Meet Maya

Where are you from?

I’m from Hillsborough, New Jersey.

What kinds of things have you been involved in during your time at Taft?

While at Taft, I’ve involved myself with peer tutoring and our Community Service Board. I’m a school monitor, a lower-school dorm monitor, a Global Journal Editor-in-Chief, an I-Block teacher, and the yearbook index editor. I’m a member of Mosaics (our Black and LatinX affinity group), Quizbowl, and the Student Activities Committee. I’ve also been a captain of our JV volleyball and lacrosse teams!

What was your favorite class (or classes) at Taft?

My favorite class at Taft was during my junior year: Honors Comparative Government with Mr. Hawes. I’m really interested in global politics and relations, so being taught by someone who is very passionate and involved with the subject made the class that much more fun and engaging.

What is your favorite spot on campus?

Mac Quad has been my favorite spot on campus ever since I arrived at Taft my sophomore year. I love sitting on the benches with friends right after classes, and enjoying ice pops from the ice cream truck that stops by early fall and throughout the spring.

What has been your most memorable Taft moment?

My most memorable Taft moment was during the spring last year, when I went fishing for the first time in Potter’s Pond. My friends and I bought chicken patties from the Jig, attached pieces to the hook of the fishing rod, and I caught my first fish! It was actually quite scary because I didn’t want to drop the rod, or myself, in the pond.

What is one piece of advice you’d give new or prospective Taft students?

Go out of your way to discover your hidden interests and talents. Try out for a new sport, audition for the plays and musicals, pick up an instrument, and talk to a stranger. So many new friends and talents are found after our most spontaneous moments and decisions, and Taft is a breeding ground for these opportunities.

What does it mean to be a Rhino?

To be a Rhino means leading by example, being confident and bold in our athletic and academic gifts, and not taking ourselves too seriously—sharing smiles and laughs with one another anytime and anywhere.