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
News
Families and friends gather to enjoy the music and entertainment in the main area of the event, “I think the best part is the fact that families and students get to come,” Rodriguez said. “They get to ride around and spend time with either their families or their friends. I think that's really cool.”
Irvine Annual Street Shutdown Brings The Community Together
Nicole Ferguson, Staff Writer | May 13, 2025
When Perlman started voicing her experiences to the public, she was motivated as she came to realize the importance of sharing her own wisdom. “I strongly believe we have to tell our story before we die,” Perlman said. “This is what I live for.”
Holocaust Survivor Eva Perlman Shares Experiences With Students
Nora Aljazzar | May 8, 2025
People of Portola High
Senior Ray Tong and special education student and junior Clark Bogosh collaborate on an art project during a Bulldog Crew meeting. “A lot of the activities that the board comes up with have been really well received, and all the students seem to really enjoy doing it,” extensive support needs education specialist Desiree De Santos-Shaffer said. “They really look at the whole picture of what they can do and what people are feeling, and art has been a really big part of what we do as well.”
Building Bridges: How The Bulldog Crew Unites Portola High
Senna Kahf and Dania Yamani | March 12, 2025
Gardening for Good member and junior Kate Shin and junior and co-president Chloe Shin plant succulents together, marking the creation of the club’s first garden. Through activities like these, the club has formed a close and connected atmosphere. “We really care about creating a really inclusive community where every single person in the club is super connected and really interested in gardening,” Chloe Shin said.
Gardening for Good Cultivates Community at Portola High
Kelly Yeh, Assistant News Editor | March 7, 2025
Woodbury Elementary Science Olympiad head coach and freshman Smriti Mishra poses with her Science Olympiad team after the Sierra Vista Invitational where the team placed fifth. “I was inspired by my sister who was a coach at Jeffrey Trail and at Woodbury as well,” Mishra said. “And then I became the coach at Woodbury, so I got inspired by looking up to my peers as well as looking at the older kids around me.”
Medal-Worthy Mentorship: Science Olympiad Students Train the Next Generation
Nina Krish, Sports Editor | March 6, 2025
Torpis decorates a ceramic piece. “Since they've used almost all of the glazes in the classroom, I make test tiles as well for the kids so they know what it looks like,” Torpis said. “I'll show them different pieces I've made or different test tiles I've made, so they can see it and feel it, and they understand what it looks like.”
Class Act: Student TAs Support Classrooms
Marianne Chan and Mary Lee | March 4, 2025
Decorative Background
Multimedia
S5 Episode 6: Nostalgic Memories: Favorite Childhood Shows
S5 Episode 6: Nostalgic Memories: Favorite Childhood Shows
Stephanie Hwang, Co-News Editor | March 14, 2025

In this episode of the Portola Pioneer, host Stephanie Hwang explores the childhood shows of staff members and students at Portola High.   Music...

The arrival of the seasonal red patterned cups signifies the arrival of winter, with new designs released yearly. These cups exhibit holiday joy with their red, white and green embellishments that are sure to bring joy to any beverage lover.
Starbucks ‘Steeps’ Up the Holiday Spirit with their Seasonal Treats
Zoha Syed and Kayley Winata | November 21, 2024

Features
Junior Simar Kaur presents four recent nail sets. “The first set I did was French, and I remember it looked really bad,” Kaur said. “I remember the Spider-Man set that took me six hours to do. I feel like after I did the Spider-Man nails, I got the hang of it, and after that everything got easier.”
Manicures With Meaning: Junior Simar Kaur Gives Back to the UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital
Nina Krish, Sports Editor | May 14, 2025
To stay motivated while studying, junior Emma Saighani-Mirbaz takes breaks after each unit block she reviews. “This helps prevent burnout and makes it easier to focus, whereas a four-hour session would likely decrease your efficiency,” Saighani-Mirbaz said.
A Look Into How Bulldogs Are Preparing For Their AP Exams
Nicole Lu, Staff Writer | May 13, 2025
Arts & Entertainment
“Thunderbolts*” is considered to be one of most positively reviewed Marvel movies. After recently releasing low rated films like “Deadpool and Wolverine” and “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts*” scored a high 88% on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Thunderbolts*” Tackles Mental Health Amid High-Stakes Action Plot
Nora Aljazzar, Staff Writer | May 13, 2025
Instrumental Music Director Matthew Distante conducts the Wind Orchestra in a rendition of “At the Strongholds of En Gedi” by David Holsinger, an intense and cinematic traditional composition. During the teaching process, Distante said that he emphasizes three key philosophies when it comes to a successful performance: confidence, preparation and focus. “We teach that a lot, and I think that if students are checking all three of those boxes, that's an absolute success of a performance,” Distante said.
“That’s All, Folks!”: Instrumental Music Department Closes the Year with a Cartoon-Inspired Concert
Annie Xiao, Staff Writer | May 12, 2025
The album cover of “Hope, Alaska” captures Castelli’s grandfather, who moved to Hope as a young man and built a cabin, as pictured in the photo. Though he never met his grandfather, Castelli appreciated the cabin in the woods that he left for his family.
Ralph Castelli’s New Album “Hope, Alaska” Contains Mountains of Emotion
Nicole Lu, Staff Writer | May 8, 2025
Opinion
With the abundance of selective summer experiences, programs and opportunities, the months before summer vacation can feel like a mini college acceptance season as many students bank on these activities to enhance their college application or showcase their potential. However, given the wealth of non-exclusive opportunities such as local internships and merit-based initiatives, these programs shouldn’t be a contention point for a fulfilling experience or acceptance into prestigious universities.
Passion Over Prestige: The Truth About Elite Summer Programs
Suhana Kaur, Assistant Opinion Editor | May 14, 2025
Students should try to stop discussing academics to promote a more positive learning environment for their peers.
Don’t be Nosy — Keep Academics to Yourself
Kayley Winata, Media Director | May 14, 2025
Cramming is very much normalized in Portola culture, because all of us have so many things going on, because we live in a really high pressure environment,” Faisal said. “Sometimes it feels like you genuinely don't have time to study long term, and even if you do, it's not seen as a priority based on everything else that's going on at the moment.
Cramming Culture: A Pressure We Need to Put a Stop To
Sophia Kim, Staff Writer | May 9, 2025
A student places their phone in the designated classroom chart. With California schools cracking down on phone use, tools like these help minimize distractions and promote a more respectful, focused learning environment.
Hands Off Your Phones: Redefining Classroom Culture at Portola High
Alice Ahn and Kelly Yeh | May 2, 2025
Sports
Freshman Isaac Chhiv hits a powerful forehand during practice. As one of the only two freshmen on the varsity team, Chhiv brings the energy and competitiveness needed to succeed in higher levels, while simultaneously training for consistency in skill during matches, according to head coach Natasha Schottland. “I've really appreciated seeing that growth from Isaac,” Schottland said. “There are a lot of boys who are at his level or higher, and allowing him to have that competitiveness with them is really important for his growth.”
Meet Freshmen Garran McKay and Isaac Chhiv, the Latest Rising Stars of Boys’ Tennis
Annie Xiao and Suhana Kaur | May 13, 2025
Distance runner and sophomore Nick Perez passes the 200-meter mark while running the 800-meter run, speeding up to catch up to and pass two runners.
Track and Field ‘Crosses the Finish Line’ With Their Third Consecutive PCL Win
Kayley Winata and Zoha Syed | May 7, 2025
Issues
April 2025: Volume 9 Issue 6
April 2025: Volume 9 Issue 6

 

March 2025: Volume 9 Issue 5
March 2025: Volume 9 Issue 5

 

January 2025: Volume 9 Issue 4
January 2025: Volume 9 Issue 4

 

December 2024: Volume 9 Issue 3
December 2024: Volume 9 Issue 3

 

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The student news site of Portola High School
The student news site of Portola High School