BASIS Educational Ventures is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 BASIS Educational Ventures Scholarship.
This $5,000 scholarship is awarded to graduating BASIS Charter School seniors who went above and beyond with the design and execution of their Senior Projects. The winners of the 2026 BASIS Educational Ventures Scholarship can use their $5,000 prize towards tuition at any four-year college or university.
About BASIS Charter Schools Senior Projects
Senior Projects at BASIS Charter Schools are a unique internship opportunity, giving students the chance to spend 10 weeks immersed in off-campus, high-level research. Students partner with mentorship sites such as local businesses or universities to research a topic of their choice. At the end of the 10-week experience, students return to campus to present their findings to faculty and peers.
In addition to their work at mentorship sites, seniors document their progress through weekly blog posts that capture their research, reflections, and evolving insights throughout the experience. Students dedicate approximately 15 hours per week to on-site research, while also meeting regularly with faculty advisors and preparing their final presentations. These blogs serve as a dynamic extension of the Senior Project experience, allowing underclassmen to follow along, engage with the content, and provide comments – fostering a culture of curiosity and collaboration across grade levels.
After carefully reviewing this year’s impressive projects, Peter and Patti Bezanson, Co-Chairs of BASIS Educational Ventures, selected 13 students to receive the scholarship. The winning projects covered a vast range of topics, including biomedical research on glioblastoma cancers, sustainable architecture, stop-motion filmmaking, and more.
“Congratulations to each and every one of our talented seniors,” said Patti Bezanson. “The time and dedication that was put into these projects shows just how amazing these college-bound students are!”
These awards were announced during each school’s graduation ceremony, where the winning students were called to the stage and presented with a certificate.
Winners of the 2026 Ventures Scholarship:
Project Title: A Cureless Killer- Exploring the Mechanisms of Glioblastoma
Project Title: Reanalyzing Mediolateral Stability in Exoskeleton Walking
Project Title: Don’t Tread on Me: The Effect of Negative Stereotypes of Snakes on Arizona Rattlesnake Populations
Project Title: Improving Thermal Efficiency in Solar-Powered Carbon-Neutral Stirling Engines
Project Title: Under Pressure: How Curvature Impacts Solar Cell Operational Stability
Project Title: The Commotion with Stop Motion: Creating an Animated Film with Engineered Camera Techniques
Project Title: Lost in Translation: Do Genetic Predictors of Response to Beta-Blockers Work Across Populations?
Project Title: Mapping How Alcohol Policies Shift Drinking and Fatal Accidents
Project Title: Cracks in Cognition: Uncovering CaV1.2 Channel Organization in APOE4 Mice as a Missing Link Between Cerebral Small Vessel Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease
Project Title: Accuracy for All? Investigating Skin Tone Bias in Wearable Health Monitoring Technology
Laasya D., BASIS San Antonio Shavano
Project Title: A Little Monkey Business: An Architectural Study of Play, Risk, and Nature
Ewan M., BASIS San Antonio Shavano
Project Title: Research of a Real-Time Model Rocket Flight Simulation and Stabilization System
Dylan R., BASIS Washington, D.C.
Project Title: Black Money in Chocolate City: A Different World of Financial Literacy
About BASIS Charter Schools
BASIS Charter Schools offer a nationally acclaimed, rigorous liberal arts and STEM-focused education. With campuses across multiple states and a history of preparing students for top colleges and careers, BASIS emphasizes intellectual curiosity, civic responsibility, and global citizenship.
