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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

Heritage Park Library, now officially under the Irvine Public Library system, will offer various activities for community members to participate in, as part of an effort to create a hub for learning and connection.

Irvine Libraries Reopen Under City Management

Dania Yamani, Sports Editor | September 18, 2025

The Heritage Park and University Park libraries officially reopened after a three month closure due to a transition in ownership from the County of Orange to the City of Irvine on Aug. 3. These two...

Goalie and senior Justin Tokko blocks a shot from the Sea Hawks. Despite a slow start, the Bulldogs evened out the score during the fourth quarter by adapting quickly to offenses. “A couple of big defensive blocks by JT brought in the goal,” said head coach Kate Avery.

Pushing Through Tough Waters: Boys’ Water Polo Persevere Against Redondo High Despite Loss

Mason Truong, Staff Writer | September 17, 2025

Boys water polo (0-1) lost 11-9 at its home game against Redondo Union High on Sept. 3. The team will continue its season with a home game against Tesoro High on Sept. 16. The Sea Hawks presented themselves...

Captain and senior Leanna Roman hits an overhead serve. “Personally, I love hitting my backhand down the line,” Roman said. “That's like my signature shot.”

Girls Tennis ‘Smashes’ Into New School Year With Sweep Over Irvine High

Sophia Kim and Catherine Li | September 17, 2025

Girls tennis (2-0) won 17-1 against Irvine High on Sept. 11, nearly scoring a clean sweep. The Bulldogs’ next match will be an away game against Rosary Academy on Sept. 16.  After dominating the...

From the high speed action of “F1: The Movie” to the thrilling, heroic scenes of “Superman,” the summer of 2025 introduced record breaking movies.

Blockbusters & Bingewatches: Summer of 2025 Hits

Nina Krish, Co-Managing Editor | September 17, 2025

The summer of 2025 had something for everyone in terms of entertainment. From releases in theatres every week to new seasons of fan-favorite shows, everyone was hooked onto their screen in some way. Here...

A Daxbot named “Turbo,” equipped with sensors to evaluate sidewalks and curb ramps for accessibility, patrols Irvine streets. “I think that it would be interesting to look at the accessibility within individual neighborhoods and communities,” Portola High dance director Samantha Gardner said. “Maybe getting that word out to Homeowners’ Associations in the area to make sure that they're doing this same due diligence within their jurisdictions, not just the city of Irvine.”

On a Roll: City of Irvine Deploys Daxbots to Assess Public Facilities

Marianne Chan, Features Editor | September 17, 2025

Irvine began deploying Daxbot service robots in the last week of August to collect data on the accessibility of streets, sidewalks and curb ramps, according to the City of Irvine. The robots are part...

Dance Company captain and senior Zurie Tran dances to “Move to Miami” by Enrique Iglesias. For Tran, performing is just one part of what Dance Company does at school events. “As Dance Company, part of our job is to make sure that we're cheering for everybody,” Tran said. “We make sure other people know how spirited we are, so we can show we have that Portola pride.”

Portola Dance Company Brings the ‘Heat’ to Welcome Back Rally

Annie Xiao and Nicole Ferguson | September 16, 2025

Rallying into the new school year with a bang, Portola High’s annual Welcome Back Rally invited students to the new school year on Aug. 29. The rally was complete with performances from Dance Company,...

One Last Hurrah: Seniors Revive Childhood With Backpacks

Suhana Kaur, Assistant Opinion Editor | September 15, 2025

Amid the sea of black and neutral-toned backpacks, multicolored and cartoon-covered kiddie backpacks add a pop of color and a nostalgic flair to campus. “Senior backpacks” — children’s backpacks...

Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, “Man’s Best Friend,” has a diverse array of songs that pay homage to older production styles while also showcasing Carpenter’s experimentation.

Sabrina Carpenter’s New Album “Man’s Best Friend” Is Spunky and Retro In All The Right Ways

Sruti Allani and Siri Kolanupaka | September 12, 2025

After releasing her teaser single “Manchild” on June 5, Sabrina Carpenter built anticipation for her new album, “Man’s Best Friend,” which dropped on August 29.  The 12-track record is a creative...

Laufey’s latest album, “A Matter of Time,” continues her signature blend of jazz, pop and classical influences, earning a spot among this summer’s standout releases.

These Summer Releases Make the Season ‘Feel Like Forever’

Alice Ahn, Co-Editor-in-Chief | September 11, 2025

After the flashy, ‘bratty’ burnout of summer 2024, summer 2025 arrived like a long, overdue exhale. The drama faded, the BPMs slowed and the season drifted by in a haze of soft synths and breezy hooks....

Students eagerly receive face paint at the back-to-school tailgate. “The tailgate is definitely a good way to welcome the students of Portola and bring people together,” junior class president Lauren Slade said. “Seeing all of these people have fun makes me feel good as a member of ASB who put a lot of work into this event.”

Beach-Themed Back-to-School Tailgate Launches Bulldogs into New School Year

Siri Kolanupaka, Opinion Editor | September 9, 2025

To celebrate the start of a new school year, Portola High hosted the Beach Bash back-to-school tailgate in the campus quad on Aug. 22 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. For underclassmen, the event was their first...

Freshman Ben Matusda tees off on the ninth hole.

Boys’ Golf Takes a Mulligan: Shooting for a Par-fect Next Season

Moer Koey, Staff Writer | June 7, 2025

Boys’ Golf (8-1) faced a hard fought loss on May 20 with a score of 386 in their CIF match against 20 teams at Bear Valley Country Club. Despite the defeat, the team looks forward to a new season with...

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