Taft School Non Ut Sibi News

Moorhead '62 Honored

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Rodman W. Moorhead III ’62 will be awarded the Horace D. Taft Alumni Medal, formerly known as the Citation of Merit, on Alumni Day this year. The medal is the school’s highest alumni honor and is given each year to a person whose life work best exemplifies the school motto: Not to be ministered unto but to minister.

Rod first established himself as a dedicated member of the Taft community when he arrived as a student more than 50 years ago. During his three years at Taft Rod was a monitor, corridor monitor and a member of the class committee. He was also a member of the Glee Club and Church Choir, was Alpha Club president, chairman of the Chapel Committee, a member of the Switchboard Committee and Community Chest Committee. He played varsity football, basketball and track, earning varsity letters in ’59, ’60, ’61, and ’62. Rod continues his service to Taft today as chairman of the school's Board of Trustees.

Rod earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees from Harvard College. MBA in hand, Rod moved to New York, where he spent more than 30 years with the private equity group Warburg Pincus. As head of healthcare investment activities, Rod helped grow the company’s assests under management from approximately $40 million to $15 billion.

A staunch supporter of a broad range of education initiatives, Rod has been a valued and contributing member of many corporate boards. He is currently a director at Proximity Learning, which provides language learning programs for K-12 students, and at the Scientific Learning Corporation, a computer-based special education training company. Rod also sits on the Board of Directors of Imagine Schools, Inc., which operates public charter schools.

Beyond the field of education, Rod serves on the ElderTrustBoard of Trustees. ElderTrust operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) that invests principally in senior housing and other healthcare facilities, primarily skilled nursing facilities, assisted and independent living facilities, and medical offices and other buildings. He is a member of the Harvard Medical School Board of Fellows, a former member of Harvard’s Board of Overseers, a trustee of the Jackson Hole Land Trust and co-chair of the Board of Directors, Stroud Water Research Center, Inc.

Rod’s dedication to both education and to Taft is in evidence in the academic facility here that bears his name. At the dedication of the Moorhead Learning Wing in 2004 Headmaster Willy Mac Mullen said, “Rod Moorhead is one of the school’s most remarkable, generous and committed graduates. In addition to being a longtime trustee, he has supported the school in every way imaginable, and his unique commitment to student learning has changed this place. Without his intellectual curiosity, this center would never have happened. This is clear: We will meet the school’s mission of educating the whole student even better now.”

Rod was first elected to the school’s board in 1991 as an alumni trustee, and stayed on after the completion of his four-year term, becoming a corporate trustee and eventually the treasurer. He succeeded Will Miller ’74 as board chair in 2006. Rod is a current member of the Admissions Committee, the Committee on School Life, the Development Committee, the Finance and Investment Committee, chair of the Governance Committee, a member of the Audit and Financial Risk Committee and the Campus Planning Committee.

Rod and his wife, Alice, split their time between their homes in Wilson, WY, New York City, and Unionville, PA. In his free time he enjoys fly fishing, fox hunting, golf, traveling, biking in France and Italy, and fishing in South America, Alaska, New Zealand and the U.S. West.

The Horace D. Taft Alumni Medal is the school’s highest alumni honor and is given each year. The recipient’s life and actions must demonstrate something humanitarian apart from a vocation or service. He or she must have gone above the ordinary demands of life or occupation. Success in a chosen field does not necessarily quality a person for the honor. At the same time, it is possible for a person to be eminently successful and go beyond the call of duty to serve others. All honorees, since the award’s creation in 1960, are recognized in a place of honor along Main Hall. The award is a reminder of Taft’s commitment to serve others.

For more information on the Horace D. Taft Medal, and a list of previous recipients, visit www.taftschool.org/alumni/merit.

Benefit Concert

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

For her ISP, senior Bailey Outerbridge planned to write five original songs. She performed those pieces on April 30 at Taft. And that was just the beginning.

The Taft concert was not only a part of Bailey’s ISP, it was a fundraiser for Dana’s Angels Research Trust (DART). DART is a nonprofit organization founded by Phil and Andrea Marella to fund medical research, education and care for Niemann-Pick Type C disease (NPC). NPC is a genetic metabolic disorder in which harmful quantities of cholesterol and other fatty substances accumulate in the cells of the body including the spleen, liver, lungs, bone marrow and, most dramatically, the brain. Dana Marella, Phil and Andrea’s daughter, was diagnosed with the disease in 2002 when she was eight years old; her brother was diagnosed two years later.

Bailey first heard about DART through her friend and manager, Janice Roeg.

"After hearing about the charity from Janice, I did some reading to learn more," Bailey said. "I thought it was a great cause and decided to hold a DART benefit at Taft. The idea of a concert fit perfectly with my ISP."

Bailey does not know exactly how much money was raised at Taft, as the funds were donated directly to the Marella family.

"There was a great turnout," Bailey notes. "My classmates were very generous."

On Saturday, May 5, Bailey continued her work for DART by performing one of her ISP pieces at a major fundraiser in Stamford, CT. Hosted by celebrities Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford, the DART Gala Benefit and Concert featured headlining artist and nine-time Grammy winning singer Natalie Cole. Opening for Cole, Bailey debuted her song ‘Smile,” which was dedicated and inspired by Dana’s battle with her disease.

“In writing the song, I talked to Dana’s mom a lot and looked at her pictures and I was really struck by her smile,” Bailey told the press. “Her smile is really one of the only ways she can interact with people, but she has this really rich smile that is really very touching.”

After a decade, DART has raised $2.3 million to fund research and, organizers said, their goal is to raise $375,000 more this year.

To learn more about DART, visit danasangels.org

Click here to read more about the Stamford event.

Yale Intern

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Kaela Gilbert ’13 has been awarded acceptance into Yale University’s prestigious Discovery to Cure summer internship program.

The highly selective, 6-week program is open to high school juniors with an interest in science and medicine. Dr. Gil Mor, M.D., PhD of Yale’s Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, created the program to expose top-notch students from both local and international high schools to Yale's laboratories while “opening their minds to future career opportunities.”

Science teacher Laura Monti first heard about the program though Taft parents Bill Garfinkle and Linda Elkman; Monti nominated five Taft students for honor.

“All five nominees are amazing young women,” Laura Monti said. “They are all intelligent, hardworking and just plain nice people. All five are doing very well in AP Biology, which is an incredibly rigorous course that involves a great deal of independent learning. I think all five were deserving of this honor, but this is a very selective program and I am thrilled that Kaela was accepted.”

Each year Yale selects 25 to 30 participants for the program; the applicant pool is many times that number. Selected students spend six weeks working in a laboratory with a research scientist, who acts as their mentor. At the end of their training, students present their data and receive a certificate of completion. Students are invited to attend weekly lunch-meetings to discuss their project and meet other scientists from the medical school.

Run for a Cause

Fri, 04 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Eric Metcalf and Charlie Garcia are Taft seniors who, in their own words, have spent the past three years running "side by side" in both cross-country and track. Todd '92 and Amanda McGovern '93 are Taft alumni who, for more than 5 years, have run a non-profit -- side by side. On alumni weekend, all four will join forces to benefit the McGovern's nonprofit while deepening their imprint on the Taft community.

On July 18, 2004, Todd McGovern was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The 30 year-old newleywed was told he had less than two years to live. According to the nonprofit's website, "Todd faced the ultimate decision: die a little each day, or live a little each day. He chose to Seas It."

Seas It is a nonprofit organization that promotes cancer recovery through recreation. Following his cancer diagnosis, Todd faced the difficult road by committing to those things that had always brought him comfort and a sense of well-being. A two-sport college athlete, staying active topped the list of commitments: being active both lifted Todd's spirits and improved his health. That personal commitment became the foundation of Seas It, which provides cancer patients and their families with the means to participate in recreational activities through individualized programs and services. Seas It also works to educate the public about the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle in both fighting and preventing cancer.

"When we heard about Todd and Amanda McGovern’s nonprofit organization, we saw a rewarding opportunity to give back to the school we love so much," explained Eric.

Adds Charlie, "Using Taft’s motto as an undercurrent for our work, we are excited to present our project to the Taft community and to the Watertown community."

Eric and Charlie have planned two separate events to benefit Seas It; both feature 5k and 1 mile run/walk options. On Saturday, May 19 Taft alumni are invited to run for the cause; event registration is limited to alumni on this day. The following day, Taft students, faculty and community members are invited to participate in “Sweat for Sweets.” Day two division winners will be awarded baked goods made by faculty member and Taft parents. There are over forty divisions, including all Taft sports teams (Varsity, JV and Thirds), a fastest Thesbian division (for Tafties involved in theater) and a Clydesdale division (for the fastest runner over 200 pounds).

Registration for the alumni-only event on May 19 is free; t-shirts may be purchased for $20. Registration for the community race on May 20 is $15 for race only, or $25 for race registration and tee. Race organizers Eric and Charlie are also looking for baked good donations and race-day volunteers. Email cgarcia@taftschool.org to help.

For more information about SeasIt, visit http://seasit.org/

ALUMNI REGISTRATION

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dtlxm8cab&oeidk=a07e5os1h17d88eae89

STUDENT AND COMMUNITY REGISTRATION

http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=dtlxm8cab&oeidk=a07e5urpxb36741c5b8

OneHELPS

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

When Katie Harpin ’13 told people she would be spending a semester studying at the Island School in the Bahamas, their reactions were always the same: Studying in paradise? What could be easier?

For some, the Bahamas are paradise. But for many Bahamian people, extreme poverty is a way of life. This was the reality Katie faced the moment she got off the plane in Eleuthera, and the reality that moved her to establish a non-profit organization called oneHELPS to provide sporting equipment for Bahamian children.

“There was nothing left on the island due to hurricanes and the loss of tourism,” Katie explained. “Houses were falling apart, groups of dogs, called potcakes, loitered in the streets where young children played unsupervised. The signs of an impoverished island were endless.”

During her four months at the Island School, Katie was challenged by the demanding academics, by the requirements of living on a self-sustaining island campus and by the physical components of the Island School curriculum, which require every student to kayak, become SCUBA certified, and to either complete a four-mile ocean swim or run a half-marathon during their stay. But more than anything, Katie was challenged by the contrast between her life back home and the lives of the Bahamian children.

“Particularly during my “solo,” a 48-hour period of separation from the rest of the student body, I reflected on my life, my decisions, my opportunities, and my family. I became aware of the little things that I always seemed to take for granted. I gained a new respect and appreciation for my parents, my teachers, my coaches, and everything else in my life.”

The Island School is known for its “placed-based” approach to learning. Katie’s history class, then, spent time visiting historic settlements, rather than just reading about them. During one visit, Katie noticed five young Bahamian children throwing a half deflated ball into a broken piece of wood with a plastic beach bucket attached to it.

“It broke my heart to see that,” said Katie, “I also saw a small group of children running around a small patch of dirt and rocks. I realized that they were playing softball with a hefty piece of wood and a beat-up tennis ball. I suddenly felt this pull, telling me that I needed to do something.”

With parents weekend just around the corner, Katie asked her parents to bring some better sports equipment for the Eleutheran children. With help from the softball league in Katie’s hometown, her father arrived with a set of catcher’s equipment, seven helmets, softballs, bats, and bases. When Katie presented the gifts to children at the Deep Creek Middle School, their gratitude was palpable and immeasurable; oneHELPS was born.

OneHELPS supplies Bahamian children with much-needed sports equipment. A life-long athlete herself, Katie believes that participating in sports shapes values and gives children a positive and meaningful outlet for their skills and energy. She also believes in teaching the value of teamwork. So do her peers at Taft: The Class of 2013 recently sponsored a used sporting goods drive to benefit oneHELPS. Katie and her family will return to Eleuthera this summer to deliver the equipment to the Deep Creek Middle School. Donations that cannot be used in Eleuthera will be given to homeless shelters in Waterbury.

“We are always looking for donations, particularly of basketball and softball equipment, as well as track spikes,” Katie notes.

In addition to equipment, oneHELPS recently accepted a donation of $1,000 raised at a church raffle. The money will be used to repair athletic fields on the island.

For more information or to donate to oneHELPS, visit www.onehelps.org

Earth Day 2012

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Last October, Taft's football team spent Community Service Day clearing brush, weeds and garbage from Steele Brook, the site of Watertown’s much-anticipated greenway. Members of the Taft community are invited to return to Steele Brook Sunday, April 22 to continue this good work in honor of Earth Day 2012. Those interested in participating should plan to leave Taft at 11:45 a.m.

The Steele Brook site work is one of many ways the Tafties will celebrate Earth Day this year. The full-day event kicks off with a 5k fun run at 9:30 a.m., and continues with a Green Fair in the dining hall. The fair begins at 10:15 and features information tables that introduce topics like recycling, eco-footprinting and terracycling; and keep your eyes peeled the “Green Rhino.” There will be tree planting, flower planting, face painting and tie-dying and prep work on the community garden throughout the day, as well as an 11:30 hike through Black Rock State Park. With a little something for everyone, it will be easy to get involved and make a difference.

Earth Day 2012 Schedule

(events and times subject to change)

10:00am - Woodward Chapel - Morning Service

10:00am – 5k Fun Run, wear green!

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. - Educational Earth Day Tables (Eco-Footprinting, Terracycling, Recycling, Being a Green Rhino)

10:00-11:30am - Community Garden Activities

10:30am - Tree Planting

10:30am - Flower Planting with Gardner Therese Alexson

11:00am-1:00pm - Window Box Planting of Culinary Herbs

11:30am - Hiking Group departs for Black Rock with Ted Heavenrich

11:45am – Steele Brook Greenway clean-up group departs

12:00 to 3:00pm - Fun Activities on Campus (Face Painting and Sidewalk Chalk Art for Kids & Students; t-shirt sales and tie-dying, Maple Cotton Candy Machine Earth Day T-shirt sales & Tie-Dying

3:00-5:00pm - World Film showing of "Waste Land"

Blood Donors Give Generously

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Fast facts about blood donation from the American Red Cross:

- The number one reason donors say they give blood is because they "want to help others."

- One donation can help save the lives of up to three people.

- A healthy donor may donate platelets as few as 7 days apart, but a maximum of 24 times a year.

- The actual blood donation typically takes less than 10-12 minutes. The entire process, from the time you arrive to the time you leave, takes about an hour and 15 min.

- The average adult has about 10 pints of blood in his body. Roughly 1 pint is given during a donation.

- WITH 72 UNITS OF BLOOD COLLECTED, TAFT’S FEBRUARY BLOOD DRIVE YIELDED THE HIGHEST DONATED VOLUME SINCE 2005!

Thank you for supporting Taft’s Volunteer Council and the American Red Cross. Watch for details about our April blood drive and consider making a difference in someone’s life by donating blood.

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.