MEET PETER BECKER '95

TAFT'S 6th HEAD OF SCHOOL

After a six-month search attracting hundreds of candidates from across the globe, Peter Becker ’95 has been tapped to serve as Taft’s next head of school. Becker will begin his tenure on July 1, 2023.

            “As a Taft graduate, Peter knows, loves, and values our mission and culture: its insistence on excellence, passion for community and belonging, commitment to improvement and to service, and pride in school spirit,” note co-chairs of the Head of School Search Committee Kate Genung Taylor ’94 and Sarkis D. Izmirlian II '90, P'20,'22,'24.

            Becker, who has been head of The Fredrick Gunn School (formerly The Gunnery) since 2012, visited Taft on December 6 with his family. He addressed the full community in Bingham Auditorium during his visit, greeted Tafties in the Faculty Room, and took a brief campus tour.

Amy Julia Truesdell Becker '94, William, Penny,

Marilee, and Peter Becker '95

IN MEMORIAM

Remembering Faculty Emeritus

William G. Nicholson P'80,83,84

It is with heavy hearts that we share news of the passing of former faculty member William G. Nicholson, P’80,83,84.

Bill passed away at the age of 87 at his home in Osterville, MA. He taught English at Taft for 28 years, and served as the director of college counseling, a senior class dean, editor of the Alumni Bulletin, and as a JV baseball coach. 

Read about Bill's life, including reflections from Head of School Willy MacMullen, here

IN THE NEWS

Ellie O'Neill '11 Named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Impact List

Ellie O’Neill ’11 and Jack Hartpence cofounded PowWater to address water access issues in Africa. And people are paying attention, including investors like The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Adam Draper, and now Forbes, which has added them to their 30 Under 30 Social Impact list. 

Built on a technology-enabled vehicular water delivery system, the company’s mission is to democratize access to clean water; their vision is to be the most trusted water supplier globally.

“If PowWater succeeds at their mission, they will be the most important company in Africa,” says Draper, founder and managing director of Boost VC.

  PowWater is currently scaling across Kenya and will be expanding across East Africa and Ghana in 2023.

  “In many of these regions, women spend half their day fetching water—precious time they could spend doing something else far more productive, like getting an education,” O’Neill told the Taft Bulletin in 2020. 

SAVE THE DATE:

Upcoming Events

CAMPUS CONNECTIONS:

Jeremiah Vargas'16 Creates Opportunities for Taft Students

In 2015, Jeremiah “Miah” Vargas ’16 cofounded Tater Bats, a Waterbury, CT-based baseball bat and accessories company, with his father and brother. Named after the slang term for a home run, Tater Bats got its start when Jeremiah’s dad produced a training bat with former Major Leaguer and Waterbury native Darren Bragg ’87, P'17,'19’21. At the time, Vargas was an upper mid at Taft and a star player on the baseball team, which quickly began batting with Taters. As did Jeremiah’s college team.

In 2018, the Vargas team moved production from their garage to a 3,000-square-foot factory and storefront. Today, Tater Bats is Tater Baseball. They produce a wide range of custom bats for 100 professional players, and also sell stock bats, apparel, custom and stock fielding and batting gloves, team gear, and more. And they’re ready for another move. They are also getting ready to move to a new 10,000-square-foot facility. Miah turned to Dan Calore’s Introduction to Engineering students to help design that space.

Click here, or on the image below to hear about the collaboration from Calore, his students, and Vargas.

2022 D'ARCO CUP

A Tradition of Honor, Service, and Celebration

Tafties made their presence known on and off the ice during this year’s Lucille A. D’Arco Cup game hosted by Berkshire School. More than 200 Rhino fans traveled north to cheer the Boys’ Varsity Hockey Team to a big 5-1 win. Lucille was a passionate fan and supporter of both schools: Her son, Brad ’99, captained the Taft team as a student, then went on to coach the Berkshire team after college. In 2008, Lucille lost a courageous battle with breast cancer. Since then, the two schools have honored her legacy on the ice in a game dedicated to her memory, to raising funds and awareness around breast cancer, and to commemorating the D’Arco family’s involvement with and love for both institutions.⁠

In photo, bottom left, Brad D’Arco, Willy MacMullen and Dom D’Arco at the D’Arco Cup Game, this year hosted by Berkshire.

ON CAMPUS

86th Service of Lessons and Carols

Click here or on the image below to watch the 86th Service of Lessons & Carols.

Holiday Greetings from the Taft Community

(Click image to play video)

Varsity Field Hockey: Living the Dream

Varsity Field Hockey brought it all—heart, soul, talent, and so much passion—to a dream season that they rode all the way to the NEPSAC Class A Tournament game. In the end, the Rhinos finished as Class A Finalists. Their season highlights included: a 5-0 win on Taft-Hotchkiss Day; the Founders League title (undefeated in the League); a 15-1-1 regular season record; Western New England Champions; #1 Seed in the NEPSAC Class A Tournament.

A Clean Hotchkiss Day Sweep for Taft's Varsity Teams!

All of Taft's varsity teams notched wins against Hotchkiss on Hotchkiss Day 2022. Football earned a 38–10 victory over the Bearcats, while boys’ soccer convincingly beat Hotchkiss 9–2, and girls’ soccer pulled off a 2–0 win. Volleyball was able to follow suit and beat the Bearcats 3–1. Field hockey capped off their regular season with a 5–0 victory, claiming the Founders League Championship for the first time since 2005 along the way.

See photo galleries from Hotchkiss Day 2022 here.

Go Big Red!

• Meet the newest Cum Laude Inductees
• Browse photos from the fall production of The Drowsy Chaperone
• Watch the Fall Dance Showcase
• Read about the current group of Taft athletes who just committed to playing at the college level.
• Reminisce Through Photos of Red Rally 2023

Co-head Mons Bridget Brockelman and Matthew Vogelstein

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Thank you!