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LOS OLIVOS, Calif. – A local high school junior just made history on one of the most competitive stages in the state.
This past weekend, Dunn School student Husna Balaven secured a Top 5 finish at the 2026 California High School Speech Association (CHSSA) State Championship. Competing in the Oratorical Interpretation category, Balaven first had to advance through a fiercely competitive field of more than 250 students in a statewide qualifier just to earn one of 56 exclusive invitations to the tournament, held April 17-19 at James Logan High School in Union City.
From there, she battled through the preliminary rounds to become an Oratorical Interpretation State Finalist, ultimately placing in the Top 5 in California.
“It was an interesting experience to be around so many hard-working kids,” Husna shared. “To hear a variety of rhetorical approaches, and experience a shared passion for speech has further given me more inspiration to further my own unique approach.”
In the Oratorical Interpretation event, students are challenged to master and perform a published speech originally delivered by a public figure. Balaven captivated judges with her powerful rendition of a historic Malcolm X speech addressing self-hate and unity, originally delivered in Los Angeles. Tackling a piece with such historical and emotional gravity requires a level of public speaking mastery rarely seen at the high school level.
Balaven is the first student from Dunn School to reach this level of state recognition, a milestone that highlights the rapid growth of the Los Olivos campus’s independent school speech and debate program.
In a remarkably short time frame, Dunn has emerged as a top speech and debate school in California. It is currently the only day and boarding school on the Central Coast actively competing—and producing state finalists—at this elite level. The team now travels to compete in both National Speech & Debate Association (NSDA) competition and the Tri-County Forensics League (TCFL).
For Dunn School, the trophies are secondary to the real-world skills being built. The school views its public speaking and leadership program in high school as a vital component of its whole-student education model.
“What Husna achieved this weekend is extraordinary, but it’s also a testament to the culture we are building here,” said Dunn Head of School Kalyan Balaven. “Speech and debate for college readiness isn’t just about winning rounds; it’s about giving students the confidence to find their voice, think critically, and engage in civil discourse. Like all Dunn students, Husna embodies this, and the path she has paved is showing our younger students what’s possible.”
By building a strong pipeline from middle school through varsity competition, Dunn is ensuring that local and boarding students alike have the tools to articulate complex ideas under pressure—skills that pay lifelong dividends.
About Dunn School: Dunn is an elite boarding and day school (grades 6-12) nestled in the beautiful Santa Ynez Valley of Santa Barbara County, Calif. Founded in 1957, Dunn is committed to providing whole-student, character-based education by teaching to its educational pillars: Emotional Wellness, Physical Readiness, Intellectual Growth, Social Responsibility, and Moral Courage.
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