Taft School Viewbook

WELCOME TO

GET READY TO TAKE ON THE WORLD. The Taft School opened its doors in 1890 with a broad yet singular mission: to educate the whole person. What does that mean today? It means we create an environment that encourages our students to strive for wisdom and learn deeply, build and find joy in purpose, build resilience, practice humility and serve generously, pursue excellence, and live with honor. It reflects our dedication to whole student growth and learning—mind, body, and spirit.

We believe education is a hopeful and future-focused process that creates a better world. Our students are engaged and resourceful, independently minded, creative, and courageous human beings who will live our motto: Not to be served but to serve.

They leave us with a deep and true sense of self and a readiness to take on the world.

Peter Becker ’95 Head of School

BRIGHT MINDS

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Taft prepares students to thrive in a world that is constantly changing, increasingly complex, and filled with opportunity. Our educational strategy is responsive, yet forward thinking; it is grounded, yet nimble. It is built on the understanding that learning happens in the classroom and beyond—that every interaction and every experience are opportunities for personal growth and deep learning.

Our legacy of whole-child education provides a foundation for an intentional and integrated experience that prepares students to embrace deep learning and strive for wisdom. To pursue excellence, to lead, and to thrive while finding joy in purpose, building resilience, and in keeping with our school motto, serving generously. We create a learning environment and approach that recognizes the value of healthy relationships, strong communities, and unique human capabilities—emotional intelligence, moral leadership, and resilience.

BRIGHT FUTURES

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WHAT IS THE VALUE OF A TAFT EDUCATION?

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ACADEMICS LIE AT THE

HEART

OF THE TAFT SCHOOL MISSION. A Taft education is built on academic rigor, driven by intellectual curiosity, and supported by an ever-evolving and innovative curriculum. Taft students carve out individualized academic paths, choosing from 200 academic courses along the way. They may also work with faculty to design independent tutorials, or even take classes with students from more than 140 independent schools in 30 countries around the world through the Global Online Academy.

Tafties are required to take some traditional core courses, but also choose from classes like these:

Aquatic Sciences Scientific Ethics B Creative 3D Design and Animation B Digital Experiences and Interactive Media B Engineering and Design B Multivariable Calculus B Reality, Ethics, and Technology in Life and Literature B Black Speculative Fiction B Legal Studies: Constitutional and Civil Law B Women in U.S. History B Film 1: The Art of Visual Storytelling B Theater Technology and Design B Art History of Spain and Latin America B Honors Introduction to Ancient Greek B B

AND MORE!

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HONOR CODE Taft’s Honor Code is the practical application of one of our school’s founding tenets and core values: Character, above all else, determines success in life.

Pointed, timeless, and unwavering, the Honor Code places the responsibility and understanding of academic honesty and personal integrity firmly on the shoulders of each student. It is an anchor and a compass, grounding and guiding students throughout their Taft careers. And it is continually reinforced: Every assessment— whether daily homework or a final exam—ends with the student’s written pledge: “I have neither given nor received aid on this paper.” It is a simple but important commitment: Honesty and integrity matter, and your word is your bond.

A TAFT EDUCATION GOES BEYOND THE TRADITIONAL DELIVERY OF A CORE CURRICULUM.

Experiential and applied learning opportunities at Taft transform theory into practice, knowledge into understanding, and passion into action. Our diverse programs and learning opportunities prepare Taft students to not only thrive in the 21st century, but to lead the way as globally literate, intellectually robust, and ethically principled citizens of an increasingly interconnected world community.

ACADEMIC ASSESSMENTS Taft teachers deserve their reputation for providing in-depth, thoughtful evaluations. In addition to getting a numerical achievement grade, you’ll also get a more nuanced evaluation— two “habits” grades. One stands for planning and preparation (P/P)—evidence of your organization, communication, and relationship with feedback (mostly outside class). The other reflects engagement and scholarship (E/S)—evidence of your engagement with the teacher, classmates, material, and norms (mostly in class). Grade reports are issued mid-semester, with full report cards coming out twice each year at the end of the semester. Report cards also include detailed, personal narratives from each student’s classroom teachers and advisor.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS Taft students may choose from more than 200 one-semester courses offered in each of our two academic-year semesters to fulfill our 36-semester graduation requirement. Students in grades 9 and 10 must carry a minimum of five academic courses each term, while students in grades 11 and 12 must carry a minimum of four academic courses.

MINIMUM COURSE REQUIREMENTS BY DISCIPLINE B 1 semester of English every semester

B 4 semesters of History (1 full year of US History and 2 semesters of non-US) B 4 semesters of Laboratory Science B Level III of a World Language B Algebra II and Trigonometry B One semester of Arts each year

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APPLIED LEARNING Taft’s Mathematics Team is an afternoon activity open to anyone on campus with an interest in exploring mathematics through innovative problem-solving, teamwork, challenging programs and activities, and individual and interscholastic competitions. Our mathletes compete in events at the local, national, and international level, including New England Mathematics League, the American Mathematics Competition, and the American Invitational Mathematics Examination. They travel to events hosted by universities—including Harvard, MIT, and Yale—where they continuously excel, keeping pace with global competitors and outpacing our peer schools.

Team Taft has become a perennial favorite at the annual New England Mathematics League (NEML) competition, an event that spans the academic year and challenges competitors at the highest level through a series of monthly contests. In a field of nearly 1,000 individual competitors from more than 150 schools, Tafties are often among the very small group of competitors achieving perfect scores for the competitive season. As a team, they have consistently turned in the top scores in the region for nearly a decade.

LEARN DEEPLY, PURSUE

EXCELLENCE Taft students approach learning with curiosity. They bring a growth mindset to the academic experience and to deepen their learning by thinking critically, connecting ideas, and pursuing excellence. That growth midset allows Tafties to lead, compete, innovate, and excel in the global communities as students, and in the future. We know that learning does not take place in a vacuum.

Our students engage with peers around the world, while measuring their preparation and achievement through a wide range of applied academic experiences. In recent years, Taft students have earned honors and recognition through those experiences and across disciplines. Among them: National Merit Scholarship Program The American Mathematics Competition (AMC) B American Invitational Mathematics Examination (AIME) B Harvard-MIT Mathematics Tournament B Girls in Math at Yale B U.S. Math Olympiad B New England Mathematics League B Technology Student Association (TSA) Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science (TEAMS) B Boston University Engineering Design Competition B National Engineering Design Challenge B Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology B Yale University Physics Olympics B Trinity College International Robot Contest B American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) Physics Bowl B Connecticut Science Olympiad B Yale Model UN B Harvard Model UN B Cornell Model UN B The National Latin Exam B Le Grand Concours/National French Contest B Scholastic Art and Writing Awards B New York Parliamentary Debate League B National History Day Essay Contest B National Economics Challenge B B

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HOMETOWN Bangkok, Thailand PASSIONS Robotics, Engineering, Entrepreneurship COLLEGE University of Southern California “I have always loved interdisciplinary topics that connect multiple subjects, mimicking the interconnected nature of our society,” says Panita.

It seemed natural, then, that Panita’s Independent Tutorial (IT) should reflect that passion for connection: Panita has developed a prosthetic arm connecting, she says, engineering, medicine, and entrepreneurship.

“I was immediately fascinated by the idea of designing and building prosthetics,” says Panita who, after experimenting with things like Legos, pipes, and wooden pallets, soon had a rough design for a prosthetic arm of her own.

That design, coupled with her strong academic background in STEM at Taft, helped Panita secure internships, first in the prosthetics and orthotics department at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, then at the Sirindhorn School of Prosthetics and Orthotics, the largest prosthetic provider in Thailand.

Panita’s vision was to create an affordable, functional alternative to high-priced cosmetic arms most readily available to patients. She produced a 3-dimensional-printed arm with six degrees of motion—five fingers and a rotating wrist. It is controlled by electromyography sensors connected to the user’s remaining limb, which detect electrical activity in the muscle.

“The next step I envision for the project is to mass-produce the hand on a small scale, by making the design more modular and interchangeable, allowing me to quickly customize for each patient,” Panita explains. “In the distant future, I also hope to incorporate emerging technologies in soft robots, to mimic the flexible properties of human anatomy.”

And while clinical setting regulations and connections with doctors and some patients posed challenges for Panita in her work, she was able to connect with amputees who were eager to test her prosthetic arm outside of a clinical setting, while providing valuable insight and feedback.

“This was also the most rewarding aspect of my work,” says Panita, “seeing the smiles on their faces as they opened a jar on their own for the first time, or hammered a nail. On the side, I have also been making hands for children with Leprosy/Hansen’s disease. While far simpler, the outcome was equally, if not more, rewarding.”

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MEET PANITA

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ARTS & HUMANITIES CENTER DIGITAL DESIGN COMPUTER LAB HULBERT TAFT JR. LIBRARY B 58,000 volumes

B More than 150 newspapers

and journals in hard copy B Full-text databases with access to

more than 12,000 periodical titles B Home to a 150-year-old Torah scroll

from Tashkent, a 1616 King James Bible, a 19th-century Qur’an from Saudi Arabia, and a Tibetan thangka from the Gomang Monastery in southern India

LADY IVY KWOK WU SCIENCE AND MATHEMATICS CENTER B 48,000 square feet

B PCR machine for replicating DNA B Two networked computer labs B Telescope B Smart classrooms and laboratories

LAUBE AUDITORIUM MOORHEAD ACADEMIC CENTER

B Staffed by certified learning specialists B Resources for teachers,

students, parents B Advanced learning strategy

programming B Instruction in strategic

reading techniques, time management, organization B Peer tutoring

MORTARA FAMILY ACADEMIC WING NANCY AND BEN BELCHER LEARNING CENTER THE PINTO LANGUAGE LEARNING AND RESOURCE CENTER B 32 digital workstations

B Two adjoining smart classrooms/

virtual learning spaces

THE STEM LABORATORY B Three hi-tech makerspaces

B Laser cutter, CNC machine, 3D printer B Advanced, interactive smart tools

VIDEO PRODUCTION LABORATORY AND CLASSROOM WOOLWORTH FACULTY ROOM

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FACILITIES

ACADEMIC

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UNIQUELY TAFT

WHAT SETS TAFT APART?

So many things, including innovative learning opportunities that extend, deepen, and strengthen our rigorous academic curriculum, and take discovery and wonder well beyond the classroom walls.

GLOBAL STUDIES AND SERVICE (GSS) DIPLOMA It’s part of our commitment to a global, multicultural education.

The program is all about active citizenship—appreciating the global ripples of everyday, local life and sparking social change. What are the requirements for this diploma?

Demonstrated proficiency in a second language; four semesters of GSS coursework; cross-cultural experiences at Taft, in the local community, and abroad with a focus on service; an in-person reflection session with GSS faculty; and a culminating final public project.

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MORNING MEETING Twice each week, Tafties gather in Bingham Auditorium for Morning Meeting, where fascinating speakers from all over the world offer deep and personal insights into a broad range of issues. Taft students have come to understand the impact of genocide in Rwanda through the words and work of a new generation of survivors.

They have traveled to the International Space Station with NASA astronauts, probed the democratic process with senators and congressmen, seen the world through the lens of a National Geographic photographer, and gone inside a range of racial and social justice initiatives. They have engaged with authors, scholars, activists, and artists, and learned from their peers, teachers, friends, and mentors. Morning Meetings are a Taft tradition, and an important part of school life.

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE COLLABORATIVE We love this exciting partnership between Taft and the City of Waterbury, offering students meaningful opportunities to deepen their understanding of global issues and their local impact. The Collaborative is built on a wide range of service opportunities and mentoring programs, with the Global Leadership Institute (GLI)—a highly selective, 18-month co-curricular program of leadership workshops, internships, research, and collaborative projects—at its core. Recent GLI Scholars have tackled problems as diverse as after-school programs, LGBTQ+ awareness, social justice, renewable energy, food insecurity, and clean water access.

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RENOWNED ACADEMIC PARTNERSHIPS INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM (ISP) ISP lets Taft students pursue their passions through highlevel, self-directed courses of study. Established more than 50 years ago, our program was the first of its kind in the nation, challenging students to think about learning in innovative ways that extend beyond the traditional classroom and curriculum. Upper mids and seniors may apply; no course credit or grades are offered, it’s just learning in its purest form. Since its inception, more than 1,000 Taft students have completed independent study projects, from producing plays and designing a photovoltaic cell to delving into British history and exploring biofuel technology.

A special partnership between Taft and The New York Botanical Garden (NYBG) not only brings world-renowned scientists to our campus each year, it allows Taft students to spend time in the legendary NYBG gardens, classrooms, laboratories, libraries, and research space. And it gets better: Every summer, Taft students join college and graduate school interns in working side-by-side with NYBG scientists on advanced research projects, including the development of a rapid DNA extractor for use by botanists in the field. Taft students have also worked in collaboration with the Sustainable Aquaculture Initiative out of Woods Hole, MA, to develop a small-scale tilapia aquaculture model; the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute; US Geological Survey (USGS); and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

SHAKESPEAREAN SPIRIT There is no discontent in our winter, when all the school becomes a stage (apologies to The Bard), and Tafties take a monthlong dive into the world of Shakespeare. Lower mids and mids bring the sound and the fury to our annual recitation contests. Upper school students take it to another level in their English classes, forming acting companies that cut scripts, block choreography, and stage “pop-up Shakespeare” performances around the school. All of this allows students to experience the joy of discovery and energy that drives revelation.

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YOU ARE THEIR LIFE’S WORK. IMAGINE a video production

classroom where your teacher is an Emmy-winning director and producer. Or a Global Studies and Service program that includes a teacher who, as an educator in South Africa, built a democracy-training curriculum connecting student service projects with local NGOs. Maybe you’ll be inspired by the work your science teachers do with a dwindling group of indigenous people in a remote region of the Amazon rainforest. Perhaps you’ll recognize the distinctive baritone leading your choral music class from the Disney soundtracks you grew up listening to—Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Mulan. Or aspire to win a Stanley Cup one day, just as your hockey coach did. All of this happens at Taft every day. Our faculty not only bring a world of academic experience to our halls, they bring their experience in the world, and put it to work for you—in the classroom, on the playing field, in the dormitories, as teachers, coaches, deans, and advisors. You are, quite simply, their life’s work.

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FACULTY

AMAZING

MEET SHANNON GUIDOTTI SCIENCE Among the things Ms. Guidotti loves most about Taft are the bonds she forms with her students. “I might be your bio teacher, or your advisor, or coach you in conditioning,” says Ms. Guidotti. “Or maybe I was your dean, or you live in my dorm. There are so many ways we forge connections here— we’re all fully enmeshed in this composite web that makes up our community.” Ms. Guidotti has been passionate about science since she was a child; her passion for teaching came a bit later, but runs just as deep. “When I step into my classroom every day I get excited. I love the ‘aha’ moments, and I love how rewarding it is to share my knowledge about topics that I am so excited and passionate about,” she says.

“In our department, everyone is here because we truly love science, and that is so inspiring.

I can’t imagine anything better.”

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isn’t something we just talk about, it’s something Taft students and faculty actively embrace and engage in.

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BELONGING

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MEET THOMAS ALLEN DEAN OF COMMUNITY, JUSTICE, AND BELONGING As Dean of Community, Justice, and Belonging, Mr. Allen uses his experience and skills as a social worker, psychologist, coach, and mentor to help each student reach their full potential. “I firmly believe that students at Taft are looking for someone to believe in their dream,” Mr. Allen says, “and I believe in them. I’m passionate about developing our community and helping cultivate future leaders who will change the world.”

For Mr. Allen, it all begins with connection. “The ability to have meaningful and authentic conversations with students and allow them to fully express themselves in ways that they didn’t even know they could is not only essential to growth as individuals and as a community, but something that brings me great joy.” And connection, he says, is the foundation of a critical component of life at Taft: belonging. “Taft is a special community.

Belonging isn’t something we just talk about, it’s something Taft students and faculty actively embrace and engage in. We challenge ourselves to step out of our comfort zones and lean into the discomfort. As students grow and stretch, they find that they are developing in ways they never thought possible. You will be a different person when you leave here.”

SERVICE TRAVEL AND

STUDY ABROAD

A Taft education prepares students to find their place in an increasingly interconnected global community. We offer students both methods and means for stepping outside of themselves—and outside of our campus—to learn and serve across the globe.

WHERE TO GO

HOW TO GET THERE

SCHOOL YEAR ABROAD AND SEMESTER AWAY STUDY PROGRAMS

KILBOURNE GRANTS

The School Year Abroad program includes immersion experiences in China, France, Spain, and Italy. Our students also participate in semester programs at the Maine Coast Program of the Chewonki Foundation, at the Island School in the Bahamas, and at the High Mountain Institute in Colorado. Mids and upper mids may spend a full academic year or semester at King’s Academy in Jordan.

CULTURAL IMMERSION

Taft’s World Language Department offers summer immersion programs in Spain and France. Students live with host families, attend classes, and explore the cultural richness of these regions, with additional opportunities for weekend travel.

VACATION STUDY ABROAD

Taft faculty members often organize service travel opportunities for students during spring break and immediately following the close of the academic year. Tafties have built homes in Guatemala, taught English to schoolchildren in the Dominican Republic, designed academic programs in Costa Rica, and worked in Botswana, Hawaii, Mexico, and Nicaragua. We also offer grants and fellowships that allow students to engage with a host of service and educational travel agencies and programs working in communities throughout the world.

Kilbourne family grants help Taft students attend summer enrichment programs focused on the arts.

POOLE FELLOWSHIPS

This service-oriented summer grant program encourages students to broaden their perspectives and expose themselves to new ideas and experiences. Recent projects include community service in Moldova, Mongolia, Cambodia, India, and Vietnam, as well as service projects in the U.S.

MEG PAGE ’74 FELLOWSHIPS

These fellowships are awarded annually to students who wish to explore an experience or course of study devoted to the provision of better healthcare in areas such as public health, family planning, medical research, mental health, and non-Western practices of healing.

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MEET BOJANA HOMETOWN Belgrade, Serbia PASSION Environmental Issues INNOVATIVE INITIATIVE Global Studies and Service Diploma; Service Travel, Robert Keyes Poole ’50 Fellowship COLLEGE Bowdoin College

Bojana is passionate about the environment. She is especially passionate about climate change.

“I knew that the greatest impact of changes in the climate can be measured in the Arctic,” Bojana says, “and that if I really wanted to study and understand climate change, I needed go there.”

And she did. With support from a Robert Keyes Poole ’50 Fellowship, Bojana spent ten days at the edge of the Arctic working with two scientists from the Earthwatch Institute, an international, researchdriven, environmental nonprofit built on a citizen science model. The expedition base was Dechen la’, a remote lodge in the midst of tundra. “Dechen la’” comes from an aboriginal word meaning “the land at the end of the sticks,” and indeed, the end of the sticks—the tree line—played a crucial role in Bojana’s work. The lead scientist on the expedition is studying how climate and environmental change shape tree line dynamics. Bojana identified seedlings of firs and spruces and recorded their growth in seeded and unseeded plots to establish reproductive potential.

“The data I collected will be crucial in proving that warmer growing seasons can lead to a greater number of viable tree seeds produced and higher germination success, allowing the tree line to migrate further into the tundra, where it is harder for them to survive because of the harsh conditions,” says Bojana.

Bojana also worked on an ongoing project assessing the region’s permafrost layer, the soil that remains frozen—below 0 degrees Celsius—for more than a year. As temperatures rise and permafrost thaws, the organic compounds in it begin to decompose, producing carbon dioxide and methane.

The release of these greenhouse gases will amplify the effects of global warming.

“It is a 30-year project,” Bojana says, “Earthwatch comes back year after year to measure the permafrost in the same locations, which was what I was doing— probing the ground using a 200-centimeter metal pole and recording the permafrost depth. I could see the direct effects immediately. What I measured could really be influential in future research.”

LIVING WHERE WE LEARN. LEARNING WHERE WE LIVE. Taft is, in every sense of the word, a community. Our shared passions and purpose bring us together intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally; our individuality connects us on a deeper level, as we live and learn through shared experiences in common spaces. Our unique architectural design strengthens that sense of community: “Main Hall” is a vibrant, bustling corridor running through the heart of our campus. It connects meeting spaces, classrooms, dormitories, arts spaces, offices, dining halls and common rooms—and all of its travelers along the way. It is a place where lives intersect and where community thrives. And it is uniquely Taft.

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B Our three dining halls sit at

the far end of Main Hall. These bright beautiful spaces are hubs of campus life, where students eat, study, or relax with friends.

B Abe Lincoln keeps watch over

the school’s main lobby, which also bears his name. Students often gather here before and between classes; they also rub his nose for luck with each passing. Its acoustic sweet spot makes Lincoln Lobby a favorite performance space for Taft’s a cappella groups. The Choral Room and the Faculty Room, two of the most historic spots on campus, flank Lincoln Lobby.

B Bingham Auditorium sits at one

end of Main Hall. It is where the full school community comes together as one for assemblies and Morning Meetings throughout the year.

Bingham is also home to Taft’s main stage theater, and where the head of school welcomes students back to campus at the start of each academic year.

B Some of the school’s most

historic spaces also sit along Main Hall, including the Woolworth Faculty Room.

Vestiges of the Faculty Room’s past life as the school library add a sense of place, history, character, and charm to the space now used for community gatherings and receptions, as a cozy study space, occasional classes, and club meetings.

WE ARE what makes Taft Taft:

we are a deeply connected and intertwined community that naturally leads each individual to build treasured and valued bonds. The person assigned to sit next to you in Bingham Auditorium may become the close friend you stay up late talking to in your dorm, your most dedicated teammate, or your talented co-star in the spring musical.

—Maya

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OUR DORMS ARE MEANT TO BE, IN EVERY SENSE, A HOME AWAY FROM HOME.

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For more than three-quarters of our student body, they are just that: they are places where friendships are formed, faculty becomes family, and comfortable spaces abound.

They are where students live together, learn together, and grow together. For many, it is the first time they are living away from home. Our Residential Life team includes a director, dorm heads, resident faculty, deans, and dormitory monitors, all of whom work to make the transition to dorm life—and everyday living— smooth and successful.

RESIDENTIAL HALLS B Centennial Dormitory B Charles Phelps Taft Hall B Congdon House B Cruikshank House B Horace D. Taft Hall B John L. Vogelstein ’52 Dormitory B McIntosh House B Upper School Girls Dormitory

DINING & STUDENT LIFE B Centennial Quad B East Dining Hall B Laube Dining Hall B Lincoln Lobby B Oscarson Jigger Shop & Patio/

Student Union B Potter’s Pond B Prentice Dining Hall B School Store B Woodward Chapel

SIT-DOWN DINNER

WHAT MAKES TAFT TAFT

Twice each week Tafties sit down with faculty members and fellow students at assigned tables to engage in meaningful conversation around current issues. Table assignments change for each meal, allowing students to connect with different members of our community each week.

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RED RALLY Prep school rivalries are as old as prep schools themselves, and ours is one of the best: On one Saturday in November nearly every fall sports team takes on the athletes from Hotchkiss. But not before “Spirit Week” and a giant red pep rally and bonfire the night before. “Red Rally” is a highlight of the school year and a great lead-in to a fun-filled Hotchkiss Day.

SUPER SUNDAY

SPIRITUAL LIFE

The first Sunday of the school year marks a favorite Taft tradition: Super Sunday. Students start on teams designated by color, but blend to become one giant, colorfully painted community after a day of fun and games, from sack races and egg tosses to Crisco slides and a hotly contested tug of war.

Taft is a non-denominational school with no single religious affiliation, yet we believe that educating the whole student includes the mind, body, and spirit. We acknowledge, celebrate, and nurture the diverse religious traditions within the school, while respecting the differences and integrity of each. The Religion and Spiritual Life Council facilitates healthy dialogue among the many religious and spiritual traditions represented at Taft, as well as other school groups, including Gender & Sexuality Alliance, United Cultures of Taft, Jewish Students Organization, and FOCUS.

Saturdays are usually class days, and a big day for athletic competitions, but there’s still time in the weekend for movie nights, coffeehouses, dances, rallies, charity walks, and service projects.

There are often club meetings and activities, and special events hosted by campus groups and organizations. There are cultural celebrations, arts performances, game nights, and off-campus excursions. Tafties hang with friends, skate on Potter’s Pond, ride bikes, take trips to the mall, dine out, create music and art, play pick-up games in the gym, go skiing, work out…the weekend options are almost unlimited.

ECOMONS Monitors—mons—are our student leaders. EcoMons take the reins in ensuring that Tafties think green and live green.

With an eye on environmental stewardship, EcoMons work to keep efficiency and sustainability at the forefront of campus life.

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WEEKENDS!

THE JIG Formally named The Donald Oscarson Jigger Shop, the Jig is Taft’s student union. You can hang out with your friends at the Jig, play pool, ping pong or foosball, and even get yummy food at the snack bar. When the sun is shining, expect everyone to gather on Jig Patio, next to Potter’s Pond.

FEEDS

OUR MOTTO

Advisors, coaches, dorm parents, faculty members, classes and clubs all want to feed you! Whether it is ice cream, sushi, pizza, cupcakes, or cookies, “feeds” are a fun break from the routine, and always involve A LOT of food.

Our school motto, Non ut sibi ministretur sed ut ministret, means “not to be served but to serve,” and serve we do. We are a community dedicated to making a difference, both locally and globally. Each season, every Taft student is invited to engage with service partners across the state through their Afternoon Program activities, while working with those organizations to meet their wide-ranging needs.

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DEEPLY

CONNECTED,

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THE BELONGING

UNIQUELY

DIVERSE

of every member of the community is of paramount importance. We are a community that celebrates and accepts everyone.

Every member of our community can be their full self at Taft, no matter who you love, no matter how you identify, no matter how you worship, the color of your skin, the language you speak, where you’re from, the shape of your body… you are valued.

—Peter Becker ’95 Head of School

BUILT ON

RELATIONSHIPS Taft is a place that is built on relationships; at our core, we are all connected. Our students live and learn with a common purpose and a spirit of cooperation. They work collaboratively, and care deeply. They value kindness.

All new Taft students are welcomed to campus by a peer mentor and guide, who becomes a trusted resource, a helpful navigator, and an early link in the chain of support and relationships that develop over time.

In our dormitories, students get to know resident faculty—and often their families and pets—through dorm meetings, “feeds” (a Taft term for a fun food gathering), one-on-one chats, and daily campus life. Student leaders, who are selected by faculty and administration and known as monitors or “mons,” help resident faculty make the dorms feel like home. They are role models, cheerleaders, cruise directors, tour guides, communicators, empowerers, and friends. They, along with roommates, teammates, and classmates, all strengthen the relationship chain at Taft.

Our community also includes a vast network of adult role models and supporters. Our teachers are coaches and dorm heads. They are club advisors, academic advisors, and class deans. They wear many hats, and get to know students in all aspects of their lives. New students are assigned an advisor; they may select a new advisor as they build relationships through classes, athletics, clubs, activities, or residential life. Students also work closely with our class deans, who oversee student progress in each grade, and the academic dean, who helps students select courses and set goals. They may also rely on our head of school, assistant head of school, dean of students, associate dean of students, director of residential life, and counselors for support and guidance. All work to model and instill Taft’s values, and reflect the depth and importance of relationships in our community.

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MEET DIKY & BAWA PASSIONS Soccer, Leadership COLLEGE BAWA: University of North Carolina DIKY: Georgetown University

Bawa made his way to Taft from the Right to Dream Academy in Ghana, a residential school combining elite soccer coaching with top-notch academics and a character education program. After local tryouts across Ghana, 21 young men were invited to join the Academy.

It was there that Bawa first heard about Taft.

Diky is also an international student—raised in the Bahamas, proud of his Swiss heritage. He’d heard about Taft his whole life: His father is an alumnus, and he attended Taft’s summer program after seventh grade.

Diky, too, played soccer.

“The soccer team is kind of a band of brothers,” Diky says. “Once we became teammates, I started to get to know Bawa really well. I noticed that we had the same sense of humor, and told the same kinds of jokes. I feel like that humor really brought us together. Soon I got to know his background and his path here, and about his family and his values. Because we had this bond over soccer we were able to be open to each other.”

Bawa believes that the playing field is where many athletes reveal their truest selves. They respond to the ups and downs of the game in the moment, he says, and with authenticity. You see how they respond to hardship, and how they celebrate life’s victories, both big and small. That has been especially true for Bawa and Diky. Bawa says that Diky teaches him how to balance hard work with a bit of fun, and that students from all walks of life can face all kinds of pressures in and out of the classroom. Bawa has shown Diky what pure honesty and truly giving one hundred percent of yourself in every aspect of your life can look like. Both say that their friendship has taught them the importance of setting aside preconceived notions about people. They remind each other to be humble, and grateful.

“We’re both very thankful for where we are,” says Diky. “We followed different paths to Taft, but came together with the same goals and the same values. I think we both appreciate the friendship we found here.”

A MULTITUDE OF

VOICES

WITH STUDENTS FROM EVERY corner of

the globe, our school is a reflection of the diverse international communities that surround us. It is a forum for a vast range of experiences and points of view, and a laboratory for the solution of global issues.

Each day, students have countless opportunities to consider a range of culturally diverse perspectives, while developing a deeper understanding of what it means to live and learn in a global community— opportunities that present themselves in our dormitories and dining halls, through service work, in clubs and activities, and on playing fields, and perhaps most profoundly, in our classrooms. While at Taft and beyond, community members commit to affirm and honor the lived experiences of others, to willingly challenge inherited beliefs and ideologies, and consequently learn, grow, and serve. As an intentionally diverse community, we hold space for each member, and embrace and learn from the wide range of cultures, perspectives, identifiers, histories, experiences, and beliefs that each person brings to the table. This multitude of unique and authentic voices helps shape conversation and culture at Taft. It brings awareness and understanding to what it means to live and learn in a truly equitable and inclusive community.

PASSIONS Dance, Education COLLEGE Tufts University As a senior at Taft, Pearl completed an independent tutorial in dance exploring the life of Civil Rights pioneer Pearl Primus.

A dancer, choreographer, and anthropologist, Primus used dance to resist civil injustice and advocate for change in the 1960s. As part of her tutorial, Pearl choreographed her own protest piece. She also performed a solo from Primus’s 1945 repertoire piece, Strange Fruit, based on the poem by Lewis Allan.

“Movement is communication— in figuring out movements you are figuring out how best to convey a message,” says Pearl, whose independent tutorial allowed her to speak volumes through dance.

“At the beginning of my Taft career, I was very hesitant to talk about some of the racial and cultural issues our country faces, which are reflected in issues many schools face. By educating myself about those issues, educating myself on how to talk about uncomfortable topics, and advising others on how to live their best life, I have been able to help myself and the community. I would say that is the most important thing I will take away from my Taft education: learning how to better myself while bettering the community around me.”

Learn more about the programs and initiatives that support Taft’s commitment to

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

at www.taftschool.org/dei

CHAPTER 2 / YOU BELONG HERE

MEET PEARL

31

A PLACE TO FIT IN

32

in classrooms, on playing fields, while performing together or watching a performance on stage, during club meetings or activities, through conversations in dormitories at night, over lunch with friends or advisors, at sit-down dinners and community lunches with faculty members, through Morning Meeting talks. Every action and every interaction is an opportunity for learning—the more we engage, the more we expand our knowledge and deepen our understanding of the world around us. Our community is filled with opportunities to engage, to explore, to create, and to grow. Our students learn through academics, arts, activities, and athletics. They grow intellectually, spiritually, and morally. They select classes that support their interests, and those that take them into uncharted waters. They join teams and clubs, or create their own. They fill leadership positions in the community, and help shape our culture. Taft is a place to find yourself, and to be yourself. It is a place with room for every student from every walk of life to fit in, and for every student to stand out.

CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT

WE OFTEN SAY THAT LEARNING AT TAFT TAKES PLACE IN EVERY CORNER OF OUR CAMPUS—

33

A PLACE TO STAND OUT

TAFT OFFERS UNLIMITED AVENUES FOR SELF-EXPRESSION AND COUNTLESS WAYS TO PURSUE YOUR PASSIONS. You can be a hockey player who sings in the showcase choir, a neuroscientist who thrills audiences as an accomplished dancer, a change-maker and community leader who is also a celebrated comic actor.

JULIA At the end of her sophomore year, Julia traveled to Ireland to play in the Kerry Cup, an elite competition open to 64 of the world’s top junior golfers.

Not only did Julia lead her Kerry Cup team to victory, she earned low medalist honors, and set a course record. “I’m very interested in science and artificial intelligence,” Julia says.

“I often think about meshing my skills and passion for comp sci and golf—bringing artificial intelligence into golf in some way as a career.”

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CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT

MAGGIE

MIHIR

Maggie is an exceptionally talented dancer who routinely delivers breathtaking performances on the Bingham Auditorium stage. She is also a budding neuroscientist, conducting—and publishing— high-level research in the field. “I wrote my first original paper the summer between sophomore and junior years under the mentorship of a college professor,” says Maggie. “By compiling and analyzing data from open patient databases, I was able to explore the effects of gene methylation and amplification that MGMT and EGFR genes have on the prognosis of human glioblastoma.” Maggie’s second original paper, in which she examined the biology of ALDH2 deficiency and how it can lead to increased risks of esophageal cancer, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s disease, was published in The Journal of Student Research.

Mihir is passionate about changing the world.

35 He has volunteered with nonprofits across the United States and India, and was the first high school student to win a seed grant from Be The Change Venture Inc.; he used it to research food access and the effects of malnutrition on learning. Mihir’s research was designed to inform plans for remediating hunger among the children of Ahmedabad, India.

The point of his work, he says, is “to shine a bright light on the issue of world hunger.” And he knows something about bright lights: Mihir is also an actor, and his turns on the Taft stage have been filled with as much passion as his work around hunger.

ARTS 50

TAFT OFFERS MORE THAN ACADEMIC COURSES IN THE ARTS,

from Dance for Everyone, Drawing & Design, and Electronic Music to Canto, Acting, Chamber Ensemble, and Theater Technology. You’ll be required to take some introductory classes, but most students engage with the arts long after those requirements are met, through courses at the advanced levels, independent tutorials, formal afternoon programs, and arts-centric clubs. Concerts, plays, recitals, exhibits, and popular “open-mic” coffeehouse evenings fill the school calendar. They not only broaden and enhance learning, but also bring energy, culture, creativity, and balance to our community.

36

That so many of our arts venues are located on the school’s main hall— Potter Gallery, Bingham Auditorium, the black box theater, and even Lincoln Lobby, where our choral groups often perform—speaks to the value that is placed on the arts in our community.

—Bruce Fifer, Arts Teacher

CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT

THE ARTS ARE ALIVE AND VIBRANT AT TAFT.

37

38

It challenges the mind, nurtures the soul, and spurs innovation.

The arts play a vital role in shaping the spirit and intellect of Taft students. Through the arts, they become collaborators, intuitive and disciplined thinkers, imaginative creators, and observers with broad yet unique perspectives in all areas of their lives.

ARTS

FACILITIES B Bingham “Main Stage” Theater B Band Room B Choral Room B Digital Recording Studio in the

Bristol Music Room B Electronic Music Studio B Gail Wynne Sculpture and Ceramics Studio B Mark W. Potter Art Gallery B Multimedia Computer Lab B Music Practice Rooms B Pailey Dance Studio B Photography Dark Rooms B Printmaking and Fabric Design Spaces B Tremaine Arts Studio B Video Production Laboratory and Classroom B Walker Hall Performance Venue B Woodward “Black Box” Theater B Woodward Chapel Performance Venue

CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT

ART IS THE MOST ELEMENTAL FORM OF EXPRESSION.

39

MEET KAEDI HOMETOWN Bronx, New York

COLLEGE Chapman University

PASSION Music, Performing Kaedi began singing when she was five or six years old, mostly in school and church choirs. By the time she was 11, music had become her passion. Her voice is pure, smooth, controlled, and soothing. When she sings, everyone stops to listen. And by everyone, we mean thousands of people in sold-out arenas across the United States and Canada: Kaedi is part of the all-female a cappella group Citizen Queen, who recently opened for Pentatonix on their world tour. Kaedi’s a cappella career started at Taft as a member of Hydrox. Then, with support from Taft’s Kilbourne Summer Enrichment Fund, Kaedi traveled to Los Angeles to participate in the 10-day A Cappella Academy during two consecutive high school summers. Only 13 percent of the high-school-aged students who auditioned for a spot at the Academy were accepted in the first year, fewer than 10 percent the second. “It definitely shaped the way I define a cappella today, making me realize the authenticity of creating music with just your voice,” Kaedi says. While at Taft, she also sang with the gospel choir, was a frequent cast member in Taft musicals, and a go-to soloist and co-head chorister in Taft’s showcase chorus, Collegium Musicum. “The Arts program here allowed me to discover different sides of my voice that I didn’t necessarily know were within me. I learned to embrace all these vocal styles, and add them to my vocal resume. My time at Taft definitely helped me to mature my voice; I have better vocal control and better vocal delivery now.”

MEET NATASHA HOMETOWN Sydney, Australia and Hong Kong PASSION Painting COLLEGE University of Pennsylvania Natasha loves to paint, and for good reason: Her natural talent is extraordinary. “I draw from life, so in that sense I have a realistic painting style, but I like to play with color to make it more my own.”

The art courses Natasha took at Taft helped shape her experience here while igniting her passion for art. Natasha brought that passion to an interdisciplinary independent study project during her junior and senior years. “I’ve investigated why people who express themselves through art (both visual and literary) choose one medium over another,” she says. “Last year I studied Monet and Degas. This year, I applied my research to my own preferred forms of artistic expression.” The result: “I reached the conclusion that when I draw something, I’m collecting information outside of myself. When I write, I’m looking inside of myself, in a way that allows me to anchor my feelings and emotions.”

40

HOMETOWN Hawthorn Woods, Illinois PASSIONS Theater, Technology, Bringing People Together COLLEGE Northwestern University Nicholas loves to write code, often just for fun. He enjoys applied mathematics, and has spent summers working in tech support positions at a pharmaceutical company. But when you see him on stage, you feel like he’s truly found his home.

Nick made his Taft stage debut in Shrek, The Musical, set hearts aflutter as a prince in Into the Woods, and earned a prestigious Halo Award nomination for his comedic work in Chicago—just a few of his favorite Taft roles.

The most challenging one to date: Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, a 15-year-old on the autism spectrum. “It was hard,” says Nicholas. “The character is so different from who I am as a person. It is way out of my comfort zone, and a long way from Shrek, where everyone is dancing and happy all the time.” The role required Nicholas to memorize reams of dialog, including an “afterwards,” of sorts, where he delivered a highly technical accounting of the solution to Christopher’s favorite problem on his “A-Levels” mathematical exams. The key, Nicholas notes, is understanding the character—not to mention understanding the math. “Whenever you do a play or a musical you have to find the balance between knowing every word from rote memory and being able to go on and get past it even if you trip on a couple of words. If you know a character well enough, you know what that character would say in a situation. That helped me a lot in this production.”

CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT

MEET NICHOLAS

41

ATHLETICS

they are about health and wellness, and understanding the importance of a lifelong commitment to fitness. They are also about finding enjoyment through athletic pursuits, and catching the Big Red spirit that unites our community. Athletics are woven into everyday life at Taft.

Most students play on a team at some point in their Taft careers, and most will attend a sporting event to cheer on their friends and their school. Athletes can compete in most sports at the Thirds, JV, or Varsity level. Some compete for fun and camaraderie, while others are elite athletes preparing for competitive careers in some of the nation’s top college-level programs. As one of the most successful athletic programs in New England, our coaches encourage fair play, respect for opponents, a love of the game, competitive spirit, and team loyalty. Our students leave us with an understanding of hard work and good sportsmanship, a sense of responsibility to one’s team and teammates, the ability to set goals, and an overall commitment to healthy living through physical activity.

CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT

ATHLETICS AT TAFT ARE ABOUT MORE THAN COMPETITION;

43

TAFT OFFERS a wide

variety of sports, each supporting a range of teams open to athletes at every skill level. Those marked with an asterisk compete in New England Championships.

FALL SPORTS Boys’ Cross Country (V, JV)* Girls’ Cross Country (V, JV)* Field Hockey (V, JV, III)* Football (V, JV)* Riding (Intramural) Sailing (Intramural) Boys’ Soccer (V, JV, III, IV)* Girls’ Soccer (V, JV)* Volleyball (V, JV, III)*

CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT

WINTER SPORTS Boys’ Basketball (V, JV, III, IV)* Girls’ Basketball (V, JV)* Boys’ Hockey (V, JV, III)* Girls’ Hockey (V, JV, III)* Boys’ Skiing (V)* Girls’ Skiing (V)* Boys’ Squash (V, JV, III)* Girls’ Squash (V, JV, III)* Wrestling (V)*

45

SPRING SPORTS Baseball (V, JV) Boys’ Crew (V)* Girls’ Crew (V)* Boys’ Golf (V, JV)* Girls’ Golf (V, JV)* Boys’ Lacrosse (V, JV, III) Girls’ Lacrosse (V, JV) Sailing (Intramural) Softball (V)* Boys’ Tennis (V, JV, III)* Girls’ Tennis (V, JV, III)* Boys’ Track (V)* Girls’ Track (V)*

MCCULLOUGH ATHLETIC CENTER B 5 Squash Courts

(8 total in our complex) B 4 Indoor Tennis Courts

(resurfaced 2021) B 2 Indoor Basketball Courts B 2 Batting Cages B Indoor Track B Weight Room B Pam MacMullen Fitness Studio

CRUIKSHANK ATHLETIC CENTER B 3 Squash Courts

(8 total in our complex) B 2 Hardwood Volleyball/

Basketball Courts B Climbing Wall B Locker Rooms

LOGAN FIELD HOUSE

B John Wynne Wrestling Room B Weight Room B Athletic Training and

Rehabilitation Center B Locker Rooms

ODDEN HOCKEY ARENA B NHL-sized Ice Surface B Six Locker Rooms B Reception Room B Seating for 600

MAYS HOCKEY RINK THE PETER FREW ’75 TENNIS FACILITY AND DONALDSON FAMILY PAVILION

B 12 Tennis Courts and 8 Pickleball

Courts (rebuilt in 2024) B Player Pavilion B Viewing Pavilion

GEOFFREY C. CAMP ’91 SYNTHETIC TURF FIELD (New Turf in 2021) B Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse B Field Hockey

KATIE JACKSON MORRISON ’92 FIELD B Girls’ Varsity Soccer B Girls’ JV Lacrosse

46

FACILITIES

B Varsity Baseball Field B 2 Batting Tunnels B Viewing Deck B Modern Dugouts

ROCKEFELLER FIELD B Football Field

B Viewing Bleachers

MACMULLEN FIELD (New, 2022) B Boys’ Varsity Soccer B Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse B Ultimate Frisbee

18-HOLE CHAMPIONSHIP GOLF COURSE SOFTBALL FIELD WILLIAM WEAVER 400-METER ALL-WEATHER TRACK (New, 2025)

CARDIO AND WEIGHT TRAINING ROOMS ROWING ERGOMETER ROOM ADDITIONAL FIELDS for Softball, Soccer, Lacrosse, Field Hockey

OFF CAMPUS

B Ski Team Mountain B Equestrian Barn B Boathouse (Crew)

CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT

ATHLETIC

LAWRENCE H. STONE BASEBALL PAVILION AT ROCKWELL FIELD

47

CLUBS,

COMMITTEES, AND PUBLICATIONS That there are so many ways to get involved at Taft is testament to the fact that our students love to engage, explore, contemplate, collaborate, and create. There are some clubs and publications that are nearly as old as the school itself, including our a cappella singing group, and others that just came on the scene, like our indoor drone racing club.

New clubs pop up every year as students dive into new interests or craft ways to share their passions with the community. There is truly something for everyone— and always the opportunity to create something more.

SOME OF OUR CURRENT ACTIVITIES INCLUDE:

B Creative Writing Club

B FOCUS

B Mahjong Club

B Cruise Taft

B Frisbee Club

B Masque And Dagger

B Current Events Club

B Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA)

B Med Society

B Debate Club

B Geo Club

B More Than 4

B Democrats of Taft

B Girl Up

B Mosaic

B Economics Team

B Girls with Gains

B Multiracial Affinity Group

B African Affinity Group

B Entrepreneur Club

B Hang Loose Group

B Neurodiversity at Taft

B European Affinity Group

B History Club

B One Love

B Every Mind Matters

B Hong Chinese Alliance Group

B Oriocos

B Fashion Design Club

B International Cooking Club

B Pan Asian Affinity Group

B Female Entrepreneur Fellowship

B Japanese Culture Club

B Prints for the Papyrus

B Female Financial Literacy Club

B JSO Jewish Student Organization

B Public Health Club

B Fleeting Thoughts

B Knitting Club

B RAFA

B FLIP

B LGBTQ+ Affinity Group

B Red Ink

B Amnesty International Club B Asian Alliance Club B Bike Club B Chess Club B Climbing Club B Community Service Board

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CHAPTER 3 / A PLACE TO FIT IN, A PLACE TO STAND OUT 49

B Rhino Reuse

B Taft Book Club

B Taft International Film Club

B The Middle Eastern Youth Alliance

B Rock Climbing Club

B Taft Business Review

B Taft Model UN Club

B The Muslim Affinity Group

B SAC: South Asian Culture Club

B Taft Coding Club

B Taft Poetry Club

B The Political Awareness Club

B Sexual Assault Awareness

B Taft Dance Club

B Taft Quiz Bowl

B The Red Rhino Fund

and Prevention (SAAP) B Shades B Sociology Club B Somos Taft B Sports Analytics Club B Star Wars Club B Start Your Own Business B Student Engagement Council B Sunshineology B T-Rap

B Taft Financial Society

B Taft Radio

B The Republican Club

B Taft Fishing Club

B Taft Radio: Taft Athletics

B The Taft Geography Club

B Taft for Ukraine

Reporting B Taft Religion and Spiritual Life Council B Taft Ultimate Frisbee Club B The Black Alliance Club B The Cheese Club B The French Club B The Global Journal

B The Taft Papyrus

B Taft Formula 1 and

Motorsports Club B Taft Freestyle Club B Taft Habitat for Humanity B Taft Historical Society B Taft Illustration Club B Taft Interact Club

B The Wishing Tree Club B UNICEF Club B United Cultures at Taft B Veterans Awareness Fund B We Need a Bigger Table B Yearbook

THE TAFT SCHOOL MOTTO

WHEN YOU BECOME A TAFTIE, YOU BECOME A TUTOR, A MAKER, A MENTOR. YOU TEACH ENGLISH IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES, YOU BUILD HOMES, YOU PAINT FENCES. You nurse animals, work in food pantries and soup kitchens, and build athletic programs in remote villages seemingly worlds away. You run coat drives, and toy drives, and blood drives. You walk for a cause, and give voice to a cause. You support service organizations, and even start your own. Taft students don’t just talk about the school motto, they live it.

It is part of the fabric of our community, and a piece of Taft life that every student carries with them long after graduation.

Our motto is a lifetime commitment: Not to be served but to serve.

NON UT SIBI MINISTRETUR SED UT MINISTRET:

NOT TO BE SERVED

CHAPTER 4 / LIVING OUR MOTTO 51

A GREAT ADVANTAGE

of boarding school is that it gives opportunities for students to get out of themselves.

They must work for others.

—Horace Dutton Taft

BUT TO SERVE

LIVING

OUR MOTTO

A MEANINGFUL TRADITION

GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP THROUGH COMMUNITY SERVICE Over the years, Taft has formed deep connections with a wide-range of agencies, organizations, support networks, and resource providers that work to keep the community around us vital and strong. Our partnerships with these groups are among the most important bonds students will experience during their time at Taft.

Each season, every Taft student is invited to engage with our service partners through their Afternoon Program activities, while working with them to meet the diverse needs of their constituents.

By connecting community service initiatives to our Afternoon Program, students and faculty alike learn more about our neighbors and the challenges they face in their daily lives. This perspective and understanding not only allows members of the Taft community to make an impact through their dedication to service, it allows them to reflect more deeply on the role of service in their lives. By offering Taft students ongoing and meaningful opportunities to engage in service, we believe they will become stronger and more deeply connected global citizens.

52

Our Community Service Council (CSC) lies at the heart of our community service program. Every Taft student is a part of the Council; its 12-member board is charged with developing meaningful service opportunities and projects throughout the school year. Students may formally commit to service work as their afternoon activity during an academic term, or simply participate in the many service opportunities scheduled throughout the year, including blood drives, charity walks, and homework help sessions with local students. Our community service program is purposefully flexible, allowing athletes, actors, artists, and musicians to participate while also pursuing their extracurricular passions.

Many Taft students also commit to service initiatives through academic programs. Our Global Leadership Institute and Global Studies and Service programs include strong service and service learning components. (Learn more on page 12.) Other students may engage with hands-on sustained giving though our Red Rhino Fund, an endowed, charitable fund run by a nine-member student board. The group supports programs for children in the Greater Waterbury community by awarding monetary grants and promoting local organizations with a focus on education, literacy, and the arts.

GLOBAL IMPACT Taft offers students the opportunity to engage in service projects throughout the world. In recent years, Tafties have taught English at an elementary school in the Dominican Republic during spring break, and traveled to Guatemala in June to build homes and assist with food and clothing distribution. Faculty members have also created opportunities for service travel to Hawaii, Nicaragua, and Botswana, and have added service components to arts and sports travel programs scheduled throughout the year. Most trips also allow time for cultural excursions. Many students opt for summer service projects and travel outside of Taft’s own offerings. Thanks to the generosity of Taft families past and present, fellowship grants are available to Taft students to help defray the cost of summer service programs and travel.

CHAPTER 4 / LIVING OUR MOTTO

LIVING OUR MOTTO

53

LIVING OUR MOTTO

AT HOME

MEET ADITYA HOME TOWN Naperville, IL PASSION Tech Startups and Business Development COLLEGE Vanderbilt University Aditya founded a nonprofit organization called Meaningful Summers, and put together a local charity run. The money he raised at the event went to the local food bank, whose cause he first learned about through a random email.

Their Backpack Program serves children in 130 schools across 13 counties, one of which Aditya calls home. After several successful events and substantial donations, Aditya decided to expand the organization’s programming and reach; he invited a dozen friends and neighbors to form a youth leadership team. “The following summer we screened a documentary about an orphanage in India dedicated to supporting kids with HIV and AIDS. Then we organized our first annual kickball tournament, which raised nearly $3,000 for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, an organization I am particularly passionate about,” Aditya says. Soon, Meaningful Summers was partnering with a newly elected local mayor who had campaigned on a promise to unite his diverse city. “We’re trying to create a community of responsible citizens—of youth—that puts aside all of these disparities and comes together to rally around a cause,” says Aditya. “Whether it’s helping our veterans, helping an orphanage, or helping the homeless, our mission is to ultimately care for the community we are so proud of.”

HOME TOWN Taipei, Taiwan

LIVING OUR MOTTO

AT TAFT

LIVING OUR MOTTO

ACROSS THE GLOBE MEET TANIA HOME TOWN Pershotravensk, Ukraine PASSIONS Global Service and Education COLLEGE Yale University “I never thought that my community service experience could go beyond my home country,” says Tania. “But then I saw a movie where some of the main characters traveled to another country to teach English and thought, ‘Maybe one day…’ Once I came to Taft, I realized that ‘one day’ had arrived.” With support from a Poole Grant, Tania traveled to Sri Lanka where she taught English to a group of young monks in a local Buddhist temple. “My class was about 15 boys, ranging from the age of 9 to 13,” Tania says. “The monks had not had language lessons on a regular basis before, so I was teaching them basic grammar rules about sentence structure and questions, and teaching them some words, describing food, animals, professions.”

Tania also spent her afternoons working in an orphanage for girls, some as young as 6, none older than 18. Through both experiences, Tania came to a deeper understanding about the true nature of service. “I understood that volunteering is not about changing the whole world, but about changing something in the world of a small group of people and, with it, changing something in yourself.”

PASSION Science, Medicine, Public Health Fiona has been pursuing her interest in public health and medicine since middle school. Her hope has always been to make a difference while strengthening communities.

The first step, Fiona believed, was to make the science of medicine more accessible. She did so by building an online education community through her science-based, researchdriven YouTube channel. At Taft, Fiona has continued her community-building and education work, both online and on campus. “I founded the Public Health Club because I wanted to bring more medical information to the school community,” Fiona says. “The club’s mission is to spread awareness about underfunded diseases, and to share crucial medical information with the school community and beyond.”

Fiona and Public Health Club members have partnered with local community health organizations to provide a range of healthcare services to underserved populations throughout northwest Connecticut, including COVID-19 education and resources developed using federal funding secured by a community partner. “It has been so exciting to be able to expand our impact in such meaningful ways,” Fiona says. “I am beyond happy and grateful that the Taft Public Health Club has been so successful and so well-received.”

CHAPTER 4 / LIVING OUR MOTTO

MEET FIONA

55

COLLEGE COUNSELING FIVE FULL-TIME COLLEGE COUNSELORS BRING MANY YEARS OF COMBINED EXPERIENCE ON BOTH THE SECONDARY AND COLLEGIATE LEVELS TO THEIR WORK IN THE COLLEGE COUNSELING OFFICE.

THEIR GOAL

To guide each Taft student on their journey toward a meaningful college experience; it is a student-centered journey geared towards educating and supporting students and their families as they navigate the college search and selection process.

DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS (2021–2025), five or more Taft students enrolled at each of the following schools.

B Amherst College, 11

B Colorado College, 8

B Harvard University, 11

B Babson College, 5

B Columbia University in

B Hobart and William

B Bates College, 9

the City of New York, 5 B Cornell University, 21 B Dartmouth College, 13 B Duke University, 10 B Emory University, 5 B Fordham University, 5 B Georgetown University, 35 B Gettysburg College, 7 B Hamilton College, 12

B Boston College, 17 B Boston University, 10 B Brown University, 18 B Bucknell University, 18 B Carnegie Mellon University, 5 B Colby College, 9 B Colgate University, 10 B College of the Holy Cross, 9

56

Smith Colleges, 7 B Indiana University-Bloomington, 7 B Johns Hopkins University, 7 B McGill University, 6 B Middlebury College, 12 B New York University, 14 B Northeastern University, 12 B Pennsylvania State University-

Penn State Main Campus, 5

CHAPTER 5 / COLLEGE AND BEYOND 57

Each year, more than one hundred colleges and universities visit Taft during our on-campus college fairs.

The journey formally begins in the late fall of the upper mid year, when each student is assigned a college counselor; parents are always invited to participate in the process.

In the months that follow, students and counselors meet regularly: counselors learn about each student’s goals, interests, passions, and strengths during those sessions, while students learn about the nuts and bolts of the process, from standardized testing and essay writing to course selection and how best to present themselves through their college applications. All of this work helps students and counselors enter senior year with a solid list of well-researched, highly-personalized prospective colleges.

Senior year is a flurry of activity: students finalize essays, visit more campuses, and submit applications, while college counselors work closely with teachers, coaches, deans, dorm faculty, and advisors in crafting detailed letters of recommendation for each student.

Recommendation letters cover much more than just academics: They highlight every facet of a student’s moral, intellectual, and social development, and present each student in an accurate, nuanced, and compelling light.

B Princeton University, 7

B Union College (NY), 5

B University of North Carolina

B Purdue University-Main Campus, 5

B University of California-Berkeley, 9

B Santa Clara University, 6

B University of California-

at Chapel Hill, 11 B University of Notre Dame, 8 B University of Pennsylvania, 14 B University of Richmond, 19 B University of Southern California, 10 B University of St. Andrews, 10 B University of VirginiaMain Campus, 10

B Southern Methodist University, 20

Los Angeles, 5

B The George Washington

B University of Chicago, 7

University, 5 B The University of Texas at Austin, 5 B Trinity College, 19 B Tufts University, 11 B Tulane University of Louisiana, 12

B University of Colorado Boulder, 8 B University of Connecticut, 9 B University of Miami, 16 B University of Michigan-

Ann Arbor, 18

B University of Wisconsin-

Madison, 11 B Vassar College, 5 B Wake Forest University, 13 B Washington and Lee University, 10 B Wesleyan University, 13 B Williams College, 5 B Yale University, 15

MEET HUCK HOMETOWN Old Lyme, CT PASSIONS Creativity, Collaboration, Cross-Country COLLEGE Middlebury College When he talks about his Taft experience, Huck often talks about community, connection, and collaboration. When it came to the college process, those aspects of Taft life were front and center.

“My college counselors had many great pieces of advice for me throughout the process, especially as I entered my senior year, one of the busiest periods in high school,” says Huck. “Thankfully, Mr. Gales always welcomed me in to talk whenever I had questions or concerns, and I was able to maintain a very healthy balance with his guidance. My advisor, Ms. Garcia, was also incredibly supportive throughout the whole college process and always there to talk to about things.”

For Huck, creating that healthy balance was a direct result of having a solid plan for working through the college process. His counselors worked with him to develop a highly organized approach to the college search that allowed him to make the most of college visits and get a jump on application process.

“I visited most of the colleges I was applying to between the spring and summer of my upper mid year, and wrote down pros, cons, and unique things about each of the schools right after each visit. I also carefully researched the schools before and after visiting—looking at course offerings, reading about internships or semesters abroad, and trying to learn more about the students and campus life beyond what is just shown in the college brochure.”

HUCK’S PRO TIP

It’s very helpful to get your personal and supplemental essays written during the summer before you return to school for senior year, so all that is left when you return is fine-tuning and incorporating feedback from your counselor. This takes a lot of weight off your shoulders and allows you to fully embrace senior year.

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HOMETOWN Woodbury, CT PASSIONS Outdoor activities, Science, Politics COLLEGE Dartmouth College Sydney started the college process with feeling like a true novice, not really knowing where to begin.

“Right away my college counselor filled me in, gave me all the resources I could ever want or need, and we formulated a plan (I love a plan!),” says Sydney. “I visited schools over summer break. I was lucky enough to visit many different types of schools, which helped me understand more about what I wanted from my college experience.”

At the start of senior year, Sydney was still refining her list of colleges and still working to craft meaningful essays.

She began meeting weekly with her college counselor, Mr. Gottsegen.

“Sometimes we would meet for my whole lunch block, and sometimes just for five minutes. I was well supported throughout this time by the College Counseling Office, and by my teachers and dorm parents. By far, the hardest parts of the process for me were decision making and writing essays.

I spent a lot of time poring over essay prompts and trying to convey my voice in just the right tone. However, with the help of Mr. Gottsegen and many hours in the library, I got there and was super proud of my work.”

SYDNEY’S PRO TIPS

Be decisive and tune in to what you really want, while being kind to yourself and others throughout the process! And don’t be afraid to meet with your advisor early and often.

They’re always happy to spend time with you!

CHAPTER 5 / COLLEGE AND BEYOND

MEET SYDNEY

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RANJIT BINDRA ’94 SNAPSHOT

Physician-scientist, professor, and biotech entrepreneur at the Yale School of Medicine. Treats brain and central nervous system cancers while testing experimental therapeutics, most based on discoveries from his own laboratory. Widely regarded as an emerging leader in the brain tumor space.

Photo credit: Peter Baker

EDUCATION Taft, Yale

KAREN STEVENSON ’75

TAFT ALUMNI

SNAPSHOT

Magistrate Judge, US District Court for the Central District of California.

First female African-American Rhodes Scholar; one of the first women admitted to the previously (since 1458) all-male Magdalen College, Oxford.

Named one of the most influential Black lawyers in the country by Savoy Magazine, and now, winner of the Horace Dutton Taft Alumni Medal.

EDUCATION Taft, UNC Chapel Hill, Oxford, Stanford

STEVEN ERLANGER ’70 SNAPSHOT

Pulitzer Prize winner and chief diplomatic correspondent in Europe for The New York Times. Has also served as bureau chief in London, Paris, Jerusalem, Berlin, Prague, Moscow, and Bangkok. Left The Boston Globe in 1987 to join The Times as a metro reporter. Also awarded the Horace Dutton Taft Alumni Medal for living a life of service.

Photo credit: Rina Castelnuovo

LEXI BROWNELL REESE ’92 SNAPSHOT

C-suite trailblazer in Silicon Valley, Executive in Residence at General Catalyst, former COO of Gusto, former VP at Google, on the board at Gap, Inc. Dedicated to empowering women and underrepresented groups and creating an inclusive workplace culture. Driven by passion, persistence, and a commitment to making an impact by “doing good.”

Photo Credit: Colin Price Photography

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EDUCATION Taft, UVA, Harvard

EDUCATION Taft, Harvard, Oxford

SNAPSHOT

A Taftie at heart and Taft’s sixth head of school. An educator who has devoted his life to boarding schools and has done it all along the way: teacher, coach, advisor, dorm head, department chair, and head of school. Empathy and caring are the hallmarks of his leadership style, all with the goal of helping students feel valued in ways that allow them to grow and succeed.

EDUCATION Taft, University of Virginia, Yale

NIKKI MAYHEW GREENE ’93 SNAPSHOT

Associate Professor of Art and the first Black tenured Art History Professor in the century-long history of the Wellesley College Art Department, Visual Arts Editor of Transition: The Magazine of Africa and the Diaspora, published by Harvard University, author, and art historian examining African and African American identities, music, the body, and feminism in 20th century and contemporary art. Passionate about amplifying student voices and preparing our country’s future leaders to think critically, write eloquently, and speak boldly.

EDUCATION Taft, Wesleyan, Delaware Photo Credit: Samara Pearlstein

DONALD MOLOSI ’05 SNAPSHOT

President, The Upright African Movement, advocating for the teaching of African history in the African classroom. Award-winning playwright, actor, and writer. His Black, Blue, and White was the first Botswanan play staged in New York City and, along with Motswana: Africa, Dream Again, was published in the collection We Are All Blue, becoming the first Botswanan plays to go from stage to print. Portrays “dignified and complex African protagonists” through his work.

JOYCE POOLE ’74 SNAPSHOT

Animal rights activist, researcher, conservationist, scientist, author, and educator. One of the world’s foremost authorities on elephant social behavior and communication. Founder of the nonprofit ElephantVoices. Also awarded the Horace Dutton Taft Alumni Medal for living a life of service.

Photo credit: Petter Granli

EDUCATION Taft, Smith, Cambridge

EDUCATION: Taft, Williams, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, UC Santa Barbara

CHAPTER 5 / COLLEGE AND BEYOND

PETER BECKER ’95

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MAKING A TAFT EDUCATION

AFFORDABLE As you browse the pages of this book one thing should become exceptionally clear: Taft is all about people. Our community is made up of really exceptional individuals: students and faculty from around the world and from all walks of life who meet here to live, learn, and make a profound impact—together.

With students from across the globe, we are a dynamic blend of cultures, perspectives, experiences, and talents. It’s what makes us who we are, and what elevates our academics, our athletics, our arts, and our community. We know that diversity is a strength; that being a global community improves every aspect of life at Taft. And we know that to make that happen, a Taft education must be affordable to exceptional students from a wide range of economic backgrounds.

At Taft, 35% of our students receive some form of financial aid. We don’t just look at family income; we consider the size of each family, and other educational costs a family might incur. Most students receiving full scholarships will also receive a laptop computer, free textbooks, and a bookstore stipend. All students receiving financial aid may request financial assistance for off-campus opportunities.

We encourage you to visit www.taftschool.org/affording-taft to learn more about what we can do to help make a Taft education affordable to you.

To learn more about making a Taft education

AFFORDABLE visit www.taftschool.org/ affording-taft

62

35% Total grants:

$12,300,000

WE ARE PROUD to be able to make

a Taft education affordable for all of our accepted students by meeting 100% of their demonstrated financial need.

—Michael Hoffman Director, Financial Aid

Aid granted for books, travel learning programs, supplies, and other expenses:

$550,000 Number of grants:

209 Average award:

$61,100 Boarding $37,500 Day

2025–26 Tuition, Room, Board:

$78,300

2025–26 Tuition & Lunch, Day:

$57,750

Endowed Scholarships Supporting Financial Aid:

225

OF THE 209 STUDENTS RECEIVING AID AT TAFT: 63 boarding students and 24 day students pay < $5,000 in tuition, including 45 boarding and 21 day who pay $0–$1,000.

These families generally earn $100,000 or less.

52 boarding students and 23 day students pay $5,001–$25,000 in tuition.

These families generally earn $250,000 or less.

32 boarding students and 15 day students pay more than $25,001 in tuition.

These families generally earn more than $250,000.

CHAPTER 6 / ADMISSION

Percent of Taft students receiving financial aid:

63

HOW TO

APPLY 1 STEP

CONNECT WITH TAFT! Fill out an inquiry form on our website, www.taftschool.org.

This will also create your Taft Admission Portal.

64

2 STEP

3 STEP

4 STEP

COME SEE US!

LEARN ABOUT

APPLY

Schedule a visit by calling 860-945-7700, or emailing admissions@taftschool.org.

required standardized testing at ssat.org.

using the SAO (Standard Application Online) at ssat.org or GatewaytoPrepSchools.com.

CHAPTER 6 / ADMISSION 65

5 STEP

TRACK your application status online through your Taft Admission Portal.

To learn more about

APPLYING

to Taft and about applying for financial aid, visit www.taftschool.org/ admission/apply-to-taft

Copywriting: Debra Meyers, Kaitlin Orfitelli Photography: Bob Falcetti, Peter Frew ’75, Debra Meyers, Kaitlin Orfitelli, Anne Walluck, The Taft School Community Design: Good Design, LLC

The Taft School admits students of any sex, race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at The Taft School. The Taft School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation or any other legally protected status in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs and athletic and other school administered programs.

THE TAFT SCHOOL 110 Woodbury Road Watertown, CT 06795-2100 860-945-7700 admissions@taftschool.org www.taftschool.org