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
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
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
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 3: Passing the Torch — Seniors Impart Advice to Underclassmen
S5 Episode 3: Passing the Torch — Seniors Impart Advice to Underclassmen
June 6, 2025

In this episode of the Portola Pioneer, co-hosts Stephanie Hwang and Suhana Kaur listen in on some expert advice from graduating seniors to...

While in the development of a variety of students’ passion projects, many have learned the importance of planning out each of the details. “[When starting a passion project,] just get a base idea,” said sophomore Ava Lily Sunga. “Think it out before you actually start, so you can prepare to actually go on the journey to making it a thing.”
Building Dreams After Hours: Portola Students’ Passion Projects
Tamara Bradley, Staff Writer | May 20, 2025

Passion projects are more than just hobbies: they are personal pursuits that reflect a person’s creativity and interests. Whether it...

Features
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
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
Arts & Entertainment
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
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
Pride of Portola Season Overview
Pride of Portola Season Overview
Nora Aljazzar, Assistant News Editor | October 3, 2025
Opinion
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
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has gained a stunning amount of traction on X, garnering 480 million views in August alone. “At least in my experience with political science, there's a correlation between people who consume political media and people who actually vote,” Social Studies Department Chair Jon Resendez said. “So, I think what you're getting is a not insignificant percentage of the actual voting population to see your media, and that feedback loop is going to continue to inspire him and his team.”
Gavin Newsom’s New Press Strategy Is Certainly “News-Some”
Claire Liu and Stephanie Hwang | September 23, 2025
As college admissions become increasingly competitive, students are pressured to be involved in as many extracurricular activities as possible. Oftentimes, students will create and join clubs not out of passion, but for the purpose of building their resume.
Club Culture at Portola High Raises Questions About Prestige Over Passion
Annie Xiao, Assistant Features Editor | September 23, 2025
The recession indicator: Analysts often make predictions about the economy based on consumer habits. Excessive consumerism, like the Labubu craze, is seen preceding almost every major recession as the population prioritizes spending on nonessential items, hoping that materialistic goods can provide joy in a way that self-actualization cannot.
Labubusted: Why the Hype Behind Labubus Is Problematic
Sammy Marcus and Zoha Syed | September 22, 2025
Sports
Varsity runner and sophomore Azra Gercek breaks her Personal Record (PR) at the Annual Woodridge Cross Country Classic by over a minute, placing fifth overall at the invitational.
Cross Country Breaks Records at Annual Woodbridge Classic Invitational
Nora Aljazzar, Assistant News Editor | September 29, 2025
Freshman Lisa Li tees off at hole 7. “I’m currently working on fixing my swing to hit consistent straight shots and I’m excited to see how much I can improve in the upcoming rounds,” Li said.
Portola Girls Golf Wins Tight Match Against University High
Katelyn Wong, Staff Writer | September 29, 2025
Issues
September 2025: Volume 10 Issue 1
September 2025: Volume 10 Issue 1

 

May 2025: Volume 9 Issue 7
May 2025: Volume 9 Issue 7

 

April 2025: Volume 9 Issue 6
April 2025: Volume 9 Issue 6

 

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

 

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