News And Events

News And Events

Reginald Dyck Ph.D. The Harlem Renaissance.

September 10, 2017

Reginald Dyck  Ph.D.
The Harlem Renaissance
 The meeting of cultural traditions in African-American engagement with an English literary tradition.

Scioto Country Club, buffet brunch, 12PM-2PM. $40 p/p gratuity included. Reservations and payment due Wednesday, September 6.

Dr. Reginald Dyck's distinguished research and writings are closely connected to his teaching. As Professor of English at Capital University, his published essays on Louise Erdrich, Simon Ortiz, Willa Cather, William Faulkner and Greg Sarris have either had their origin in the classroom or have directly shaped his teaching of their works.

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Jazz Legend Vaughn Wiester

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Jazz Legend Vaughn Wiester

Scioto Country Club, buffet brunch,  12PM-2PM.   $45 p/p gratuity included. Reservations & payment due Wednesday, November 8.


ESU-Columbus is thrilled to have jazz legend, Vaugh Wiester, as our guest speaker. Vaughn Wiester's "Famous Jazz Orchestra" is made up of 22 very talented professional musicians that have come together every Monday evening on a semi-informal basis for the last twenty (20) years to share their love of  their music by "reading" the best Big Band Charts from the last 50 years.

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ESU-Columbus Annual Meeting and Antiques Appraisal Show

Have you ever wondered what your treasured belongings may be worth? On May 21 at the Scioto Country Club, our members and guests learned that and more at our Annual Meeting. Our special guest was Garth's Auctioneers and Appraisers, the state's oldest premier auction house. The event kicked-off with a half hour lecture titled "Family Heirlooms & Fabulous Finds: How to Tell Your Treasure From Trash" by Garth's President, Amelia Jeffers. The talk explored buying and selling antiques, managing personal collections and preserving our cultural history. 

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The Cycle of the Garden: Spring and Summer

The cycle of the garden is the cycle of life.  On April 9, 2017 we explored that cycle with Debra Knapke; celebrity horticulturist, author, garden designer, lecturer, teacher, and advisor. A garden's mood and rhythm is a reflection of our lives ...when we stop and notice it.  It becomes part of us when we observe and record what we have done and what Mother Nature has done. Travel Spring and Summer with Debra and observe the unfolding of the garden and explore how we interact as caretakers of the earth. Debra has served on the executive committee of the Garden Club of the Columbus Museum of Art, The Kelton House advisory committee, The Friends of the Ohio Governor's Residence and Heritage Garden, and is a frequent guest speaker on WOSU's Allsides with Ann Fisher. 

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COLUMBUS TEEN COMPETES IN 34th ANNUAL ENGLISH-SPEAKING UNION NATIONAL SHAKESPEARE COMPETITON IN NEW YORK CITY

With a performance of a sonnet and monologue from Shakespeare, Clara Livingston  from Columbus, OH, a student of Janetta Davis at Columbus School for Girls in Bexley, placed as a semi-finalist in the 34th  annual English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition in New York City. The Competition took place on May 1, 2017 on the stage of the Mitzi Newhouse Theater at Lincoln Center with 54 semi-finalists from as many ESU Branch competitions nationwide. Clara previously won the ESU Columbus Branch competition.

This winner of the 34th English-Speaking Union National Shakespeare Competition, Ogechi Egonu, representing the San Francisco Branch, received a full scholarship to attend the American Shakespeare Center Theatre Camp in Staunton, VA, this summer.  Second place winner, Brandon Burk, from the Kentucky Branch, won a cash prize of $1,000 from The English-Speaking Union, while the third place winner, Trevon Wainwright, representing the Kansas City Branch of the ESU, received an award of $500 provided by The Shakespeare Society.

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Middle School Debate Competitions a Tremendous Success

Congratulations ESU-Columbus Debate Chair, Dr. Steve Koch,  and all the schools who participated in the Columbus City Schools Gifted and Talented Spring Debate Tournament held at Capital University on April 13th, 2017.  The students debated the Resolution:  The United States Federal Government should strengthen requirements for vaccinations and immunizations.  

Approximately 90 students in grades 5-8 across 10 schools researched the topic and developed arguments for and against the resolution. Both the affirmative and negative side of the team debated their position against three other schools. Congratulations to all the students for doing an outstanding job. All participants received a T-shirt from Capital University and a medallion from the English Speaking Union of Columbus.

Participating Schools: Buckeye, Champion, Columbus Gifted Academy, Columbus City Preparatory Girls, Devonshire, Dominion, Duxberry Park, Ecole Kenwood, Gables, Ridgeview.

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Middle School Debates

Dr. Steve Koch, Chair of our Middle School Debate Championships, has announced that Finals will be held on Thursday, April 13 at 8AM at Capital University.  Admission is free. Schools from across the district participated in the Winter Debate Tournament for grades 5-8 at Capital University on Friday, December 9th, 2016. This event is sponsored by Columbus City Schools Gifted and Talented Office, Capital University and the English-Speaking Union of Columbus. 

First through third places are awarded with a team trophy and participant ribbons from the Columbus City Schools Gifted and Talented Office.  All students receive a T-shirt from Capital University and a medallion from the English-Speaking Union- Columbus Branch. For more information or to volunteer: skoch@capital.edu.

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Columbus Branch National Shakespeare Competition Winner Declared

News Photo

First Place winner, Clara Livingston and her teacher, Janetta Davis

On February 5, The Columbus Branch held its National Shakespeare Competition at the Abbey Theater of Dublin. Central Ohio Area high schools sent both their first and second place winners to the competition.

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December Middle School Debates

Students from across the Columbus City School District participated in our winter Middle School Debate Tournament on December 9. This debate is sponsored by the Columbus Branch of The English-Speaking Union and by Capital University and Columbus City Schools Gifted and Talented Program.

Students spent the morning debating whether the United States Federal Government should decrease domestic surveillance. We would especially like to congratulate the following schools who finished in the top three places for each division.

Division 1 Grades 5 and 6

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Annual English in Action Picnic

Event Recap Photo

Yong Gyu Lee, Jung Lye Kim & Rosalyn

The annual English in Action picnic was held on Sunday, October 2, 2016. Approximately 30 ESU visiting scholars, their families and the American volunteers enjoyed a sunny fall day at Duranceau Park near the banks of the Scioto River. The children especially enjoyed the playground and walking to the river through the park collecting buckeyes and acorns along the way. Many thanks to Vivian Harvey who organized the event.