The Oracle held a writing contest for seventh and eighth grade students across Glenview middle schools. The contest gave students a chance to show off their writing skills and to earn the chance to have their work published. The following five students wrote either a profile or review, and were selected by the Editors-in-chief of The Oracle as winners of the contest.
“Blue Roses: A Review of Kyōgen by Ado”
Alyssa Oritz
Attea Middle School
It has come to my attention that I, in fact, am a fan of Ado. As a 23-year-old Japanese girl who started out recording songs on her DS in her closet, she has rose to fame from collaborations (Imagine Dragons, LE SSERAFIM, LOTTE, Jax Jones, Beyblade, One Piece, SPY X FAMILY and Sanrio), yet she has never fully shown her face (at least without leaks). You would think she is not that popular, but she has filled up the United Center in the city. However, I am reviewing her first and my most favorite album, Kyōgen. I will only review some hit songs as I will run out of words.
The name derives from a form of Japanese theater with the same name. Kyogen is a form of comedic theater that immigrated from China in the 14th Century. The word itself translates to “mad words” or “a sham”, which reflects the album’s emotional and chaotic genre. Under Virgin Records, it reached top charts on Billboard Japan and Oricon and sold 142,041 copies in its first week. Ado became the first artist to debut and peak at the top in 10 years.
The lead single is “Usseewa”, Ado’s debut song. It speaks about rebelling against Japan’s unspoken courtesy and disrespecting the leaders in society. One might say it’s too hardcore, but we all know Ado’s singing is impressive for someone just 18. For all debut songs, they are expected to have less quality. However, Ado’s audio quality has improved over time and has proceeded to make better hits with bigger producers. As a critic, the album’s second hit is “Odo” made with Deco*27 (Hibana, Ghost Rule, Rabbit Hole), Giga (BRING IT ON!, GimmexGimme, Gotcha!) and Teddyloid (ME!ME!ME!, Fly Away, Let Me Battle), all famous producers even to this day. “Odo” is any fast-paced traditional dance, meaning the song is all about letting go of fears and being original. Do not be mistaken with the music video about boxing. The J-Pop and EDM beat makes most people want to dance, however it gets tiring after listening multiple times.
“Gira Gira” is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It is a swing ,produced by Teniwoha (Villain, Samsa, Dance Robot Dance). It is about a girl who believes she’s ugly, possibly because she has a stain across her right eye. The lyrics state “made with Buddha’s left hand.” However, she learns she was made to be the exact replica of the Buddha (this does not prove Ado’s religion). The music video is in an adjacent style to ancient sculptures, presumably with a steampunk twist. If only I could draw the scenes in the video… if only I could draw…
This review showed how Ado deserves more recognition. As an artist working for passion and not for money, she will shine in the mainstream music community sooner than you think.
“Tortured Poets Department: Review”
Cora Steidl
Attea Middle School
The Tortured Poets Department is Taylor Swift’s 11th studio album, which was released on April 19th, 2024. People seemed to have mixed feelings about this album; some saying it was a masterpiece, while to others it was her weakest album to date. People say TTPD was one of Swift’s most relatable albums, which is very true in a way. Her song “I Can do it With a Broken Heart” was a fan favorite because it was about working under lots of pressure, which many people experience. Another example was “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”, a song about betrayal, which, sadly, is also something people experience all too often.
Many feel the lyrics on this album are poetic. In her song “Imgonnagetyouback” she sings, “We broke all the pieces but still want to play the game” which is a more poetic way of saying that even though they aren’t compatible, they still want to be in a relationship. In the song “The Black Dog,” she talks about their future being ruined really quickly, singing “Our field of dreams, engulfed in fire.” I think this means everything she wanted to do, and had planned to do with that person got destroyed in the blink of an eye.
The album also got five nominations for the 2025 Grammys awards in the categories Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Music Video. Even though she didn’t win any of these categories, five nominations speak to the critical impact this album had on the world.
Not only good things were said about TTPD. People said there were too many long songs, and the entire album was too long. One of her longer songs was “But Daddy I Love Him,” which is about 6 minutes long, and the first part of the album “The Tortured Poets Department” lasts for about 1 hour and 5 minutes, which is one of her longer albums. The second part of the album, “The Anthology”, is also about 1 hour long. Personally, I think it shows how talented she is and not a lot of people can come up with two hours worth of songs.
Others said the feeling of the album was not at all positive, which to me makes sense because the album is supposed to be sad and depressing. There are a few positive songs, for example “So High School” which is about romance, and “The Alchemy” which is about triumphant love. I like the sad songs on TTPD because sad songs provide a space to process grief and they work as an emotional outlet.
In the end, TTPD has lots of mixed reviews. People say it’s too long and too sad, but also that it’s relatable and poetic. Even though TTPD has some weak spots, it still made an impact and found its way to many people’s hearts.
“Canva: Review”
Jonathan Oen
Maple Middle School 
In third grade, my teacher led us on a quest to the library. We navigated red lava tiles and the silent voices as we entered the classroom of books. But the journey started to become promising when the librarians led us to a blue and purple box. I opened it, finding an unassuming white screen asking, “what will you learn today?”. But looks were deceiving and that blank screen would become one of the greatest treasures of creation: Canva.
Canva is a graphic design platform where you can make any graphic creation you’d like including videos! At first, it seemed very complicated, a negative that almost steered me away from using the app. There were way too many options for my 9-year-old brain, but as I experimented and learned, the buttons became very useful. One of those buttons is called “Elements.” It unfolds to reveal clip art, images, music, sound effects, shapes, videos, and whatever else you might need, which is very helpful.
And as I grew, so did Canva, soon, apps and artificial intelligence rolled out. Now, some people might consider artificial intelligence to be a “devaluation of human work.” This could steer people away from the app. However, it can definitely help in getting the “perfect” image from your head onto the screen which is a big part of creating. Also, after all, you can always choose to not use any of those tools, just like how you don’t need to use Canva’s premade elements. Instead, the app allows you to use your own resources. Whether from the web or your camera roll, which is great because it expands the resources you can use.
Canva also provides helpful tools from the very beginning, allowing you to pick from unique premade templates made by real people. These templates can be efficient jumping-off points in creating projects. Unfortunately, some of these templates are locked behind a “pro” paywall of about fifteen dollars a month along with certain fonts and an eraser feature. For individual users, this can be very frustrating. Still, most features are completely free and you can easily create without paying money. And luckily, for students and educators, all the “pro” features are completely free!
The app can also make very professional items. For example, when you finish a design, you can effortlessly send your design to Canva’s studios to have the design printed on quality t-shirts, cardstock, stickers, hoodies, and even magnets! Granted, these features come at a price so I’ve never used them. However, Canva always offers alternatives and you can simply download your design.
Before I came into the great heavenly light of which is Canva, I didn’t know how much I was missing. I was satisfied. But isn’t that how all things are before you find a better version? Now, with a new treasure in my hand with limitless possibilities, I could never go back past those red lava tiles back to my third grade classroom.
“Profile: Richard Edwards”
Minha Lim
Attea Middle School
Richard Edwards was just an ordinary African American kid living in Topeka, Kansas. Not many children who are minorities decide to pursue a career in classical music, but this is where his story begins.
Edwards’ high school orchestra teacher introduced him to bass, and at first, he agreed as a joke. His teacher, Ms. Young, taught him to read music. Recognizing his talent, she introduced him to a cello instructor, since there was no one teaching bass in Topeka. After a year of playing bass, Ms. Young suggested he attend a Midwestern music camp at Kansas University. When he played and heard Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, he found it incredible and decided to pursue music as a serious hobby. A few months later, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra came to Lawrence, Kansas, and Ms. Young drove all of the students to listen to the performance. Here, Edwards met the principal bass of the St. Louis Symphony, Eric Harris, and exchanged contact information with him. After having a private lesson with Mr. Harris, Richard fell in love with playing the bass.
During Edwards’ senior year of high school, Harris invited him and his mother to St. Louis to help him prepare for college auditions. Edwards remembers him being very inspirational and honest about the classical field, which gave him all of the motivation that he needed. According to Edwards, he practiced daily for hours, sometimes so late that his mother had to ask him to stop. Eventually, Edwards auditioned for the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland. In the fall of 1998, Edwards began his studies, which he described as an intense experience. In his first year, he earned his spot in the highest orchestra of the school and by his junior year, he became the principal bass of the Peabody Symphony Orchestra.
Edwards continued his studies and in the summer of 2003, he auditioned for a fellowship with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After his audition, he was appointed by Daniel Barenboim, who was the conductor at the time. Edwards later recalled winning the position as a miracle. In Chicago, he gained valuable experience and worked with many great musicians and conductors. He performed and toured with the symphony for two decades before retiring in 2023.
The ordinary kid from Kansas pursued music, which led him to settle in Chicago, where he works with young students who are pursuing careers in classical music.
“Profile: Fia Burden”
Jiwoo Lee
Attea Middle School
For 13-year-old Fia Burden, reading and writing have always been her passions since her first year of elementary school. While many of her other peers tend to spend their free time on their phones nowadays, Burden often chooses to read or write instead. Throughout her years of reading, books have become more than just a hobby for her. Growing up in a family who loves to read, books essentially shaped her whole life. However, her love of books didn’t come so easily at first.
By kindergarten, no one had taught Burden to read. So when most of her peers started reading at around ages three to four, Burden first learned how to read at a relatively older age of seven. Her reading skills were more behind than other kids in her first grade class.
Burden recalls, “I remember being so jealous of all the other people reading books like the Magic Tree House series when I just learned how to read.”
She felt frustrated as her classmates easily flipped through chapter books while she was still reading picture books. Desperately wanting to improve, she started challenging herself. She spent much of her class time sounding out words and practicing reading in order to catch up with her classmates. By the end of first grade, Burden was able to read her first ever “real” book, the Magic Tree House.
That was just the start of her love for books. For the first time, reading felt exciting rather than intimidating. She describes the Magic Tree House as a series that showed her a whole new world of reading. Ever since then, Burden has fallen in love with books. In fifth grade, she read even more difficult books like the Harry Potter series. She developed such a passionate interest in books that she thought, “If these people are writing books, why can’t I write one?”
After having the thought of being able to write similar books, she immediately started writing on her own, specifically fantasies.
“It’s like reading, but I get to decide whatever I want and fantasy just allows so much creative space,” Burden said.
Today, Burden reads at a college level, and frequently writes for fun with her friends. She continues to describe reading as something that brings her joy.
“Books just make me happy,” she said.
Burden hopes to turn her passion for reading and writing into a lifelong career by becoming an author one day. For Fia Burden, the journey that began with the Magic Tree House series is leading toward a future where she is the one writing her own stories.