Mitty’s Speech and Debate has claimed first at the California State Championship six times: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2026 (2020 tournament was cancelled due to COVID-19).

 As of May 2026, MSD has produced 26 National Finalists and 31 State Champions. 

MSD claimed the 2026 California High School Speech Association State Championship, finishing first out of 144 schools and a state-record of 191 sweepstakes points. This championship marks the program’s sixth state title and first since 2021 after finishing second three times and third once between 2022 and 2025. The Monarchs also recorded a program-record with 12 individual state champions across multiple events.

Special congratulations to the following state champions:

  • Saanvi Handigund ’27 – Declamation

  • Kostantina Bala ’27 – Duo Interpretation

  • Avi Gupta ’26 – Duo Interpretation

  • Deepika Sujay ’27 – National Extemporaneous

  • Natalie Kim ’27 – Program Oral Interpretation

  • Siyona Kher ’27 – Policy Debate

  • Neil Huang ’27 – Policy Debate

  • Braden Clements ’26 – Impromptu Speaking

  • Samaira Mehta ’26 – Original Oratory

  • Dhruva Pappu ’26 – Original Prose & Poetry

  • Dhruv Mallick ’26 – Policy Debate

  • Jordan Daniher ’26 – Policy Debate

At the 2025 National Speech and Debate Tournament, MSD earned the highest team award at the National Speech and Debate Tournament for the 7th time. Our Monarchs earned School of Outstanding Distinction, awarded to the nation’s Top 10 schools out of over 2000.

Congratulations to the following National Finalists:

  • Navya Tyagali(AMHS ‘25) placed 11th in Congressional Debate: Senate.

  • Senior Chaith Mittal(AMHS ‘26) placed 3rd in Congressional Debate: House.

  • Sameet Das(AMHS ‘25) and Niranjan Ashok(AMHS ’25) placed 2nd in Public Forum Debate.

  • Jayden Brown(AMHS ‘25) and Senior Avi Gupta(AMHS ‘26) were the DUO Interpretation Final Round Champions.