Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Prospect High School Entry Title: ‘Hamnet’: Keeping Your Heart Open Entry Credit: Lucas DeLuca Judge Comment: This critic understands Chloé Zhao's artistry and is able to describe it on a deeper level than a great many "professional" writers I've read.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Naperville Central High School Entry Title: Review: “Wake up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery” wakes up audience with unique perspective Entry Credit: Charvi Alavala Judge Comment: An excellent analysis of the complexity and timeliness of Rian Johnson's third "Knives Out" movie.
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Edwardsville High School Entry Title: 'Starry Night': A masterclass in political commentary, emotional storytelling Entry Credit: Izzy Robinson Judge Comment: A touching and illuminating look at the full emotional arc of Ren's "Starry Night" track.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: Prospect High School Entry Title: Crave cookies opens in Mount Prospect: Is it crave-able? Entry Credit: Stella Palm, Meg Imherr Judge Comment: The appeal of not only the cookies but the location itself is effectively expressed here.
Place Name: Honorable Mention Contestant Name: Edwardsville High School Entry Title: 'Stranger Things 5' Ends Global Sensation Entry Credit: Atticus Ball Judge Comment: The writer does a fine job of taking us through the entirety of "Stranger Things: Season 5," while noting each of what they perceive as its strengths and weaknesses.
Competition Comment: As I visited the sites for each of these contestants' schools (including my alma mater), I marveled at the scope of their journalism programs. When I attended McHenry High School in the early 2000s, the school paper was a four-page newsletter where at least half of its text was devoted to my reviews (which later helped earn me a college scholarship). At a time when print journalism is crumbling all around us, the intelligence and exuberance of these young writers give me immense hope for the future.
