Taft High School (Los Angeles)
Encyclopedia : T : TA : TAF : Taft High School (Los Angeles)
| School name | Taft (William Howard) High |
| School Type | Public |
| Website | [link] |
| Principal | Sharon Thomas |
| School District | Los Angeles Unified |
| Enrollment | approx. 3,600 |
| Location | Woodland Hills, California |
| Mascot | Toreadors |
Sports
Taft is home to winning football and basketball programs. Led respectively by head coaches Troy Starr and Derrick Taylor, Taft has sent many players to division one programs and professional sports. Most recently, former All-American Steve Smith had three touchdown receptions for the University of Southern California in the 2005 National Championship game against Oklahoma. Jordan Farmar led the UCLA Bruins to the National Championship game for men's basketball in 2006. In 2005 they played Crenshaw High School for LA City Football championship, even though losing, Taft has one of the best football programs in Southern California
Famous alumni
- O'Shea Jackson (Ice Cube)
- Erik Schrody (Everlast)
- Sally Field
- Lisa Kudrow
- Quincy Watts
- Wilmer Valderrama
- Robin Wright Penn
- Jan Smithers (Bailey on WKRP)
- Eric Wright (Eazy-E)
- Jordan Farmar
- Steve Smith
- Josh Portis
- Jeff Fisher
- Jason Bateman
- Justine Bateman
- Robin Yount (MLB)
- Larry Yount (MLB)
- Karina Kay
- Gabe Kapler (MLB)
- Rick Auerbach (MLB)
- Jeff Fisher (head coach Tennessee Titans)
- Kevin Kennedy (manager Texas Rangers and Boston Red Sox)
- Maureen McCormack (Marcia Brady of TV's Brady Bunch)
- Susan Olson (Cindy Brady of TV's Brady Bunch)
- Kathryn Sullivan (NASA astronaut)
- Jeff Stork (pro volleyball player)
- Craig Buck (Olympic volleyball player)
- Steve Bartek of Oingo Boingo
- Brad Wilk (drummer, Rage Against the Machine)
- Valarie Vernon (pink member of the Power Rangers)
- Larry Dierker (MLB player, manager Houston Astros)
- Pete LaCock (MLB, Chicago Cubs,Kansas City Royals)
- Kelly Paris (MLB)
- Dale Launer (screenwriter)Ruthless People, Dirty, Rotten Soundrels, My Cousin Vinny, Love Potion #9
Taft in the Movies
Taft starred as the high school used in 1995's The Brady Bunch Movie and 2005's
Crime and Taft
On May 18, 2005, a series of racially motivated brawls occurred on campus ahead of Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa's visit during a period of tension between African-American and Latino students. Reportedly over 50 students were involved, with 17 patrol cars and an LAPD helicopter dispatched. [link]
On September 9th, 2003 a gang-related drive-by shooting near Taft left three students critically wounded. [link]
On November 3rd, 2000 a gang-related shooting after a football game left one student wounded. [link]
External links
[[Category:Los Angeles Unified School District schools]
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