Caterpillar Helps Student Win Championship

Students from small schools in Oklahoma don't often do well in national competitions against students from much larger schools. But, as The News On 6's Rick Wells reports, a Mannford High School senior's relationship with a caterpillar named Charlie has won him a national championship.

Alex Wozencraft competed in speech tournaments all through high school and did very well. He was district champ all four years and he went to nationals all four years. But, this year his relationship with a tiny caterpillar became something special.

So, how did Alex pick Charlie the Caterpillar?

"Judges like to see cute little children's stories," said Alex Wozencraft, National Champion.

So, he looked though dozens of children's stories until he found Charlie the Caterpillar written by Dom DeLuise. Alex knew if he did something with it, something creative, he could be successful.

"I was hoping I got in the top 30," said Alex.

Alex's speech teacher and coach at Mannford High was excited too.

"This is a speech coach's lifetime dream," said Carol Duffee-Lunsford, Mannford teacher.

They worked up a special intro which they videotaped for us and Alex created voices for each of the story's characters. For the narrator, they used a big, sophisticated voice.

For Charlie: a small voice. For the monkeys, Alex drew on his mother's Cuban heritage.

Alex worked on the piece all year. Every competition he listened to the critique and tweaked it a little and then he took it to nationals in Las Vegas.

"It's rare for Oklahomans to do well at nationals," said Alex.

But, just like Charlie in the story, who in the end became a beautiful butterfly, this hardworking high school senior from a small suburban school had a bit of a metamorphosis himself. He's the national champion.

Alex begins college at Cameron University in Lawton in August. He is on a full scholarship primarily because of his success in National Forensic League competitions.