Taft School Non Ut Sibi News

Annual Event Saves Lives

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Taft’s Volunteer Council and the American Red Cross are sponsoring a blood drive on Monday, February 13. Those interested in donating blood should come to the McCoullough Field House between 1:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The blood drive is open to the public; walk-ins are welcome. Please consider donating blood this year; your donation could save a life.

The Volunteer Council Board is a student group charged with developing and carrying out community service projects, including our blood drive. Past projects include fundraising for Save the Children, clothing and toy drives, Breast Cancer walks, serving food at a local shelter, and weekly homework help for local youth. Last year close to 200 students participated in some type of volunteer work through a variety of local organizations including Planned Parenthood, St. Mary's Hospital, Women's Emergency Shelter and Hospice. This year’s Council leaders are Chris Capece, Lily Tyson, Sammi Morrill, Dechen Gyatotsang, Cathy Chen and Jacky Zheng.

Games, Gowns and Good Deeds

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Volunteer Council has a big weekend ahead featuring simple and fun ways for everyone to make a difference.

On Friday night, the Council will host a Scrabble competition. Teams of two to four players will vie for the overall title by building the highest scoring word boards during timed rounds of play. Each player pays a $5 entry fee; proceeds will benefit the Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury (www.lvgwct.org/). Dictionary “sneak peeks,” extra tiles, and two- and three- letter word “cheat sheets” will be available at a price. The fun begins at 6:30 p.m.; hot chocolate and cookies will help to keep the players sharp!

Sunday marks the return of the Winter Formal Dress Exchange. Last year, Taft students donated or loaned 219 pre-owned dresses to the swap shop, where, instead of buying a new dress for Winter Formal, girls rented used dress for a small fee. The event raised $2,100 which, less dry cleaning costs, was donated to charity. The cost to rent a dress this year will be $30, with one-half going to Girls, Inc. (www.girlsincswct.org). Girls, Inc. teaches girls strategies for overcoming social, intellectual, and economic challenges while empowering them to be the change agents for the coming generations.

Students are invited to drop off dresses for the exchange this Friday, 1/27 from 3:30 to 5 p.m. in the Choral Room, and again from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Shopping day is Sunday, 1/29 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the Choral Room.

"The dress exchange brings the Taft community together with a fun bonding activity,” explained Ali Tucci ’12. “It lessens the stress of spending a great deal of money on a new dress, and, most importantly, it is a charitable event that benefits more communities than just that of Taft. While this may not be the standard approach to the annual Winter Formal, the dress exchange is an exciting event that highlights Taft’s ongoing efforts to be an especially close community, both in and out of our brick walls.”

Started last year by then-seniors Annie Oppenheim and Abby Purcell, the dress exchange is billed as a cost effective, eco-friendly winter formal solution that also raises money for a good cause. Like last year, shopping day will be filled with music, food, spectacular dresses and of course, full-length mirrors. Dresses that girls do not want back will be donated to a women’s shelter after the formal.

76th Annual Lessons and Carols

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Come celebrate the Christmas season at Taft's 76th Annual Service of Lessons and Carols on December 13.

The public is cordially invited to attend.

To accommodate everyone, there will be two services this year: one at 6 p.m., followed by one at 8 p.m., both in Woodward Chapel (formerly Christ Church on the Green)

The Taft Chamber Ensemble and Collegium Musicum will perform for the service.

A reception follows the 8 p.m. service with refreshments and music by the Taft Jazz Band in the Choral Room, Charles Phelps Taft Hall.

Veterans' Day

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Last Memorial Day, Mark Wawer, father of John ’11 and Nate ’13, attended a Memorial Day ceremony led by Chaplain Bob Ganung at the school’s World War II memorial in Lincoln Lobby, honoring the 59 alumni who gave their lives for their country.

“That night Nate and I talked about the meaning of Memorial Day and the connection he and John had with those young men who walked the same halls as they did,” explains Wawer. “And so a project was formed.”

The Wawer family had a vacation to Italy planned. Mark decided to use that opportunity to locate the three Taft men buried on Italian soil: Donald Rodes ’43 and Albin Schoepf ’39 at the Sicily-Rome American Cemetery in Nettuno, Italy, and Richard Knight ’40 at the Florence American Cemetery.

“Once I located them I tried to contact any living family members to let them know we were going to visit the gravesites to pay our respects and to let them know that Taft had not forgotten them and continued to honor their sacrifice.”

With a little detective work, Mark was able to locate Schoepf’s sister and Rodes’ nephew. Starting with Taft Annuals, he then consulted local librarians and followed several leads until he made contact with their relatives.

Upon his return in July, Mark emailed them again to describe the trip and send them photos:

Dear Dr. Crocker,

I had the honor and privilege to pay my respects to your brother at the Sicily-Rome Cemetery on June 18 and am attaching photographs of the cemetery, memorial, chapel interior, gardens and museum room. Your brother’s name appears on the top of the southern facing wall. It reads:

Schoepf, Albin K. Jr 1 lt. 99 Bomb SQ (H) New York

The cemetery is located 38 miles south of Rome. It covers 77 acres and contains 7,861 headstones of white marble. The magnitude of the loss is immense. Aas you scan the burial plots, each section enclosed by low hedges and the walking area surrounded by Italian cypress trees. I was the only visitor to the cemetery on the morning of the 18^th, but as I was leaving I noticed Italian grandparents walking their grandchildren around the large elliptical pool at the entrance to the grounds. It is a beautiful setting of reflection and remembrance.

For more information about American battle monuments, visit www.abmc.gov

Listen to Mark Wawer's Morning Meeting presentation on Veterans' Day.

Rhino Hockey Star Launches Brain Injury Foundation

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

MONTREAL – After sustaining a vicious check that left him with a broken vertebra and a severe concussion, Taft hockey veteran and current Montreal Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty spent many bleak days last spring wondering if he would ever play hockey again. He received ongoing treatment for his injuries at the Traumatic Brain Injury Centre at the Montreal General Hospital, and now has doctor’s permission to return to the ice this season.

In the meantime he has launched the Max Pacioretty Foundation to help raise funds toward the acquisition and installation of a Functional MRI (fMRI) scanner for the Montreal General. One of the most recently developed forms of neuroimaging, fMRI scans measure changes in blood flow related to neural activity in the brain or spinal cord. It offers a concrete means of measuring changes in neural connections and brain chemistry, and is a tremendous leap forward from current post-concussion tests, such as treadmill performance or sensitivity to light.

Pacioretty describes his initiative as an effort to give something back to the medical facility that helped him toward a rapid recovery. “It’s rewarding to score a goal or have a good game, but even more so to help someone’s life. That’s why I want to be hands-on with this,” he said.

The $3.5-million fMRI machine will attract researchers and make the Montreal General Hospital a major player in the study of injuries that affect anyone exposed head trauma.

“This would be the first machine of its type,” said Dr. Tarek Razek, who runs the Montreal General’s trauma unit. “There are maybe half a dozen in the world that approximate its function. This will be of a newer, higher generation. There’s already a lot of cool stuff going on in terms of traumatic brain injury care and research. But this is a really big advancement, and it will set our whole region apart in terms of the kind of work we’re able to do.”

Pacioretty hopes his Foundation will draw support from corporations, service clubs, minor hockey leagues – “anyone out there who would like to undertake a fundraising project,” he said.

To read more, go to the Montreal Gazette:

http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/Pacioretty+launches+foundation+help+treat+brain+injuries/5670428/story.html

Think Globally, Act Locally

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Taft’s 17^th annual Community Service Day was marked by good will, good weather, and good deeds.

More than 700 members of the Taft community fanned out across Watertown and nine neighboring towns, donating time and talent to area children, seniors, churches, environmental groups and charitable organizations. Through 30 separate projects, Taft students, faculty and staff left their mark on the community.

“Community Service Day is a wonderful Taft tradition that matters hugely to many local organizations. The groups we support have come to depend on the thousands of hours that students and faculty provide,” explained Headmaster Willy MacMullen.

This year, students painted a mural at the Watertown Convalarium and worked to fill the shelves at both the Plymouth Community Food Pantry and the food bank in Watertown. They did trail maintenance and restoration for the Connecticut Forest and Parks Association, Flanders Nature Center, Bethlehem’s Bellamy-Ferriday House, and the Bent of the River Audubon Society in Southbury. They carried an anti-drug message to school children in Waterbury, worked with local students on the Taft School campus, and supported the Acts 4 Clothing Ministries. Where there was a need, there were many hands.

“The day is an embodiment of our motto, ‘Not to be served, but to serve,’” notes MacMullen. “Service happens at Taft in countless ways and every week, and we should remember that, but a public day--where we stop our normal business of academics--provides a different kind of affirmation of what we believe in as a school.”

Fourteen Taft students traveled to the Children’s Community School (CCS) in Waterbury to help with the “Red Ribbon Carnival Celebration.” Red Ribbon Week is the oldest and largest drug prevention campaign in the country.

“For the older CCS students -- the 4th and 5th graders -- drug awareness is, sadly, real. But for the younger students the carnival is more about having fun with on the playground with high school students,” explained Academic Dean Jon Willson. “The day was a natural extension of the ongoing work Jamella Lee’s Service Learning students do each week with CCS; their students and staff were enormously appreciative of our efforts.”

This year’s biggest and newest project was the Watertown Greenway initiative. Forty-two football players, along with their coaches, managers and two other faculty members, cleared brush, invasive weeds and garbage at the site of Watertown’s much-anticipated greenway. With construction set to begin next spring, the work is both timely and necessary. Siemon Company President and CEO, Carl N. Siemon visited students at the site to thank them for their efforts, as did Town Manager Charles Frigon.

“We encourage our students to think about our motto every day,” explained Community Service Day coordinator Jeremy Clifford. “Setting one day aside that is devoted to living it allows students to make connections with programs, peers and organizations that we hope will continue. It also gives them a tangible understanding of the genuine difference volunteer service makes in our community."

Gallery photographs by Nicole Lu '13, Cathy Chen '12, Blake Joblin '13, Pam MacMullen, Yee-Fun Yin, David Dethlefs, John Piacenza, Steve Palmer, Betsy Barber and Children's Community School.

Non Ut Sibi

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

In a school built on tradition, Community Service Day stands out as one of the finest. Scheduled for Monday, October 24, Taft’s 17^th annual Community Service Day is a time for students, faculty and staff to pool their time and talent to make a difference for local schools, churches, environmental organizations and civic groups.

The newest and biggest project this year is right here in Watertown. Forty-two football players and their six coaches will clear brush, invasive weeds and garbage at the site of Watertown’s much-anticipated greenway. With construction set to begin next spring, the work is both timely and necessary. The group will also clear debris from Steele Brook as part of a “Source to Sea” initiative. Steele Brook runs into the Naugatuck River in Waterbury, then meets with the Housatonic River, which ultimately reaches Long Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.

More than 700 members of the Taft community will touch the Greater Watertown community on Monday. Other projects include trail work at Woodbury’s Flanders Nature Center, working with students at Waterbury’s Children’s Community School during their Red Ribbon Carnival Celebration, and supporting the Plymouth Community Food Pantry. A variety of programs will also take place on the Taft School campus, from art and acting classes to sports clinics and story time.

Taft Runner Wins Local Race

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Nine Taft runners helped raised funds and awareness of a rare syndrome during the 6th Annual Bob Veillette Road Race; Carl Sangree '14 was the overall winner of the 5k event.

Bob is a journalist living in Connecticut who suffered a massive stroke in April 2006 that left him with locked-in syndrome, a rare neurological disorder characterized by complete paralysis of voluntary muscles in all parts of the body except those conrolling eye movement. Proceeds from the race go to the Veillette family for Bob's care. Before his stroke, Bob was an avid runner and well known in the Waterbury area as an accomplished jazz pianist. He worked at The Republican-American newspaper in Waterbury for more than 40 years as a reporter, city editor and most recently, managing editor. This year's race raised over $18,000.

Representing Taft were (from left): Calvin Palmer, Cross Country Coach Steve Palmer, Jake Merrell '13, Peter Brittain '13, Ben Tweedy '13, Charlie Garcia '12, Jared Carson '13, Eric Metcalf '12, and Carl Sangree '14.

Remembering 9-11

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Ten years ago this fall, as the school assembled on the first day of classes, word came of the tragic events in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

This Sunday, September 11, at 7 p.m. school chaplain Bob Ganung will offer a Service of Prayer, Hope, and Remembrance for the victims of 9-11.

Please join us for a time of prayer, song, reflection and silent remembrance.

Poole Fellows Serve Nepal

Fri, 02 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Taft seniors Ben Johnson and Everett Brownstein carried the Taft motto to Nepal this summer for their work with a group whose mission is based on a remarkably similar principle: Before self, put others.

Ben and Everett spent one month living and working in the mountains of northern Nepal. Both were awarded Poole Fellowships to help fund their work with the Helambu Project.

Established in 2008, the Helambu Project works to improve the quality of life in the remote Helambu region by increasing access to education and healthcare and creating opportunities for economic development. One of the Project’s first initiatives was the construction of the Pasang Memorial Community Boarding School (PMCBS) in the remote village of Gangkharka. Ben and Everett both volunteered at PMCBS.

“We lived with a host family in the village,” Ben explained.” During the day, we worked at the school teaching English and Science. The kids we saw ranged in age from 5 to 16.”

The Helambu region of the Nepali Himalayas is culturally rich and ethnically diverse. Its mountains are dotted with monasteries, and the meditative properties of its remote caves have attracted Buddhist lamas for centuries. It is also a popular destination for trekking and tourism. Still, the area lacks infrastructure, and its residents have limited access to healthcare, employment, and educational opportunities. Volunteers like Ben and Everett are helping to bridge those gaps.

“We had an amazing experience,” Ben concluded. “The kids were so happy that we were there to teach them; it was clear that we were making a difference.”

Established in memory of Robert Keyes Poole, Taft master from 1956 to 1962, Robert Keyes Poole Fellowships are awarded annually, and enable Taft students to engage in travel or in a project consistent with Mr. Poole’s lifetime interest in wildlife and the environment. Thirteen Poole Fellowships were awarded for the summer of 2011.