Taft High School (Los Angeles)

Infobox High School
name= Taft High School


headmaster=
principal= Sharon Thomas
motto=
established= 1960
type= Public
location= 5461 Winnetka Ave.
Woodland Hills, CA
enrollment= 3000
campus= Urban
colors= Red, Gold
nicknames= Toreadors
conference=
website= [http://www.tafthigh.org/ Official website] |

William Howard Taft High School is a public school located on Ventura Boulevard in Woodland Hills in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles, California, USA, within the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Several areas, including portions of Woodland Hills, Tarzana and Melody Acres [http://www.latimes.com/news/local/valley/la-re-guide24oct24,1,6347988.story?page=2] , are zoned to Taft. In addition, residents of Topanga, an unincorporated section of Los Angeles County, may attend Taft or Palisades Charter High School.

History

Taft opened in 1960 [http://search.lausd.k12.ca.us/cgi-bin/fccgi.exe?w3exec=school.profile.content&which=8880] .

ports

Taft's nickname and mascot is the Toreador. Its rival schools are El Camino Real High School and Birmingham High School located in Woodland Hills and Lake Balboa respectfully.

Home to many winning sports programs, Taft sports teams have won city championships in football, basketball, track, tennis, volleyball, soccer and golf.

Many Taft players have gone on to division one programs and professional sports. Former All-American Steve Smith is now an NFL receiver for the New York Giants. Jordan Farmar of the Los Angeles Lakers also is a 2004 alumni.

Academics

Taft is also home to Speech and Debate teams under the leadership of Doug Lasken that sent 10 students to the State Competition held in Sacramento, California. Three were finalists in the National Forensics League National Competition held in Texas.

Taft has also seen repeated success in the United States Academic Decathlon, winning Nationals in 1989, 1994, and 2006.

In 2006 a new academy called the Visual And Performing Arts Academy (VAPA) was created. It combines the vocal music, instrumental music, drama, dance, and art departments and puts focus on the arts in academic subjects.

Taft recently received a Nantechnology grant and will be planning this year in collaboration with Dr. Chang of Northwestern University.clarifyme

Notable Alumni

* Brad Kearns (Professional Triathlete, author)
* Brad Wilk (drummer, Rage Against the Machine)
* Bruce Gary (Drummer in The Knack)
* Cherie Currie (singer of The Runaways)
* Craig Buck (Olympic volleyball player)
* Dale Launer (screenwriter) Ruthless People, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, My Cousin Vinny, Love Potion #9
* Danny Boy O' Connor (founding member of House of Pain and La Coka Nostra)
* Dave Koz (saxophonist, jazz recording artist)
* Duffy Waldorf (Pro Golfer, PGA Tour)
* Eric Wright (Eazy-E) - Rapper
* Erik Schrody (Everlast)
* Gabe Kapler - MLB player
* Jan Smithers (Bailey on WKRP) - Actress
* Jane Wiedlin (founding member of The Go-Go's)
* Jason Bateman- Actor
* Jeff Fisher (head coach Tennessee Titans)
* Jeff Stork (pro volleyball player)
* Joan Jett (guitarist for The Runaways,singer/guitarist Joan Jett and The Black Hearts)
* Jon Lovitz (actor Saturday Night Live
* Jordan Farmar - NBA player, Los Angeles Lakers
* Justine Bateman- Actress
* Kathryn Dwyer Sullivan (NASA astronaut, first American woman to walk in space)
* Kevin Kennedy (manager Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox)
* Larry Dierker - MLB player, manager Houston Astros
* Lisa Kudrow - Actress
* Maureen McCormick (Marcia Brady of TV's Brady Bunch)
* Michael D. Rich - Executive Vice President of the RAND Corporation
* O'Shea Jackson (Ice Cube) - Rapper and actor
* Pete LaCock (MLB)
* Peter Gordon (American experimental composer and musician)
* Quincy Watts - Olympic gold medalist
* Rick Auerbach - MLB player
* Robin Wright Penn - Actress
* Larry Yount (MLB)
* Robin Yount (MLB) Hall of Fame
* Steve Bartek of Oingo Boingo
* Steve Hartman, Sportscaster, KLAC Radio, KCBS Television
* Steve Smith (former USC starting wide receiver). Now with the New York Giants
* Strawberry Alarm Clock (1960's rock group)
* Susan Olsen (Cindy Brady of TV's Brady Bunch)
* Taco Wallace (NFL)
* Tiffanie Anderson(pop group) Girlicious
* The Electric Prunes (1960s rock group)
* William Smith- Guitarist, songwriter

In the media

Taft starred as the high school used in 1976's The Boy in the Plastic Bubble with John Travolta, 1985's Mask (film), starring Cher, 1995's The Brady Bunch Movie , 2005's , 2006's Monk (TV series), 2007's Keith starring Pop Superstar, Jesse McCartney, and 2008's music video for If I Didn't Have You by Hannah Montana co-stars Mitchel Musso and Emily Osment.

Taft High was mentioned in the pop-up version of the Disney Channel Original Movie "High School Musical" (2006) as the winner of the United States Academic Decathlon.

Also, Taft has been featured in many commercials, most recently for Home Depot, Skittles and the video game "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix".

On many weekends and when the high school is out of session it is not unusual for it to be seen used as a filming location.

External links

* [http://www.tafthigh.org/ Official website]