Cal High Graduate Crowned Miss California Teen USA

SAN RAMON, CA — Taliya Peiris may be representing all of California when she competes in the Miss Teen USA pageant, but it was California High School, and the greater San Ramon community, that she says helped prepare her for her success.

“I'm so grateful to my San Ramon community for always supporting my pageant journey, especially my teachers and peers at Cal High!” Peiris, a recent Cal High graduate who was just crowned Miss California Teen USA, told Patch in an email.

“I especially want to shout out CHS Varsity Mock Trial; if it weren't for the public speaking practice I got from being a part of the team I wouldn't be as confident as I am now! San Ramon has shaped me to always be kind, humble, and gracious, and I'm so honored to bring the crown back to this amazing city!”

Peiris has lived in San Ramon since she was five, and danced, played piano, and took part in the Girl Scouts growing up. In high school, she joined Cal High’s Site Council, and as previously noted, took part in the school’s varsity Mock Trial team. During the pandemic, she stopped dancing competitively, but grew to miss the “performance adrenaline of being onstage.”

She was always interested in fashion and modeling, and learned that pageants were a good way to learn the ropes of the industry. She signed up to compete in the California Teen USA competition in 2021. Even though she didn’t place, she enjoyed the experience, and caught the “pageant bug.”

Peiris prepared for the next pageant both physically and mentally. She worked out, chose her wardrobe, perfected her walk, and practiced speaking about the causes she cares about, including the importance of representation in the entertainment industry.

The pageant itself took place over two days. 40 girls from across the state each took part in a private interview with a panel of judges, an activewear walk, and an evening gown walk. From there, 15 semi-finalists were chosen, and after further competitions, the judges chose the top five finalists. The top five finalists each answered an onstage question, and then a winner was crowned.

“I was in shock the moment I found out I won!” Peiris recalled. “When I was crowned, I felt so proud that all my hard work throughout the past year had paid off. I had stayed true to my authentic self and that is what earned me the title!”

In addition to preparing to compete in the Miss Teen USA pageant, Peiris will attend Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, where she plans to study to work as a business analyst in the entertainment industry. She will also continue hosting her Instagram Live series “Creative Convos with Taliya Peiris,” in which she interviews up-and-coming artists. She has also created a scholarship for student artists to pursue higher education.

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