The Golden State Academy

The Golden State Academy offers after-school speech and debate classes that include public speaking training, private speech coaching, and competitive team preparation. Students can receive training in Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Public Forum Debate, and Original Oratory, along with general speech and debate coaching. The program also offers private coaching for students who want more individualized instruction.

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: School-year classes with options Monday–Friday afternoons and evenings, plus Sunday daytime hours

The Golden State Academy is a nationally recognized Bay Area speech and debate team that won the National's Overall School of Excellence Award in 2016. The program is led by award-winning coaches from across the Bay Area, including the 2021 CHSSA Middle School Coach of the Year, Victor Rivas Umana. Many of the head coaches previously coached for Olive Children Foundation and The Brooks Academy, and all staff are former competitors from the James Logan High School Speech and Debate program, which was featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show and the PBS documentary “Accidental Hero: Room 408.” Instructors teach or have taught at schools such as The Harker School, Mission San Jose High School, Amador Valley High School, BASIS Independent Silicon Valley School, and Evergreen Valley High School. The Golden State Academy states that its goal is that by the end of the year students will be equipped with the ability to be confident in their communication abilities and challenge some of society’s biggest issues, and that its priority is ensuring students have the right coaches, support, and environment to thrive. The program serves families across the Bay Area with convenient options for after-school speech and debate classes, public speaking training, and private coaching, and regularly takes students to tournaments both locally and across the nation.

Last updated March 20, 2026.