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Be the Light
Thoughts on the Season from Head of School Peter Becker '95
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Community Connections with Mr. LaCasse
On January 16, students and faculty will complete a health and wellness survey at Taft. What does that mean? Is it mandatory? How will the survey results be used? Mr. LaCasse, Assistant Head of School for Student Life, has all the answers.
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College Counseling with Ms. Mann
The college counseling process at Taft is a critical partnership between counselors, students, and families. The College Counseling Office works to provide students and families with as much information as possible throughout, allowing them to feel informed, confident, and optimistic. Director of College Counseling Lydia Mann shares information about where our seniors and upper mids are in the process, as well as information about upcoming college counseling events and programming in the video below.
Note: Details and registration information for the January webinars, College Money Method for 9th grade families and the mock application workshop for 11th grade families, will be made available in early January.
Background image, sunrise over campus 12/9/24, courtesy Mr. Odden '86, CFO
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Exceptional Faculty (I)
Mr. McAloon Received Chrysalis Fund Grant
Science faculty member Michael McAloon was recently awarded a Chrysalis Fund grant to support his ongoing pollinator research. The funding will help bring awareness to the diversity of pollinators and the plants they pollinate, while stimulating deeper learning, interest, and understanding among McAloon’s Taft students.
Scientists note that pollinator studies are critical for records of biodiversity and are a good indicator of the health of an ecosystem. McAloon’s biology students will capture and identify insect pollinators, swab the pollinators for pollen, and use DNA barcoding techniques to identify the pollen to species to examine which plants those pollinators are visiting campus and two local nature preserves over a two to three span. He envisions most of the same students being involved throughout the life of the study—first as juniors (who will pass the data to seniors), then seniors repeating the collection and conducting higher-level data analysis and reporting.
“Once students have identified the flowering plant species, they can then associate the insect species and plant species together,” explains McAloon. “The data points for the pollinators can be entered into iNaturalist. Specific pollinators will have the plant species associated with them in the database, and then the students will return to the field to find and geographically tag the matching plant species nearest to the pollinator. Over time, we will keep a record to compare these data which may show how the distribution of pollinators changes and if plant composition has any effect on pollinators. Comparison data will be analyzed using appropriate statistical methods and biodiversity indices to determine any significant differences among pollinator species and or distribution of those species.”
Over the past four years, McAloon and his students conducted proof of concept with successful pollen DNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing to determine unknown species of store-bought commercially available pollen, and wild pollen collected from honeybees and their hives. Most interesting, however, is the ongoing work McAloon and his students are doing with Maijuna beekeepers in the Peruvian Amazon.
McAloon traveled to the Amazon first in 2018 and again in 2023 to participate in research and education projects. In 2023, he served as the primary investigator for a molecular study on pollen collected by native stingless bees. His work on the identification of pollen collected by the bees using molecular techniques is part of an ongoing, novel study that Taft students have continued on campus. Maijuna beekeepers are using the information from the research McAloon’s students are conducting to discover which plants their bees are pollinating, and which honey could potentially have a specific medicinal profile. In 2024, McAloon returned to Peru, this time with student researcher Alli Yen ’24. At Taft, Alli helped identify the pollen; she presented the results to the Maijuna community in July.
“Native bee honey is a valuable commodity, and in finding out which plants are being used, the Maijuna can demonstrate the importance of maintaining the plant diversity within their land,” notes McAloon. “The income from the honey replaces the need to sell game in markets, thereby allowing game animals to repopulate.”
The work they are doing directly impacts the conservation of the Napo-Sucusari Biological Reserve and the Maijuna-Kichwa Regional Conservation Area and is conducted in partnership with members of the indigenous Maijiuna community.
Chrysalis Fund grants are awarded by the Entomological Society of America, the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and individuals in related disciplines. McAloon will use the grant to cover the costs associated with insect collection, mounting and storage boxes; DNA extraction and PCR kits, and the cost of sequencing.
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Exceptional Faculty (II)
Dr. Mirabi Recognized as Top Mathematics Researcher
Dr. Mostafa Mirabi, Taft Mathematics Faculty, has been selected to serve as a reviewer/referee for the American Mathematical Society (AMS) for the second consecutive year. His selection by AMS recognizes his position as one of the top researchers in mathematics—a truly extraordinary achievement.
In his role as an AMS reviewer, Dr. Mirabi evaluates manuscripts submitted for publication in AMS journals. He examines new research in his primary fields, which include mathematical logic, with a focus on model theory and its interaction with combinatorics and algebraic geometry. Dr. Mirabi provides authors with constructive feedback, and assesses each work’s originality, accuracy, and relevance.
“My role is to help ensure that only high-quality and rigorously reviewed work is published, maintaining the standards that AMS is known for,” notes Dr. Mirabi. “Serving as an AMS reviewer carries considerable responsibility and international impact. AMS reviewers are entrusted with critically assessing the most recent advancements in mathematical research, helping to shape and maintain the standards of rigor and innovation in the field. Our evaluations guide the publication of high-quality research that informs and influences mathematicians worldwide. It is highly prestigious and reflects a meaningful contribution to the global mathematical community.”
Dr. Mirabi is the only AMS referee globally who is currently part of a high school faculty.
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The Afternoon Program
Director of Athletics and the Afternoon Program Andy Dunn takes a quick look back on a truly memorable fall season.
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The Arts at Taft
One of the culminating (and most spectacular) events of the fall term is always the Fall Dance Showcase, featuring performances by dancers and choreographers working and studying at every level and across genres. This year’s pieces explored a range of powerful emotions, from desperation and loss in Ashley Triumph’s Don’t Stop Dancing to Tatsha Kumthampinij’s study of the delicate harmony of existence and the struggle to find beauty in the unknown in We Exist. There was also exuberance, as performers brought Dance Teacher Sarah Surber’s choreography to life in Hoe-Down, with music from composer Aaron Copland, performed by Taft’s Chamber Orchestra and Jazz Band and conducted by Instrumental Music Teacher T.J. Thompson, and the ode to the joy of dance that was Fiona Chou’s Don’t Believe Me? Just Watch. And there was so much more—a gift to the community reflecting the vision, talent, and dedication of our student artists.
Enjoy the full Fall Dance Showcase video below:
The photos below, selected by Ms. Surber, reflect just a few moments from the showcase. You can see the complete photo gallery here: Fall Dance Showcase photos.
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Community Service at Taft
Non ut Sibi Spotlight: The Red Plate Society
Hear from Community Service Director Mr. Danaher, Community Service Board heads Serena Patel and Sky Comfort, and the founding members of The Red Plate Society in the video below.
More on The Red Plate Society
When seniors Christian Yeung, Nam Dao, and Sean Liao started The Red Plate Society (RPS) last year, their goal was to nourish connections across our community—literally. As international students missing the tastes of home, the trio found themselves cooking a lot of meals in the kitchen of their dorm. They began sharing their favorite foods from Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Taiwan with one another; soon they were reaching out to other international students and preparing dishes from their home cultures, as well. Dorm feeds, special meals, and food-centric events followed. In May, the student-chefs started working on a cookbook as a way of celebrating the work they had done throughout the school year. They gathered and formally wrote the recipes, while Christian took the lead on editing.
“We started with student-provided recipes that we got from the various dorm feeds that we did last year: borscht, pap and seswaa, banh mi and more, and also included some of our favorite dishes we had made,” Christian explains. “We have 19 of our own recipes in the book, plus one guest recipe from Lords by the Lake—Blair Academy’s student-run restaurant and our inspiration for RPS.”
With their work completed, Christian, Nam, and Sean sent the cookbook off for publishing. They ordered 80 copies, which completely sold out during Taft’s Fall Family Weekend.
“Through sales and donations, we were able to raise $2,100,” says Christian. “We then contacted the Watertown Food Bank and got a grocery list together. With the help of Mr. Danaher and Mr. Shotwell, and through LaBonne's Market, we were able use the proceeds from the book to purchase Thanksgiving meal supplies and donate them to the food bank.”
The success of the cookbook allowed the chef and authors to fulfill an important part of the RPS founding mission: to make a meaningful difference through the collective efforts of the community.
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Building Compassionate Communities
Morning Meeting with Andy Isaacson '94
Taft recently welcomed Andy Isaacson ’94 back to Taft for a compelling Morning Meeting talk about his work across the globe, the value of connection, and the power of compassionate communities.
Isaacson is a journalist, educator, and producer. His writing and photography have appeared in The New York Times, National Geographic, and numerous other publications—stories that span every continent, from the science of climate change, protests on the Mexican border, living on the world’s most remote inhabited island, and drifting with sea ice aboard a polar research vessel through the Arctic Ocean.
Through his work at the School of The New York Times Summer Academy, Isaacson connects with high school students while teaching immersive journalism. He is the co-founder of Camping to Connect, a BIPOC-led nonprofit organization that guides young men of color from urban environments into nature, fostering leadership, self-awareness, and social connection.
Isaacson also works with SharedStudios, which brings together diverse voices from around the world for transformative dialogues on a range of intractable global issues through immersive technology called Portals. Portals make connections that transcend distance and difference, connecting places across the world with each other as if they were in the same room together to explore and learn. Portals have fostered embodied, empathy-driven dialogue, and humanity-driven teaching and research, for leading institutions such as the United Nations, Harvard, and Stanford.
“Portals allow people to express themselves through performance and play. They have brought people together who would otherwise never meet,” Isaacson told the Taft community during his Morning Meeting talk. “Think about the society we could create if people made more of an effort to have face-to-face conversations with people from different experiences, beliefs, and backgrounds. Doing so isn’t just personally rewarding, it fosters connection, reduces division, and creates stronger, more compassionate communities. I believe it is how we can create a more just, equitable, and inclusive society.”
Watch Isaacson’s full Morning Meeting talk here:
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Make a Note, Save the Date, Join Us!
A Bittersweet Swan Song: Mr. Fifer's Last Services of Lessons and Carols
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 17
After 29 remarkable years of service to Taft, faculty member Bruce Fifer has announced his retirement at the end of the 2024-25 academic year. Known for his passion for the performing arts, dedication to teaching, and extraordinary ability to bring voices together in harmony, Mr. Fifer has been a true leader in Taft’s arts department.
All are invited to join in Mr. Fifer’s last (and Taft's 88th) Services of Lessons and Carols Tuesday, December 17, in Woodward Chapel. There will be services at 6 pm and 8 pm; a reception follows the 8 pm service. Mr. Fifer will also be honored during Alumni Weekend 2025, through a special Music for a While Concert Series event and reception.
Winter Family Weekend
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Winter Family Weekend is an opportunity to meet and mingle with fellow Taft parents, attend classes with your Taftie, enjoy arts performances, cheer on our athletic teams, and so much more! This year's Winter Family Weekend schedule of events was informed by your Fall Family Weekend feedback. Thank you to all who took time to share your thoughts!
GRANDS' AND SPECIAL FRIENDS' DAY
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9
Save the date for what is always a special day on campus for grandparents, special friends, and Taft students. Invitations will be sent to all current grandparents in the new year. If you are unsure if you have shared their contact information or would like us to invite a grandfriend, please sign them up using the link below.
Commencement Weekend 2025!
SATURDAY, MAY 24 AND SUNDAY, MAY 25
Commencement details will be sent to families of Taft seniors early in 2025. In the meantime, it's not too early to think about booking accommodations for the weekend.
COMMENCEMENT WEEKEND SCHEDULE PREVIEW
Saturday, May 24:
5:00 pm Concert featuring Collegium Musicum, Jazz Band, and Chamber Ensemble
6:00 pm Prize Night in the tent by Potter's Pond
7:00 pm Reception, Dinner, and Dancing
Sunday, May 25:
10:00 am Commencement in the Tent by Potter's Pond
11:30 am Luncheon for Seniors and their Families
All Seniors must depart campus by 4:00 pm