Discover. Connect. Thrive. With the English-Speaking Union.
At the English-Speaking Union (ESU), we believe in the power of language to connect people across cultures and generations. More than a tool for communication, it fosters understanding, collaboration, and lifelong learning.
This is an exciting time for the ESU. Following a successful Celebrate Legacy, Inspire the Future Event at ESU House this past weekend, we are building momentum with our Capacity Building Campaign and looking ahead to the nation’s 250th Anniversary, with programs and events planned across the country.
From students and educators to lifelong learners, the ESU offers meaningful ways to engage through workshops, speaker events, exchanges, and special programs.
Stay connected and join us as we continue to build community, exchange ideas, and strengthen global citizenship.
We are proud to announce our new Educator Membership, offered exclusively to teachers involved in TLab, the National Shakespeare Competition, Middle & High School Debate and other ESU education programs. Benefits include:
Access to exclusive professional development workshops - including Music in Shakespeare, live via Zoom from Shakespeare’s Globe in January
Special curriculum resources and lesson plans
Discounted tickets to the National Shakespeare Competition
Preferred rates at the Shelburne Sonesta Hotel in NYC
On April 27, 2026, the English-Speaking Union hosted the 43rd Annual National Shakespeare Competition at Lincoln Center's Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, welcoming 39 outstanding semifinalists from across the country. Andy Wallace (ESU Kentucky Branch) took first place with compelling performances of Sonnet 29 and King Lear, earning a scholarship to the British American Drama Academy Midsummer Conservatory in Oxford. Tristan Jenkins (ESU Kansas City Branch) and Spirit Waddell (ESU Atlanta Branch) earned second and third place. Finalists also enjoyed a weekend of workshops, cultural activities, and a Broadway show. Congratulations to all who made this inspiring event a success!
If you have questions, please reach out to Maryellen Liotta at mliotta@esuus.org.
ESU INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
ESU TRAVEL & LEARN ABROAD SCHOLARSHIPS (TLab)
Last Call for Applications for Summer Study in the UK!
Calling all teachers & lifelong learners! Academic & cultural adventures await you across the pond this summer on 2 to 3-week programs at Oxford, Edinburgh & Shakespeare's Globe in London! Just a few spots left on our 1-week programs to Oxford and Stratford-upon-Avon for the Page to Stage Program, July 25 - 31st.
ESU INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKING COMPETITION (IPSC)
Congratulations to ESU National Public Speaking Finalist Sanaa Roberts and Winner Katherine Zhou, who competed at the ESU National Headquarters in NYC! Both Katherine and Sanaa delivered riveting speeches on the theme of “Churchill & Eisenhower, Free Speech, Civic Responsibility, & Democratic Dialogue”. A junior at the Choate Rosemary Hall, Connecticut, Katherine will receive an all-expense-paid trip to London this summer to represent the ESU-US at the ESU International Public Speaking Competition July 13 - 18th.
Since 1983, the English-Speaking Union International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC) has brought together outstandingly articulate young people from around the world for a week of public speaking competition and international cultural exchange at the ESU of the Commonwealth in London.
Congrats to the over 600 students, coaches, and parents who participated in the ESU Garden State, Jersey Shore, and New York Debate League Championships! The students are looking forward to the upcoming ESU NYDL Jamboree on Sunday, May 17th at The Dalton School. This end-of-year celebration will include three competitive rounds and an exhibition round between past finalists and notable alum. The order of the day on the 17th is fun, camaraderie, and the stretching of skill and style, and to model the enjoyment and learning that are values of ESU Debate leagues.
Students and parents are already planning their summer fun at the 1-week Summer Debate Camps at the ESU throughout July. Just a few places are left! For more information and to register, go to ESU Debate Summer Camps.
Celebrating Our Teachers at the NYC Adult Education Conference
Last weekend, ARNIC teachers had the opportunity to attend the 47th Annual NYC Adult Basic Education Conference.
This inspiring event brought together adult educators from across the city to share ideas, strengthen their practice, and build meaningful connections. Through workshops and discussions, our teachers gained valuable insights to better support the diverse needs of the students they serve every day.
We are proud to have such a passionate and dedicated team. Their commitment to empowering immigrant learners and fostering student success continues to make a lasting impact in our community.
Thank you to our incredible educators for all that you do!
Join us to celebrate the 2026 graduates of the ARNIC program. This joyful evening will feature inspiring speeches, student writing, and the warmth of our immigrant community!
ENGLISH IN ACTION ACROSS AMERICA (EiA)
ENGLISH IN ACTION ACROSS AMERICA (EiA)
Volunteer with English in Action
In the middle of a fast-paced New York City workday, something quieter and more meaningful unfolds on 39th Street. Volunteers and new immigrants sit across from each other, building confidence through conversation. These one-on-one exchanges, where English is practiced, stories are shared, and connections are formed, are at the heart of the English in Action (EiA) program.
For over 60 years, EiA has helped newcomers overcome language barriers by providing a welcoming space to develop English skills, navigate daily life, and grow professionally. As one participant shared, “It’s not just about learning the language—it’s about connecting with others and building confidence each week.”
EiA will be wrapping up its sessions for the summer, with programming set to resume in the fall.
THE ESU PLAYERS
The ESU Players invite you to:
Our End of the 2025-2026 Season Gala
A Staged Reading of A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Thursday, June 25th, 2026
Music and a Champagne Strawberry /Wild Flower Punch reception
at six o’clock
A Midsummer Night’s Dream starts at six-thirty o’clock
At the English Speaking Union Garden Room
ESU HAPPY HOUR
Happy Hour: Elizabeth I: in Her Own Words
May 13 @ 5:00 pm - 6:00 pmEDT
Sponsored by the ESU New York City Branch
ESU National Board Member Mary Coleman Way in Conversation with Tamara Meneghini on:
Elizabeth I: in Her Own Words
A critically acclaimed one-woman play, by Carole Levin, in collaboration with Tamara Meneghini and Sabin Epstein, that combines Elizabeth I’s own letters and speeches, the poetry of Shakespeare, and the music of the period to reveal a complex woman and ruler reflecting on her life and reign. The play, which has performed to sold out audiences at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and elsewhere, explores her inner thoughts, fears, loves, and triumphs, from the Spanish Armada to her relationships with her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots, her mother, Ann Boleyn, her sister, Mary Tudor, and both Robert Dudley and the Earl of Essex, challenging perceptions of the “Virgin Queen.” The program will include excerpts from the performance.
The English-Speaking Union welcomed members to New York City for the 2026 Annual Conference, held April 24–26, under the theme “United by Language, Inspired by Liberty.” The weekend brought together members from across the country for the Annual General Meeting, engaging panel discussions and breakout sessions, and a full program of receptions, shared meals, and local tours.
It was a meaningful opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and strengthen our shared commitment to supporting teachers, students, and recent immigrants through the power of language.
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