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Video: Poland funny girl logs 2nd win
Video
POLAND — Rachel Von Ahn contorts her face into goofy expressions, takes on silly voices and executes a variety of accents all weaved into a cohesive, humorous story.
She does it better than any other high school student in the state, two years running.
The Poland Seminary High School student is the two-time champion in humorous interpretation at the Ohio High School Speech League state contest. She racked up first place in her category earlier this month and in 2007.
“I was very surprised,” said Rachel, 17. “I’m still shocked.”
The OHSSL doesn’t keep statistics on students who earn state champion honors more than once.
“I can tell you that it’s very unusual,” said Linda Miller, the organization’s executive director.
“And she’s only a junior,” said Jodi West, the school’s head speech coach.
In humor, students act out excerpts from any published work, taking on the voices and affectations of the various characters in a funny way. Props aren’t allowed. Rachel’s cutting, “Ant Farm and Other Desperate Stories,” tells several humorous tales involving 13 different voices.
“It was the first book I picked up at Barnes & Noble this summer,” Rachel said.
Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com