August 28, 2025
What makes a BASIS Independent Fremont graduation special? It’s not just the academic achievements or college acceptances—though our Class of 2025 certainly excelled in both areas. It’s the authentic voice of our students and the unique community they’ve built together over the years.
When our forty-eight graduates walked across the stage at the Fremont Downtown Event Center on May 22, they carried with them years of shared experiences that can only happen at our close-knit Yellow Jacket campus. Now, several months later, as these graduates embark on their first semester at top universities nationwide, we’re reminded of what made their send-off so memorable.
A standout moment of our ceremony came from student speaker Soorya I., whose address was chosen by our faculty panel for its humor, honesty, and heart. His speech captured something essential about the BASIS Independent Fremont experience—and we wanted to share it with our community as a reminder of what makes our graduates so special.
Student Address by Soorya I., Class of 2025
For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Soorya I.: 5.0 GPA, varsity athlete, astronaut, devilishly handsome looks. For those of you that do know me: shhhhh.
I’m incredibly grateful to be up here, speaking to you all. We’ll remember today for the rest of our lives, and I have the privilege of framing that precious memory with this speech. You’ve made a very bold choice, letting me do this. It’s a bit like trusting Kevin Z. with cutlery, but… I promise I’ll wield my power responsibly. Maybe.
On paper, my job is to surface the good times—a collective walk down memory lane, congratulating our graduates, thanking our incredible teachers and staff (shoutout Dr. Araci!) — but Aashna already nailed that, and I’m not one to follow convention anyway.
Instead, I want to tell you about the time I tried leaving BIF.
Toward the end of freshman year, I began to feel restless at our little Fremont campus despite months of unrelenting connection, friendship, and support. I remember blasting reggaeton at lunch with Atharv and Arush almost every day, workshopping quirky bio presentations with Kristina and Olivia, playing Snake with James during Teacher Jasica’s work periods, but somehow, I’d convinced myself I was missing out on the real “high school experience”. I blame Disney movies.
In any case, I chose to take my future into my own hands. I applied to several awesome high schools in the area and even a boarding school down in Carmel, and luckily for me, admissions across the board meant I could have my pick. After giving it thought, I elected to attend Mission San Jose High School to really live that authentic television fairytale.
I only lasted two weeks without you guys.
Here’s the truth: BASIS Independent Fremont is a tiny STEM institution with a student body of 351 sharing a 60,000 square foot complex with a church. We’ve got sixth graders running around the halls, freshmen doing calculus, an average SAT score in the 1500s, and a majority of the student body taking part in some honor society or university-level research.
But everyone says hi in the halls. People will stop whatever they’re doing to give you a hand. We love our teachers because they love their fields, and we love our admin because we can actually talk to them like they’re people. And everyone loves the Munchie Meal lunch runs at Jack in the Box. Jalapeño poppers form the kind of deep-fried friendships that last till you’re eighty (if you survive all the grease).
See, I think I’m a Yellow Jacket at heart. We’re super territorial, and we sting anyone that comes by… I’m kidding. We’re a strange, close-knit bunch characterized by burning curiosity and unending drive. How could I stay away? From Sachit’s depth of meteorological expertise to Justin’s, well, everything, each of us has our place in this community. I don’t think there’s a single thing that’s conventional about us, and it took losing my footing for a moment to understand the beauty in that.
Let it hit you like it’s hitting me now. We’re done. We grew up together, and now we’re adults, now we’re diving into the world, scattered. Jobs, home ownership, marriage, children, midlife crises in a candy blue Corvette… real life is just a tomorrow away.
And yet, as much as things are about to change, one thing won’t: the clichéd American high school experience will never apply to me, or any of you. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Now, for the final time, from the very bottom of my heart — thank you to our teachers, staff, families and loved ones, my dog Tony, and our weird, lovable graduating class of 2025.
Thank you to Soorya and our entire Class of 2025 for bringing such joy and authenticity to our Yellow Jacket community! As they now set out on their college journeys, we continue to cheer them on in this exciting new chapter.
BASIS Independent Fremont 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 BASIS Independent Fremont community? To join our interest list for the next school year and receive admissions updates and more, please click here.
