Balencia Crosby credits a large portion of the woman she is today to her time in forensics. In the spring of 2012, with no prior experience she began competing for Lone Star College – North Harris under the direction of Wade Hescht and Casey Garcia. After successful years as a college competitor, she transferred and competed at William Carey University in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Balencia earned her BS in Speech Communication in 2016 and in May of 2018, she graduated with an M.A. in Communication Studies from Minnesota State University, Mankato. A few of Miss Crosby’s accomplishments include, two time Top Female Performer at the American Reader’s Theater Association National Tournament, Dramatic Duo finalist at AFA in 2016, Dramatic Duo finalist at NFA in 2016, National Runner Up in Prose Interpretation at NFA in 2016, and an array state and local titles from 2013-2016. Having competed and coached on the collegiate level, Balencia continues her journey helping students define their performative voice and style.
Balencia: “”Be true to the stories and messages you share. Not for competitive gain, but because they are the lives and experiences of someone somewhere. Respect that . – and when the opportunity presents itself, echo those sentiments.”