VOL . 2, NO. 3
NOVEMBER 18, 2022
THE YELLOW PAGES BASIS Independent Fremont Journalism Club
SPOOKY SCARY ...DINOSAURS? By Heeya Das
a many students the opportunity to win prizes. Though valuable rewards were at stake, it was clear that many participated for the sheer enjoyment of showing off their costumes. Students customized their walks to fit their personas as they strolled
Halloween has passed by once more, this time
down the red carpet with their friends. Ms. Apra,
with students sporting a brand-new variety of
Mr. Betcher, and Ms. Davis sat at the end of the walk
costumes — everything from fairies to cows! By
with whiteboards to judge students’ walks in their
dawning their elaborate outfits, BASIS students
respective categories: Best Costume, Most Cre-
demonstrated their incredible sense of creativity
ative, Most Fun, and Most Scary. Loud music was
and ability to think outside the box. However, the
played for students to strut to as our MCs, Alicia
highlight of the day was undoubtedly the school
Peng (11th) and Isha Singh (11th), enthusiastically
Halloween carnival. The schoolyard was peppered
introduced each contestant. Students cheered for
with numerous booths, providing a selection of
their friends thunderously, showing their support
refreshments, including candy and hot chocolate,
and festive spirit. Some honorable mentions for
fortune-telling sessions, and a wide variety of
the costume contest include our group of inflat-
challenges such as the donut-string challenge, ob-
able dinosaurs, the lovely quartet of fairies, and
stacle course, pumpkin-bowling, and more!
the group of boys from the animated series De-
The main event of the carnival was the school-
mon Slayer. The BIFU Halloween celebration was
wide costume contest. With four separate catego-
so much fun, and we hope the Student Panel will
ries and three winners in each, the contest gave
bring it back next year!
HUMANS OF BASIS: CONNECTION TO HAPPINESS
By Shirley F. , Kevin W. , and Alan X.
BIFU DIWALI CELEBRATION
By Alicia Peng and Anjali Prabhu
lunch tables. Indian snacks were catered, including samosas (a fried and savory triangular pastry) and gulab jamun (fried dessert balls dipped in sugar syrup). After eating, students had the opportunity to partake in a variety of fun activities
On October 21, BASIS Independent Fremont
to celebrate cultural traditions, including rangoli
Upper School held its annual Diwali celebration
and diya-crafting stations and bingo games set up
event. Associated with the gods of wisdom and
by the parents. There was also a temporary tattoo
prosperity, Diwali is a holiday to commemorate
(mehndi) station that showcased both stylized and
the triumph of good over evil and knowledge over
traditional designs.
ignorance. While it is a Hindu festival, it is also
While other activities were fun and engaging,
celebrated by people of many faiths and has be-
the Bollywood flash mob ultimately became the
come a symbol of community and harmony.
highlight of the event. Parents assembled on the
Parent volunteers began planning the decora-
field and led the students and staff in dance to
tions, dance, activities, and fundraising for the Di-
some of Bollywood’s most popular songs, includ-
wali celebration a month in advance — attending
ing Kala Chasma from the movie Baar Baar Dekho,
weekly Zoom meetings, coordinating volunteers,
Lungi Dance from Chennai Express, and Kamariya
and encouraging students and teachers of all back-
from Mitron. Not only was the flash mob an exhila-
grounds to dress in traditional Indian clothing and
rating experience, it also reflected the moderniza-
celebrate Diwali together as a community.
tion and evolution of this traditional festival.
Parents began work early in the morning to deco-
The Diwali event served as a wonderful opportu-
rate the campus as many students and staff arrived
nity to celebrate the rich heritage of BASIS Inde-
wearing traditional Indian attire. Flower garlands
pendent Fremont’s school community. The happi-
hung from the patio, and a photo booth with a diya
ness and enthusiasm that filled the school that day
backdrop stood on the field. Umbrellas embedded
was indicative of the Diwali spirit in the air — a
with traditional Indian designs and colors adorned
celebration of the love and light we share with the
the school, while lotus centerpieces decked the
people closest to us.
Mr. Hanlon glides through the hallways, laptop and book in hand, striding gracefully but intently. If you pass him, he may give you a slight nod or a brief wave of the hand. These calm and methodical movements follow him into his classroom, where his poised composure delicately guides the class through the nuances of complex topics. Many may be astounded when informed that Mr. Hanlon is a professional actor, as actors are often associated with being flamboyant and over-expressive. This stereotype is far from accurate — “a lot of the great actors that I know from drama school [. . .], who I was friends with, are more like me,” describes Mr. Hanlon. “You wouldn’t know them as actors.” It’s hard to overstate the significance of acting in his life, with his greatest theatrical accomplishment being a lead role in a comedic play called “The 39 Steps” at Off Square Theater. Acting encompassesa vast spectrum of roles — from dramatic acting that requires the actor to be on the same emotional wavelength as the audience, to comedic acting where one distances their emotions. Mr. Hanlon’s specialty lies in dramatic acting — “ [comedic acting] was a huge learning curve for me,” he reminisces. When he performs, there is a certain resonance with the audience, a connection to something greater. “They are focused on you, and you are sending out something to them. There’s this amazing connection that happens,” he explains. “It’s exhilarating. It’s what makes acting so magical.” This magic manifests itself in other unexpected places. During his high school years, Russia was opening up to the west — something entirely unprecedented. “There was something about the Soviet Union and how different it was from America that made me curious about it,” reminisces Mr. Hanlon. His curiosity led him to start learning Russian in his first year of college, and by his third year, he was proficient. “Russian became my emotional language,” he says. “When I’m in really intense experiences [. . .] I start processing in Russian.” This emotional connection initiated a new pursuit: Russian play translations, which synthesized two of his “emotionally wedded” avocations — the Russian language and theater. These translations differ greatly from homework in typical language classes — here, every nuance of every word had to be carefully considered. “I don’t know if you realize how much creativity is involved in creating a play translation,” he remarks. “I [have to] consider the weight of every word.” Translating requires such attention to detail that he runs out of creativity after a few hours. His translations originated as a labor of love, but upon reaching the top of the field, he started receiving commissions for his work. “Theater companies and playwrights now come to me and say, ‘Will you translate this play?’ ” laughs Mr. Hanlon. “I say, do you have the money for me to translate this play?” His dedication to examining literature extends beyond play translation. Literary works, too, require thorough examination to uncover the author’s hidden messages. “So when I read, I annotate very heavily, allowing me to find subtle patterns [. . .] and make connections. I feel like great works offer these little motifs that add to their significance,” he explains. In Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky, a book he’s meticulously pored over, his careful annotations led him to an unprecedented theory. “I believe that there is a character who is the same person as another character in disguise, but this is never said. It’s a big clue to his vision.” He describes this
process as non-cerebral. “It surprises people that it matters so much to me and that my heart is so in it,” he says. Students often remark on the intensity he brings to his classes. “Mr. Hanlon will consistently have the most comprehensive interpretations of the literature we read,” describes Anjali, a student in Mr. Hanlon’s AP English Language class. “I can tell he wants us to engage because he is passionate about the piece itself.” Innate curiosities drove Mr. Hanlon to undertake a multitude of majors and degrees. “I realized that there were so many questions I had about the meaning of life, and how humans find meaning in the world… there was so much more I wanted to study.” After graduating from Swarthmore College with a double major in Political Science and Russian, he realized his questions remained largely unanswered. “I was still trying to figure out what I was going to do with my life… nothing really panned out.” In an attempt to satisfy his curiosities, he pursued a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies, which gave him the freedom to pose his own questions, take courses that helped to answer those questions, and write a thesis consolidating all that he learned. Things started to pan out — his Master of Arts condensed his future into 3 possible paths: professional actor, social worker, or college professor. In interviewing professionals in those fields, he discovered none of these paths quite aligned with his aspirations. Instead, he chose to teach high school — a combination of all his potential careers. A local high school offered Mr. Hanlon an apprenticeship, which inspired him to pursue a path in education. “I got the same sort of high that I get when I perform well on stage,” he says when recalling the first class he taught. “I got to help those students get where they need to be.” Just like literature, teaching is a craft that can never be perfected. After every lecture, he reflects on what he can do better — “there’s a ton to learn,” he states. Online school posed a significant challenge, as the multitude of new technologies presented a steep learning curve. “There was so much to learn, and I failed at it so many times,” he recalls. “Accepting failure after teaching for almost 25 years was hard, but I learned a lot and became one of the most adept at using those technologies.” Teaching is just one of the areas Mr. Hanlon channels his energy into, with another being building a sustainable future. One of his must-read books — The Battle for Human Nature by Barry Schwartz — helped him realize the possibilities in life. For him, two issues are the most significant: global deforestation and wealth inequality. He regularly donates to Right Sharing of World Resources, an organization that provides microgrants to small women’s collectives in developing regions (resulting in the creation of local businesses and societal projects). This initiative redistributes wealth and “gives power to local people to decide on things that are needed specifically in their environment,” he explains, giving them a stake in their future. “I believe in the power of radical hope. Hope has deep roots in getting us to a livable future.”