The student news site of Portola High School

Portola Pilot
The student news site of Portola High School

Portola Pilot
The student news site of Portola High School

Portola Pilot
Attacker and senior August Tonkovich prepares to score against Northwood High. “Everyone supported me but I [had] to break the record," said Tonkovich.

Boys Water Polo Claims Victory Against Northwood High During Senior Night

Mason Truong, Staff Writer | October 25, 2025

Boys water polo (3-2) won 12-7 against Northwood High during their Senior Night match on Oct. 14. As the season winds down, the Bulldogs have their CIF-qualifier tournament beginning Oct. 20 to conclude...

On the bottom right, senior Chloe Im paints a miniature record player for her latest project while filming the process for her Instagram page, @mini_create3. Shown on the bottom left, Im made tiny waffles and coffee from polymer clay. She often gets inspiration from materials she already has at home, making the craft sustainable as well. “Recently, I made a bowl of cereal because I realized I had these beads that looked like Fruit Loops,” Im said. “But it’s just what I have time to do, and what materials I have.”

Senior Chloe Im Turns Big Ideas Into Mini Creations

Annie Xiao and Suhana Kaur | October 17, 2025

A carton of eggs that fits in a palm. A croissant that stands on a fingertip. A truly bite-sized waffle. Miniature items are so small in size that you may just miss them, but miniature sculptures offer...

Marking a new era for arts and culture in Southern California, UCI expands its creative footprint with the acquisition of the Orange County Museum of Art, strengthening its commitment to innovation, education, and community engagement.

UCI Acquires Orange County Museum of Art

Jabez Lee, Staff Writer | October 17, 2025

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) announced the acquisition of the Orange County Museum of Art (OCMA) on Sept. 29, uniting the two institutions under a new name: the UC Irvine Langson Orange County...

Due to an inability to pass an appropriations bill, the U.S. government has shut down. “Government shutdowns have been happening for decades now,” social studies teacher Alyson Choi said. “ They typically happen at the end of the fiscal year, which is Sept. 30. Then starting the new fiscal year on Oct. 1 is when the government can't come to a resolution on how they should spend their money. So it happens every few years, typically, the result of partisan disagreement.”

What You Need To Know About The Government Shutdown

Edward Hoi, Staff Writer | October 16, 2025

The U.S. government shut down on Oct. 1 due to the disagreements between Democrats and Republicans over budget resolutions for the new fiscal year, interrupting government services and affecting thousands...

Voters fill out their ballots with the Orange County Registrar at the Central Library in Huntington Beach. Due to controversy that illegible citizens were voting, the Orange County registrar has faced scrutiny. “We have a very good registrar of voters,” Irvine City Councilmember Kathleen Tresseder said. “And we have lots of voters in the county, probably around 800,000. The fact that they found 17 folks on the rolls that may not be eligible to vote, I think it is very small.”

The Department of Justice Sues Orange County Over Voter Records

Sruti Allani, Back Page Editor | October 15, 2025

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit against Orange County on June 25, accusing top election officials of violating federal law by refusing to turn over unredacted voter registration records. The...

The Portola Singers perform “Measure Me, Sky!” by Elaine Hagenberg, a favorite for many students and audience alike, according to Portola Singers member and Portobella member and sophomore Jibreel Haidar. “My favorite song was ‘Measure Me, Sky,’ which was our last song,” Haidar said. “It’s a really epic piece, and I could just hear everyone around me — we all sounded really good together.”

Choir Concert Levels Up with “The Great Choir Game Show”

Leon Tak and Riya Chandan | October 14, 2025

As the curtains begin to draw, the silent tension of the theater is broken by a multitude of voices emanating from the stage. The Portola High vocal arts department held the fall concert, “The Great...

Taylor Swift’s 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl”, showcases a wide variety of themes and production techniques. The album sales have climbed to 3 million in the United States, according to Billboard.

Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl”: A Dive into Fame, Love and Self-Discovery

Dania Yamani, Sports Editor | October 13, 2025

American pop musician Taylor Swift released her 12th album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” on October 9. Comprised of 12 tracks, the album was written during Swift’s time on tour, and explores her life...

Poetry can help students connect personally with a piece of text while also bridging the past and present. “I think that poetry has a way of really finding you when you need the right message,” Carino said. “It’s always right when I am going through something tough and need a reminder, or surprisingly sometimes things that are happening in society.”

Between the Lines: Poetry is Deeper Than You Think

Mary Lee, Managing Editor | October 10, 2025

Iambic pentameter. Enjambment. Synecdoche. With these literary devices, along with the archaic language that poems may apply, students too often groan over the mention of poetry in the English curriculum....

As the school year progresses, the Badminton club looks for ways to get people more involved. “During club meetings, we will try to plan events [that have] fun activities for the students to do,” Xu said. “So currently, we're just letting them have fun and just hang out with their friends, but we're trying to make a competitive team in this school.”

Racket Report: Badminton Club Kicks Off at Portola High

Tamara Bradley and Nicole Ferguson | October 3, 2025

The Badminton Club begins its journey to make a place for itself at Portola High. As a less popular sport in the U.S. and a sport that is not offered in IUSD, the club serves as an outlet for badminton...

Interim SRO Justin Russell looks forward to bringing safety and security to Portola High. “There’s a lot of different things that happen on high school campuses,” Russell said. “If I can help mitigate some of those issues or some of those crises, whether be the counseling staff or the mental health staff or provide additional resources through the police department or anything like that, then I want to be kind of a gateway to helping get those problems solved.”

Supporting Students and Keeping them Safe: Meet Interim Student Resource Officer Justin Russell

Mary Lee, Managing Editor | October 2, 2025

Overseeing Portola High, you may have seen this year an uniformed officer standing on the second floor and scanning the campus. Meet 21-year member of the Irvine Police Department and the new interim Student...

Kashvi Logu is presented with the USA Biology Olympiad national finalist award. “It was a great opportunity to get that award and finally say that I’ve succeeded,” Logu said.

Kashvi Logu Represents Portola High as Finalist in USA Biology Olympiad

Jinseo Hong, Centerspread Editor | September 30, 2025

For senior Kashvi Logu, her passion and dedication to biology made her dream of becoming a USA Biology Olympiad (USABO) finalist a reality. Logu’s interest in biology sparked from childhood experiences....

Jake Mendez plays lead guitar for his band, “Devout,” at the Remington x James set at a Santa Ana residents’ backyard on September 17th, 2025, “Gotta keep everyone united in order to make a difference.”

A Guide to Forming Your First Band: From Garage to Greatness

Sammy Marcus and Zoha Syed | September 30, 2025

Only two things are affirmed in the pursuit of rockstardom: garage bands and upset neighbors. Choose your Instrument  You’ve caught a volatile new passion, a fire pushing you to join a band...

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