January 2007

Martin Luther King Day

New Focus of MLK Celebration at Taft

The school's annual celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. took on a new focus this year. Beginning with a special Prayer Breakfast in the Choral Room, the day then officially opened with a convocation given by The Reverend Wayne Meisel, president of the Bonner Foundation, and founder of COOL (Campus Outreach Opportunity League). Dr. Meisel spoke on the theme: "Everyone Can Be Great Because Everyone Can Serve." (See Convocation photos)

Focusing this year on the work of Dr. King and its relationship to reaching out to communities on a grassroots level, the school invited middle school students from the Waterbury area to attend student- and faculty-led clinics on campus that followed Meisel's opening address. Clinics focused on different sports as well as theater, ceramics, and the school's step team, Anonymous. (See Middle School Clinic photos)

While the middle school clinics got going, Taft students not helping there joined in MLK inspired workshops on the theme "Dr. King's vision--the World House where all are welcomed." Organized by students and faculty workshops addressessed such topics as "the Challenges of Building Democracy in South Africa," and "Black Americans in Film and Television." (See Workshop photos)

After lunch, students and faculty reassembled in Bingham Auditorium for "We Are The Dream," a multi-cultural arts program of song, dance, and poetry performed by fellow faculty and students. (See photos)

The monitors and class committees then arranged individual dinners for each of the classes that evening, giving them a chance to reflect on the day, and creating a unique opportunity to foster class unity. This was the first time any faculty could remember whole classes, with the exception of seniors, gathering for their own evening meals. (See photos)