Posts about Student Achievement
September 16, 2022
More than 60% of High School Students Earned AP Scholar Distinction
At BASIS Independent Brooklyn, we prioritize cheering on our student accomplishments across many areas–from fine arts to community service, debate competitions, sports, and beyond. However, academic accomplishment remains a shared priority within our community. Today we can proudly share that based on the 2022 AP scores more than 60% of our high school students qualified as Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars during their time in our program. Students move from AP Scholar to AP Scholar with Honor and then AP Scholar with Distinction. Approximately 40% of our students reach that highest level of AP Scholar with Distinction by the time they graduate.
“Academically our students continue to knock it out of the park," said Josh Harmon, Head of School for BASIS Independent Brooklyn's Upper School. "By 2022, more than 66% of our entire high school was awarded the honor of AP Scholar or higher. Moreover, our students sat for more AP exams in 2022 than ever before with the growth of our high school."
August 18, 2022
In the News: Women in STEM Edition
BASIS Independent Fremont's rising junior Heeya D. made a guest appearance on the TODAY SHOW this week during a segment where the Princeton Review's Rob Franek discussed college admissions and Advanced Placement Exams with Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush.
The development capped off a year where we saw some amazing accomplishments from students, particularly women in STEM, celebrated by local news. We wanted to share some select news reports and segments featuring students from across our campuses in California and New York to Virginia.
August 27, 2021
2020-2021 Year in Review
Dear Families and Staff,
During the quiet months of summer, I always take time to reflect on the past year. The 2020–2021 school year sparked a period of constant introspection both as a community and country. It will stand apart for decades to come due to the pandemic and the many changes that ensued. Now I wanted to share some lessons learned, celebrate accomplishments, and pay tribute to our 2021 graduates.
What We Learned in 2020-2021
While we weathered the pandemic storm in a year that we hope will be like no other, we prioritized following the advice of scientific and public health advisors. While we learned—along with all our peer schools—that health mandates evolve based on changing data, we also realized the importance of remaining nimble with the health of the community as a priority.
Our community cares for each other. Thank you for staying home when sick and making mindful choices when thinking of travel and social plans. We are proud to have experienced minimal cases of community spread, and we attribute that to each family following our community agreement.
Primary School students pose on PJ Day last year. Note that even Baby Yoda is wearing a mask.
July 9, 2021
Class of 2021: Graduation Reflections
On June 24th family, faculty, and students gathered together at the Palm House in the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens to celebrate the accomplishments of our Class of 2021. Our thirty-two graduates are now poised to continue their academic careers in top colleges and universities across the country.
During the ceremony, valedictorian Elizabeth C. and co-salutatorians Jacob H. and Joshua S. offered thoughtful reflections on their experience as a class and looked ahead to all that is in store for them. We wanted to share with our community since we were inspired by their words.
May 27, 2021
Gr. 7 Chemists Win State Title in You Be the Chemist Competition
A team comprised of four BASIS Independent Brooklyn 7th grade students -- Olivia M., Polly S., Sabrina M., and Sahana C.-- was just named the New York team winner in the You Be The Chemist Challenge. The Challenge is a competition hosted by the Chemical Educational Foundation (CEF) in which teams of 5th-8th grade students explore chemistry concepts and the role of those concepts in their community.
The competition was held virtually this year due to COVID-19. Teams participated in a virtual event
where they answered timed questions and submitted a video on sustainability, scientific phenomena, and ways that problems faced by people in their community can be solved using their knowledge of chemistry and science. Ten thousand students from 266 schools competed in the challenge this year.
May 11, 2021
Celebrating Recent Student Accomplishments
We believe celebrating student accomplishments is important for not only recognizing excellence but also inspiring our students across the grades. Please join us in congratulations our Bears for a number of recent developments:
- Debate Team Accolades at the New York City and State Championships
- The Grizzly Columbia Scholastic Press Honors
- NOAA Recognition for COVID-19 Research by Luc M. '22
Debate Team
Debate Team Coach Brown was thrilled to announce Junior Peter Mugaba-N. won overall City Champion in the New York City Urban Debate Team City Championships. Our own Isaac W. '24 was the runner-up!
In the recent State Competition, our Bears made us proud. Coach Brown shared:
- Varsity Public Forum: Peter Mugaba N. earned 2nd Place Speaker, and Isaac W. placed 14th.
- JV Public Forum: Maren W. '23 earned 2nd Place Speaker while Riana S. '23 placed 3rd and Daniela S. '22 placed 9th.
Three teams advanced to the elimination rounds with Maren W. '23 and Daniela S. '22 placing 4th in JV Public Forum Semifinals. Szymon S. '22 and Hudson H. '22 placed 6th in Varsity Quarterfinals. Riana S. '23 and Stanislaw W. '22 placed 7th. in JV Public Forum Quarterfinals.
October 2, 2020
More than 60% of High School Students Earned 2020 AP Scholar Distinction
In the midst of this period of change and uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing remained true. Our students continued to work hard and excel. Today we can proudly share that more than 60% of our high school students qualified as 2020 Advanced Placement (AP) Scholars. AP Scholar awards are recognition of performance on 2020 AP exams. Additionally, the National AP Scholar award is typically the highest honor granted to a student before graduation and is granted to less than 1% of students nationwide. We are proud to share BASIS Independent Brooklyn is home to 11 National 2020 AP Scholars.
“This past school year was an unprecedented one due to the pandemic, and I am truly proud that students continued to demonstrate exceptional performance on college-level coursework during a period of great disruption," said Head of School Hadley Ruggles. "In 2020, more students received the AP Scholar distinction than ever before for our high school. Moreover, our students sat for more AP exams in 2020 that ever before, and they received the highest scores to date."
September 27, 2019
Sixty percent of High School Students Received 2019 AP Scholar Distinction
Approximately 60 percent of all our 2018–19 high school students earned an AP Scholar award, which the College Board just released. AP Scholar awards are recognition of performance on 2019 AP exams. Additionally, the National AP Scholar award is typically the highest honor granted to a student before graduation and is granted to less than 1% of students nationwide. We are proud to share we have seven National AP Scholars in the 2019 report just shared with our school.
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.
July 19, 2019
2018–19 Year in Review
Dear Families and Staff,
During the quiet months of summer, I take time to reflect on the past year. 2018–19 marked a milestone year. Our school "turned five," and our first class of seniors graduated in June. Throughout the year student accomplishments across all grades also continued to reaffirm the vision behind all that we have built here in Brooklyn.
We want to recognize the individuals who have been here since our school 
doors first opened and those who have joined us along the way. No matter what year you began, you were—and are—intimately part of raising a school. As we like to say, “a school grows in Brooklyn,” and with it so many children and professionals. Betty Smith’s seminal work, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, serves as an iconic example for the school. We—like the characters in the book—have grown together and developed our community by facing common challenges and sharing in joys, successes, and celebrations. Like the symbolic tree, we have set down roots in order to preserve our ties to each other.
January 24, 2019
Sixty Percent of High School Students Received 2018 AP Scholar Distinction
Approximately sixty percent of our 2017–2018 high school students have earned an AP Scholar award, recognition from the College Board based on their performance on their 2018 AP exams. Additionally, the National AP Scholar award is typically the highest honor granted to a student before graduation and is granted to less than 1% of students nationwide. We are proud to share we have four National AP Scholars in our senior class comprised of 16 students.
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.
Welcome!
Inspired by the blissful feeling of uncovering connections, our blog Eureka! Brooklyn is about sharing moments that capture the essence of what it is to be a BASIS Independent student, teacher, administrator, or family.