Four students read their winning essays for the 16th Annual Dr. Howard F. Beckley Writing Competition prompt, Allegory in Art Beyond Literature, at the ESU Denver Branch Holiday Party at the Denver Woman’s Press Club on Sunday, December 7, 2025. 1st prize: Riley Irwin from Littleton High School (teacher Shelly Russell). 2nd prize: Isabella Urban from Lakewood High School (teacher Sue Stokley). 3rd prize: Evolene Kolb from East High School (teacher Todd Madison). Honorable mention: Byung-A Choi from Lakewood High School (teacher Sue Stokely). Congratulations to the students and teachers!

Left to right: Shelly Russell, Riley Irwin, Isabella Urban, Sue Stokley, Byong-A Choi and Evolene Kolb.
Clubhouse Meeting Room at the Denver Woman’s Press Club
Delicious fare for the Holiday Party
Denver Branch Secretary Cami Van Anne MC’s the Writing Competition readings and awards presentation
Evolene Kolb reads her essay A Soundtrack for When Life Shrinks
Cami invites Isabella Urban to read her essay

The Denver Branch met at the University Club on November 13, 2025, to celebrate its 2025 TLab scholars. Manual High School teacher Ben Butler and Smoky Hill High School teacher Katie Cunninham both attended Teaching Shakespeare Through Performance at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. They co-presented a lively summary of their three-week study and its impact on their curriculum and in non-Shakespeare settings – with Ben’s football team and in Katie’s assignment of The Outsiders. Volunteers also participated in a small-group activity. It was a high-energy evening, enjoyed by all!

Ben Butler and Katie Cunningham
Teaching Shakespeare Through Performance Overview
Small Group Activity with Volunteers Ingerid Kelley and Tucker Schneider
Mark Poinsett, Cindy Poinsett, Meredith Fulford, Donna Altieri and Michael Thornton
Tom Tafoya, Millicent Ambroggio, Ingerid Kelley and Shelly Russell
Ingerid Kelley and Bruce Haefner