but there were two outliers. Loudoun was really low, around 3.5 PPT. And I actually expected that to happen because they advertised that they are implementing things to filter out PFAS. So I knew Loudoun was going to be lower than the rest, but then I found that my first result for Alexandria was 22 PPT, more than twice the average. At first, I thought it might have been an experimental error, so I tested again at a different location in Alexandria. That one came back 17 PPT, so less, but still way more than average.

Hera collecting water samples with young campers during the Environmental Science summer camp she led.

So what was going on with Alexandria’s water?

What I did was look into the water sources for all the counties. So I tested the Potomac River and the Occoquan Reservoir, because those are the two main sources of water in Northern Virginia. Both were in double digits. The Potomac was around 15 PPT, and the Occoquan was 21 PPT, both of which are lower than the first Alexandria reading, which was a little confusing. But concentrations do vary with rainfall.

I reached out to a few newspapers because I’ve never seen this covered before, and I got connected with the journalist who wrote the article. We did some research and found an article from 2023 that talked about how Alexandria had an actionable level of PFAS. The mayor at the time was talking about how they were going to do something to stop it, but their levels are actually higher now. So clearly, they didn’t really do anything.

What’s next with this project?

It’s kind of on pause right now for college applications, but I definitely want to continue it in college. Because we know PFAS are bad for us, but we don’t know the extent of how bad. There’s a strong correlation between the concentration of PFAS in someone’s body and liver cancer. I do know that the liver is the main thing that detoxes your body. Because PFAS are so non-degradable, they kind of build up in your liver over time. I’m curious about the biochemistry there.

Sounds fascinating. I look forward to hearing more about it in the future. Thanks, Hera!

You can also read about Hera’s findings in the Alexandria Times.

BASIS Independent McLean is an Age 2–Grade 12 private school, providing students with an internationally benchmarked liberal arts and sciences curriculum, with advanced STEM offerings. Considering joining the Red-Tailed Hawks community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.

Our Entire Class of 2025 and Approximately 70% of High School Students Awarded AP Scholar Distinction

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At BASIS Independent Brooklyn, we prioritize celebrating our students’ accomplishments. Today, we can proudly share that all members of our Class of 2025 and nearly 70% of our high school students qualified as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars during their tenure at our school. Students move from AP Scholar to AP Scholar with Honor and then AP Scholar with Distinction. With the 2025 scores, BASIS Independent Brooklyn students earned the highest-ever average AP test score of 3.94 as well as the highest-ever passing rate of 94%.

“We reached a milestone this year with every one of our seniors receiving an honor of AP Scholar or higher this year at BASIS Independent Brooklyn,” said Josh Harmon, Head of School for BASIS Independent Brooklyn’s Upper School. “When looking at all students in grades 9-12, our students earned the highest average score yet of 3.94 across all the exams and a pass rate of 94%. This is possible due to a number of factors: the strong drive of our students, an outstanding curriculum that spirals through the years, the expertise of our teachers, and the overall support offered by our faculty and Student Affairs team.”

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

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

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

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

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

80 students in our high school were named AP Scholar (or higher distinctions), representing approximately 67% of our high school, after the exams were taken in May 2025.

Approximately 63% of our seniors received the AP Scholar with Distinction, the highest award offered by the College Board.

Congratulations to all our students who have earned an AP Scholar Award for their performance on the exams during their High School tenure. See the full list of student recipients updated to include the 2025 results below:

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

Victor Bergman-B. ’25

Dana B. ’26

Matthias B. ’25

Leo B. ’25

Leonardo C. ’27

Joaquim H. ’26

Gabriel H. ’26

Rachel K. ’25

Ethan L. ’27

Summer L. ’26

William M. ’28

Hendrix. N. ’25

Jason P. ’25

Saajan P. ’26

Ishan P. ’28

Julia R. ’28

Gabe S. ’26

Willa S. ’27

Sasha T. ’25

Vivian W. ’27

Victor Y. ’27

Erica Z. ’26

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

Bodhi D. ’27

Laith J. ’25

Audrey L. ’27

Viola L. ’25

Noah N. ’27

Nolan S. ’27

Isabella Y. ’27

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

Overall, in our high school, more than 50 students received this honor:

Wyatt A. ’26

Orsen A. ’27

Iris Autier-B. ’27

Maya B. ’27

Philip B. ’26

Henry B. ’27

Jack C. ’25

Nathaniel C. ’26

Mia C. ’26

Nicolas D. ’25

Colin D. ’25

Axel F. ’25

Petra G. ’27

Alexa G. ’26

Abraham G. ’27

Douglas H. ’27

Archie H. ’26

Maxwell H. ’25

Mateo K. ’25

Sofia K. ’27

Katherine K. ’26

Lianna L. ’26

Aidan L. ’25

Harrison L. ’27

Thomas M. ’25

Sabrina M. ’26

Varick M. ’27

Maddox M. ’25

Sefir O. ’26

Talin P. ’26

Crosby P. ’27

Gustavo P. ’25

Kanika R. ’26

Noah R. ’26

James R. ’25

Skye S. ’25

Zahra S. ’26

Hudson S. ’27

Nadia S. ’25

Xinyi S. ’26

Bowen S. ’27

Gregory S. ’26

Maxim S. ’25

William S. ’27

Hugo S. ’27

Jasmine S. ’26

Indi S. ’27

Olivia S. ’27

Ryan T. ’25

Beckham V. ’26

River W. ’26

Photo (above): Our Class of 2026 posing with Head of School Josh Harmon and College Counselor Matt Brauch.

Please join us in congratulating our Bears!

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.