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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

Freshmen fill out a study planner, one of Link Crew’s resources for finals week and a new activity implemented this year. “Definitely, there were some challenges during this event, but overall, it was pretty successful,” Link Crew board member and senior Drake DePasquale said. “I'm proud that we were able to inform a lot of freshmen about how finals week happens and how they can prepare.”
Mugs and Motivation: Freshmen Warm Up to Finals with Hot Chocolate at Link Crew Study Party
Mia Jong and Senna Kahf | November 22, 2024
Counselors at Portola High School held a council meeting involving parents, counselors around IUSD and students to discuss taking school data and inputting in to obtain the ASCA credential.
Raising the Bar: Counseling Aims for Better with ASCA Certification
Moer Koey, Staff Writer | November 22, 2024
Dressed up as babies, the counseling department poses for a picture at their table beside their plates of food, ready to enjoy their chili and sides of cornbread and stuffed potatoes.
Staff Goes ‘Bone-Appetit’ at Annual Chili Cook-off
Annie Xiao and Suhana Kaur | November 12, 2024
Ofrendas created by Spanish Two were displayed in the upper 1000 Student Commons. “The students in the Chinese class and the students from the French program also came to join,” said Spanish teacher Otto Lopez. “Almost 350 students at school participated in the tradition.”
Honoring Tradition: Students Remember the Spirit of Dia de los Muertos at Portola High
Nora Aljazzar and Sruti Allani | November 8, 2024
The Zoology Club visits the Santa Ana Zoo. “We have opportunities to volunteer and get involved in animal rights issues,” Junior and secretary Amy Cho says.
Zoology Club: Animal-Loving Students ‘Paw’sitively Make a Difference
Kailyn Clark and Olivia Ganes | November 15, 2024
Freshman Nikitha Thota rummages through her pencil case in search of her favorite stationery item. Thota’s initial love for stationery was largely influenced by her older sister’s obsession with stationery, Thota said. “She used to always bring a bunch of pens home, then when I a little kid I would just see all this stuff, and I would think it's really cool. It wasn't me really going out and getting [stationery]. It was really just me taking it from her.”
Students Dive Into Stationery: A Look Into Portola High’s Pen Connoisseurs
Annie Xiao and Mary Lee | November 1, 2024
Clothing Carousel vice president and sophomore Ethan Nguyen logs the clothing exchanges in the club’s very first event.
Swap, Don’t Shop: Clothing Carousel Club
Sruti Allani and Hannah Ko | October 30, 2024
Gage Peterson and Sasha Lo are looking forward to an exciting year as Portola High counselors. “I think they're a great fit for our team,” Assistant Principal Jen Ochsner said. “I just hope that our students continue to feel supported by all of our counseling staff.”
Meet Gage Peterson and Sasha Lo: New Counselors Join the Bulldog Team
Sruti Allani and Catherine Li | October 21, 2024
Science rolling chairs negatively affect student learning by creating distractions, according to chemistry student and sophomore Sayed Adil. “Every time I get up and sit down, it moves around,” Adil said. “It's distracting in class whenever we're finished with [a] test. Some people just fidget around with it and make some noises.”
‘Rolling’ into Frustration: Science Classrooms Should Replace Rolling Chairs
Sonia Wang and Senna Kahf | November 18, 2024
California Proposition 2 and 32 are heavily impactful to students both short-term and in the long-run. If passed, these propositions could negatively increase Californians’ tax debts but positively increase minimum wage.
The Pros and Cons of California Proposition 32 and 2
Nicole Lu and Moer Koey | November 5, 2024
As global events continue to unfold, students need to stay informed with facts and be vigilant in guarding against misinformation. “Whatever is happening in Ukraine or in Gaza has an immediate impact on our lives, and it is incredibly important to stay aware about what is going on in the outside world if we want to make a positive change,” Girnita said. “You want to be able to stay informed and contribute to your community in any way you can because the reality is we are not the leaders of tomorrow, we are the leaders of today.”
Students Should Stay Aware of Global Conflicts and Be Wary of Misinformation
Aditi Salunkhe and Moer Koey | October 30, 2024
Offshore wind energy is a key example of the complexities of renewable energy sources. The public should interpret the word “renewable” with caveats as there are many side effects, both positive and negative, along with a lack of information surrounding the newer technologies that fall under this category.
Renewable Energy Sources Are Not As Straightforward As You May Think
Mary Lee, Assistant A&E Editor | October 28, 2024
All nine committed athletes smile for a photo just before the ceremony begins. The ceremony took place on Nov. 15 in the gym during office hours. Each athlete typically invites a coach or teacher to give a brief speech about their academic and athletic accomplishments, but because the number of signees this year was so much greater than years past, athletes were simply announced by name, the school they will be attending and the athletic program they have committed to, according to assistant athletic director Brian Smith.
Nine Seniors Take the Next Steps in their Athletic Careers this National Signing Week
Maya Tedini, Co-Editor-in-Chief | November 22, 2024
Freshman Daniil Babenko and his dance partner Reagan To glide across the stage at the Empire Open Dance Festival, one of the many competitions they have participated in together. “A competition that stands out to me is when we went to China to represent Team USA,” To said. “It was such an incredible experience because it was one of our first times competing internationally.”
From Studio Lights to Olympic Heights: Freshman Daniil Babenko Takes Steps Toward Stardom
Alice Ahn and Kelly Yeh | November 14, 2024
November 2024: Volume 9 Issue 2
November 2024: Volume 9 Issue 2

 

October 2024: Volume 9 Issue 1
October 2024: Volume 9 Issue 1

 

May 2024: Volume 8 Issue 7
May 2024: Volume 8 Issue 7

 

April 2024: Volume 8 Issue 6
April 2024: Volume 8 Issue 6

 

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