William Howard Taft Charter High School is a public school located on the corner of Ventura Boulevard and Winnetka Avenue in the Woodland Hills district of the San Fernando Valley in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

, California, within the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school gained affiliated charter status beginning with the 2013–2014 school year.

History

Named after former U.S. president

William Howard Taft William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States (1909–1913) and the tenth chief justice of the United States (1921–1930), the only person to have held both offices. Taft was elected pr ...

, the school first opened in 1960. It was in the

Los Angeles City High School District Los Angeles City High School District (known in its last year as West County Union High School District) was a school district that served high school-aged residents of western Los Angeles County, California from 1890 to 1962. At times the distr ...

until 1961, when it merged into LAUSD. In the 2013–2014 school year, Taft High School became a Charter School.

Notable alumni

* Jeshua Anderson – track and field sprinter *

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–

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1971–1981 * Steve Bartek – musician, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Oingo Boingo * Matteo Barzini – Italian filmmaker *

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'' * Mike Bercovici – college and pro football quarterback * Scott Bloch –

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– basketball shooting guard * Larry Dierker – MLB pitcher, manager, broadcaster *

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– basketball point guard * Eazy-E – rapper,

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* Everlast – rapper/singer

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– basketball point guard, 2-time NBA champion * William Finnegan – Pulitzer Prize winning writer surfing essayist *

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– Former NFL player and Titans coach from 1995 to 2010, as well as Rams from 2012 to 2016 *

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– actress and singer *

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– orchestral and solo double bass player and teacher * Guy Hansen – professional baseball pitcher and coach * Steve Hartman – sportscaster * Ice Cube – rapper, actor, director, producer, ''

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'', '' Are We There Yet?'', '' Straight Outta Compton'' * Airabin Justin – NFL and CFL defensive back *

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– Former MLB

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and current

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manager, 2021 National League Manager of the Year *

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– professional triathlete, Guinness world record speedgolfer, ''The New York Times'' bestselling author * Kevin Kennedy – MLB manager and radio-TV baseball commentator *

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– actress, TV series '' Friends'' * Pete LaCock – MLB

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and coach * Dale Launer – comedy screenwriter * Epic Mazur – vocalist, rapper, and record producer *

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'' * Danny Boy O’Connor – rapper,

* Susan Olsen – actress, TV series ''

'' *

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– NFL linebacker *

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– NFL defensive back for Detroit Lions * Malcolm Smith – Super Bowl XLVIII champion and MVP *

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– NFL wide receiver, Super Bowl XLII champion * Jan Smithers – actress, TV series ''

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'' *

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gold-medal U.S. men's team * Kathryn Dwyer Sullivan –

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astronaut * Michael Thomas – NFL

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wide receiver,

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* Justin Tryon – NFL

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* Mark Tulin – musician, founding member of

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– actor, TV series ''

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Sports Hall of Fame * Quincy Watts – athlete, winner of two gold medals at

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– NFL offensive tackle *

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–

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for the

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, college Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2016 *

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'', ''

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'' * Larry Yount – MLB

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References

External links

Official William Howard Taft Charter High School website

Great Schools Inc.org: "Taft Senior High School"

U.S.News.com: "Taft High School"

LAschoolboard.org: Taft High School 2013-2018 Charter Term
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Archive
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{{authority control Taft Taft Taft Taft Taft Educational institutions established in 1960 1960 establishments in California Taft Taft