THE SEPTEMBER 24TH EAST CORKSCREW COMMUNITY MEETING YOU WILL NOT WANT TO MISS!
— What do you need along East Corkscrew?
— Your Child’s School Choices
— The Latest Developments Along East Corkscrew
The next Engage Estero and the East Corkscrew Alliance meeting will be held on September 24th at 6 pm at Estero Fire Rescue Station 45 at 18743 Corkscrew Rd (across from Verdana Village.)
The speakers and topics are:
- Allan Bowditch, Engage Estero’s President, will share some of the key findings from the recent survey conducted among East Corkscrew Residents that determined their needs and requirements for your growing community.
- Nick Cameratta, Founder and COO of The Cameratta Group of Companies, will introduce the K-12 Charter school coming to Kingston.
- True North Classical Academy will present its plan for a K-12, 3100 student charter school in the Kingston development.
- Bill Ribble, Board Vice Chair, The School District of Lee will discuss school choice and options your child will have with the various schools available in your East Corkscrew zone. He will explain the evidence-based steps being taken to ensure our middle and high schoolers graduate with high-level literacy skills. He may also share his insights on how he would like to see improvements made in our Greater Estero Schools.
- Mark Novitski, Consultant to Engage Estero and Chair of the East Corkscrew Alliance, will summarize the various changes and improvements that have or will soon take place along East Corkscrew.
Carpooling is recommended as there is limited parking.
The above meeting is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so reservations are required. You can make reservations for the event using this link:
https://esterotoday.com/sept2026/
FROM NATIONAL RECOGNITION TO INTERNATIONAL TRIUMPH
- Two Florida Gulf Coast University musicians rise from national finalists to international champions, proving Southwest Florida is producing world-class musical talent.
Recently, Quang Vo and Duy Vu were selected as two of only eight semi-finalists in the prestigious Piano Arts North American Piano Competition in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
The achievement is remarkable. Across North American universities, only FGCU and the Juilliard School placed two pianists in the semi-finals. The other competitors represented elite institutions, including the Curtis Institute of Music, Yale University, and Northwestern University. For a young music program, it was a defining moment—and a powerful statement that FGCU belongs among the nation’s finest.
After an intense week of demanding performances, Quang (on the right side of the photo) advanced even further, earning one of just three coveted spots in the finals, where finalists performed concertos with the acclaimed Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. “The level of competition was extraordinary,” said Professor Michael Baron. “I am very proud of both Duy and Quang for not only holding their own but excelling with some of the best young pianists in the country.”
Competing against some of the finest young pianists in North America, Quang demonstrated extraordinary artistry, and fellow FGCU pianist Duy Vu distinguished himself in an exceptionally talented field.
ANOTHER INTERNATIONAL ARTISTIC TRIUMPH FOR FGCU’S BOWER SCHOOL OF MUSIC AND THE ARTS
- Le Phuong Pham Makes History with the Hugely Challenging Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3
Le Phuong Pham, a piano performance major at Florida Gulf Coast University, played Sergei Rachmaninoff’s significant Piano Concerto No. 3 on August 2 with the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Honna Tetsuji. The concert was held at the Grand Concert Hall of the Vietnam National Academy of Music in Hanoi.
Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto is widely regarded as one of the most demanding works in the piano repertoire, requiring extraordinary technical command, stamina, musical maturity, and interpretive depth. For Le Phuong to undertake this formidable work at such a young age is an exceptional accomplishment. Most remarkably, she has become the youngest female pianist ever to perform the Rachmaninoff Third Piano Concerto in Vietnam.
As FGCU’s music program continues to gain national and international recognition, one thing is increasingly clear: some of the world’s finest young musicians call Southwest Florida home. FGCU has become a destination for exceptional musical talent.
The upcoming season at the Bower School of Music and the Arts and Gulfshore Opera is just around the corner. Don’t miss your chance to see talented singers, musicians, and performers with national and international experience right here in our community. Here is the Gulfshore Opera schedule for 2026-27:
https://gulfshoreopera.org/calendar-26-27/
The Bower School of Music and the Arts Program for 2026-27 hasn’t yet been released but will be available soon at https://www.fgcu.edu/cas/bsma/
The above meeting is free and open to the public. Seating is limited, so reservations are required. You can make reservations at:
https://esterotoday.com/oct2026/
PLEASE CONTINUE TO PROVIDE YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT:
Why Engage Estero Needs Your Donation,
- Support our students with scholarships, local teachers, schools, and FGCU.
- Help those in desperate need in emergencies and disasters.
- Promote community health programs and services and encourage the availability of a local Community Hospital.
- To continue to provide high-quality communications, Community Meetings, and Public Forums on key issues, including renting facilities for meetings, providing YouTube videos, podcasts, social media, e-newsletters, websites, and obtaining professional input.
- To advocate for important issues that threaten our way of life and encourage citizen engagement.
No Engage Estero volunteer leaders receive compensation for their many hours of work on your behalf. 100% of the donations address the above issues and more.
As a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the IRS, we are fully transparent about how and where your money is used, as required by law. Any amount will help us continue our work for you and our Greater Estero community. Simply click the “Donate” button below to support Engage Estero. You’ll feel good about contributing to help Engage Estero make your voice heard in matters that affect you.
Thank you for your affirmation, encouragement, and generosity. Your donation is tax-deductible:
Allan Bowditch
President, Engage Estero
https://Esterotoday.com/donate
