On Saturday, Feb. 27, at 10 a.m., the English-Speaking Union is sponsoring a Shakespeare competition.

High school students from the ninth through 12th grades will present a Shakespearian monologue and a sonnet. These participants will represent Moore, Lee and Cumberland counties.

A winner/alternate will be selected who will represent the Sandhills Branch of the E-SU in New York City. This student will be competing against other students representing the 59 E-SU branches from across the United States. This event will be held in April. Last year over 140 students from six area high schools competed in their respective schools’ competition.

“This is our seventh year to participate, and it has grown every year,” says a spokesman.

The competition is to be held at the Sunrise Theater and is open to the public.

While the judges are determining the winner, Dr. Edward R. Braithwaite will speak with the audience and the students. Braithwaite has served on the faculty of New York University and has served as a writer-in -residence at Florida State University. When Guyana became independent from Britain in 1966, the new government asked him to be its first ambassador to the United Nations. In 1987, he became a citizen of the United States. His publications include “To Sir, With Love” and “Reluctant Neighbors.”

Reservations are not necessary to attend this competition.

For information, contact Jane Galen at (910) 215-5645 or by e-mailing her at lougalan@mindspring.com.