Taft-Hotchkiss Challenge: A New Spin on a November Tradition

Taft-Hotchkiss Challenge: A New Spin on a November Tradition
Debra Meyers

The Taft-Hotchkiss November tradition will be more of a cooperative effort than a challenge this year.

November is a time for classic rivalries and intense battles, and not just in the voting booth. It is when Taft Rhinos and Hotchkiss Bearcats traditionally meet on athletic courts and fields after a spirit-filled week of themed days and Big Red Rallies. For the past few years, it has also been when young alumni from both schools compete for bragging rights by growing their rosters of Annual Fund donors through the Taft-Hotchkiss Young Alumni Participation Challenge.

But 2020 has been a year like no other. And in the spirit of truly being "in this together," the development teams at Taft and Hotchkiss have decided to take a break from the competition at the heart of the Challenge and turn it into a partnership. From November 17-19, young alumni from both schools will work together to increase overall Annual Fund donor participation by members of the classes of 2007-2020.

"Despite the change in our approach to the Challenge this year, the goal remains the same: To connect and engage with as many young alumni as we can over a three-day period, while inviting them to support Taft's mission by make a gift of any size to the school," says Annual Fund Director Kelsey Kerr P'07.

And in this unusual year, that support has never been more important.

"Donors will also have the opportunity to direct their gifts to one of the Annual Fund campaigns established in recent months," notes Cristina Esmiol, Assistant Director of the Annual Fund. "Both the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and COVID-19 Relief funds were established this year in response to the changing needs of our community."

The goal this year is to engage a combined 860 donors, a nod to the area code shared by Taft and Hotchkiss.

Learn more and make your gift here.

Hear from Tafties and Bearcats below.