New Project? Maybe You Need A “Benchmark Bae”

Meymey Seng

Staff Writer

Have you ever been assigned a project and then realized that you have been paired with the same person multiple times? Maybe it’s a coincidence or maybe it’s just a little plan that the teachers have secretly created. Well, two sophomores at Science Leadership Academy came up with a word to describe this phenomenon, Benchmark Bae. The acronym “Bae” stands for “Before anyone else”. So, being paired with the same person often makes them come first when it comes to benchmarks.

Many students can relate to this, such as tenth graders Majd Bostani and Shana Bergmann, who were the creators of the term. They have worked with one another three times in the span of two quarters! Firstly, they collaborated on both their Spanish and World History benchmarks. Then, coincidentally for a benchmark in English class, they were the only two absent and were automatically paired with each other once again.

“We also found ourselves as tablemates in English class during both quarters, so I think Ms. Pahomov might be secretly planning something,” said Majd.

Luckily, they work well together, sharing the fact that they are both photographers. Even though there are little arguments here and there, which is normally expected when doing a project, working together so often has made their friendship stronger.

Another pair of Benchmark Baes are seniors Aaron Watson-Sharer and Jason Greene. Not only have they been paired with one another for a countless amount of times, they are the only students in the graduating class of 2017 to be in all the same streams with one another, for all four of their years at SLA. They enjoy working with one another because it has allowed them to have many successful benchmarks and also helped their friendship grow.

“We’ve had arguments. Times of incompetence and even mere silence out of frustration but I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’ve grown accustomed to Jason and I doing our work together and it’s something I value at SLA,” said Aaron.

Whether or not these Benchmark Baes are coincidental or intentional, something that the students can agree on is that it helps a friendship grow. Although group projects almost always have little disagreements and arguments, it allows the students to learn more about one another.