Basketball
Favorite athlete: Steph Curry
Favorite team: Villanova Men’s Basketball
Favorite memory competing in sports: Playing with a very talented AAU team where all my teammates are going to be playing at the collegiate level. I can’t pick a favorite moment with my high school team because there are too many.
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: Not hearing the ref’s whistle at a tournament and getting hyped when I made a basket that didn’t even count.
Music on iPod: I love older music from the 80s-90s and rap before games.
Future plans: I haven’t decided on a college, but I want to major in special ed or another major in which I can work with kids that have disabilities.
Words to live by: “Hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.”
One goal before turning 30: To be happy and have a family.
One thing people don’t know about me: I could possibly be the worst artist and singer ever.
By Mary Jane Souder
The gesture is a subtle one and could easily go unnoticed.
Taylor Dunn, on the arm of Nick McGee, gently touches her escort’s shoulder just before the announcement that he has been selected homecoming king. And without any words, Dunn has told her good friend, ‘This is your moment.’
McGee and Lily Bowman – both of whom have Down syndrome – were named king and queen of Central Bucks South’s homecoming court, and the YouTube video capturing that remarkable night has gone viral on social media, boasting over a million views.
With news outlets eager to cover every angle of the heartwarming story, Dunn was interviewed by CBSPhilly. Her face lights up when she talks about that night.
“(I had) tears,” she said. “It was probably the best moment of my entire time at CB South. I couldn’t contain any emotions. It was amazing.”
McGee’s joy when selected homecoming king was contagious as he immediately sprinted to the student section to lead his favorite cheer, and Dunn’s affection for her friend is unmistakable.
“I’m not a big crier – I rarely ever cry, but that was just amazing,” she said. “Everyone on the field was in tears. That was such a great moment.
“It was so great being part of it. It obviously was not about me at all. I was just the random girl in the white dress. It was so great for Nick and Lily because they deserved it more than anyone.”
This isn’t just lip service for Dunn. The CB South senior is a council member of the school’s Titans Connect, a club that works with students who have disabilities or special needs.
“It gives them activities and things to do and makes them feel more involved in school,” Dunn said. There’s a prom for them, we do board games and other fun days.
“It’s so much fun. I love being involved with that.”
For Dunn, it’s far more than an activity to list on her college resume. It's an involvement she hopes to turn into a career.
“I’m leaning toward special ed or occupational therapy,” she said of her potential major. “But I want to go into a career working with kids who have special needs.
“That’s what I’m really passionate about and want to do in my future. I’ve been friends with Nick since kindergarten. I just love being around kids that are so happy like that, so I definitely want to do it throughout my life.”
*****
Another of Dunn’s passions is basketball. The sport has been part of her life for as long as she can remember, and she chose it over soccer and softball when she was in eighth grade.
“Basketball was always my favorite,” she said. “I love playing defense one-on-one with a girl. Just the competition of it is so much better than other sports.”
The summer entering seventh grade, Dunn joined the AAU circuit and played with the Lady Running Rebels through this summer – her final year of eligibility.
A three-year varsity player at South, Dunn has been in the starting lineup since she was a sophomore and is a captain of this year’s squad. She admits there’s a different feel to her final go round in high school.
“I tried to be a leader my sophomore and junior year, but knowing I’m a captain, I have to lead by example and show the younger girls what it is to be a true leader on and off the court,” Dunn said. “I think what makes CB South stand out is we’ve always had such good chemistry. The people I play with are my best friends. All ages – they’re all my best friends.
“I think if we all come together like I know we can and we all play for each other and not ourselves we can have a really successful season.”
The Titans are off to a strong start, and Dunn has been in the middle of the action.
“Taylor sees the court well,” coach Beth Mattern said. “She has a really nice drive to the basket and is a fierce competitor.
“She doesn’t like to lose or not play her best, and that attitude can be a spark for our team.”
In addition to her obvious skills, Dunn brings intangibles to the court.
“Her overall personality and makeup is what makes Taylor great on the basketball court and also a great person because she’s hard working and gives everything she has,” Mattern said. “When we’re at basketball practice or whatever it may be, she’s a leader.
“She’s very technical at practice. She’ll ask questions and really tries to process what’s going on and really understand what we’re talking about. She wants to make sure the team succeeds, and she’s going to do the work to make sure that happens.”
Dunn also brings a lighter side to the team.
“She’s very focused and goal oriented as an individual, and yet the next moment can be hysterically cracking up and finding humor in any situation,” Mattern said. “She’s a nice balance. “Her focus and her dedication is a great asset she brings to the team.”
Dunn is hoping to continue her basketball career at the collegiate level, but she is undecided on a school.
A top-notch student, the CB South senior – who is enrolled in AP and honors classes – is a member of National Honor Society. She is involved in community service through NHS, but it doesn’t end there.
Dunn is active in school life and organized the school’s annual 5K run. Formerly known as the Sweet Caroline 5K, the name of this year’s run was changed to A Run for the Heart.
“It used to be called the Sweet Caroline 5K in memory of Caroline Gallagher who went to South and passed away,” Dunn said. “ Just last year another student, Steve Grabowski, tragically died.
“I knew the kids that planned it last year, and they asked me if I could take it over this year. We decided it would be a good idea to make the race for both Steve and Caroline, so I was in charge of planning that and making that happen. Yes, It was really stressful planning it, but now that I look back and see what we accomplished, it’s really amazing.”
The race, which was held Sept. 1, attracted approximately 250 runners and raised over $8,000 that was donated to CHOP for its cardiac unit.
Dunn deflects the credit for its success to the CB South community.
“All the kids at South are great,” she said. “I couldn’t ask for a better high school.
“Honestly, everyone in the school is such a great community, and we do such great things to help everyone.”
