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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

Vice President Kamala Harris shakes hands with former President Donald Trump at the second presidential debate. As the election nears its final stretch, both Harris and Trump are busy proving to voters that they are prepared to steer the country away from crisis. “I would like someone that has an actual plan,” AP Economics teacher James Ferrel said. “But I also want an element of humbleness to understand that their plan may not be perfect, and they may adjust as needed. Effective leadership requires them to make those difficult decisions.”

Harris vs. Trump: The 2024 Presidential Debate

Claire Liu and Sky Nguyen | September 17, 2024

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump participated in a 90-minute debate hosted by ABC News on Sept. 10. Reaching an estimated 67 million Americans, the debate took place in the...

South Korean band Wave to Earth’s third album, “play with earth! 0.03,” explores themes of self-fulfillment, love, heartbreak and identity that often intertwine in unexpected ways — from apocalyptic symbolism to languid moments under the sun.

Wave to Earth ‘Plays’ with Sound in Latest Album Release

Marianne Chan and Nicole Lu | September 16, 2024

Up-and-coming South Korean indie rock band Wave to Earth dropped their new album, “play with earth! 0.03,” on Sept. 6. The album is composed of seven songs, including a spacey remaster of their previous...

The progression of the Airport Fire can be seen from just over an hour after it started on Sept. 9 to its current state moving down the canyon on Sept. 11. The fire is expected to continue spreading over the next few days, according to Orange County Fire Authority Captain Steve Concialdi.

Airport Fire Continues to Grow Amidst Containment Efforts by Fire Personnel

Ruhi Samudra, Co-Editor-in-Chief | September 11, 2024

The Airport Fire in Trabuco and Decker Canyons is currently ablaze and has grown to over 22,000 acres and 0% containment as of 12:37 p.m. on Sept. 11, according to Orange County Fire Authority Captain...

Arranging something as subjective as an album in a definitive list is borderline impossible. But there is one thing that music lovers seem to agree on, and Apple Music does not: “An album is a bit of everything,” sophomore Aditya Nair said. “The biggest thing you have to factor in is the impact the album had on people…This can’t be labeled the top 10 or 100 albums of all time.”

Does Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums Ranking “Skip” Too Many Great Ones?

Claire Liu, Staff Writer | June 7, 2024

Albums are the soundtrack to a generation, so it is no wonder that people cannot help but have elitist attitudes towards their favorites. Now, one streaming site is trying to end the debate. Apple Music...

Spider-Man, one of the most beloved superhero archetypes in Marvel Comics, has been brought to life in various adaptations. Read below to see which films truly did this character and his story justice.

Our ‘Spidey Senses’ Tell Us These Are the Best Spider-Man Films to Watch

Maya Tedini and Parmin Zamani | June 7, 2024

In light of the eight live-action Spider-Man films re-releasing in theaters between April and June to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Columbia Pictures, we have curated our picks for the top five adaptations...

Participants play a best-of-three game with a 60-card deck, and the winner moves on to the next round. Erlandsson said that he often uses Charizard in his strategy as a power card, being a well-rounded card that is effective against different Pokémon types.

Who is That Pokémon Pro? Neo Erlandsson Catches the Top Ranks

Olivia Ganes and Mia Jong | June 6, 2024

Gotta catch 'em all! For many, this iconic phrase from Pokémon cards is a staple of their childhood, but for junior Neo Erlandsson, it is a serious pursuit. With millions of players worldwide, Erlandsson...

Global Badminton Academy athlete and freshman Josh Xu lunges down to attack the shuttlecock at a tournament in Frisco, Texas on Jan 16. “I always want to do good in my tournaments and avoid falling down,” Xu said. “It’s really easy for a badminton player to fall down at some point. Sometimes when I lose, I become a little depressed, but I still try to be positive and go train.”

Freshman Josh Xu’s Badminton Journey is a ‘Smashing’ Success

Aditi Salunkhe and Alice Ahn | June 5, 2024

Whether it’s a sports game or a particular school subject, there is typically one activity that tops every student’s list as their absolute favorite. For Global Badminton Academy athlete and freshman...

Casting people of color in media is beneficial in providing representation and telling diverse stories, according to math teacher Jessica Torres. As a first-generation Mexican-American, she feels inspired by Hispanic influencers sharing their stories online and hopes to see future popular media reflect diverse experiences.

Swapping the Roles: Disney Should Continue Casting POC in Live-Action Remakes

Camille Clement and Catherine Li | June 4, 2024

A new trend in Disney’s filmmaking may cause beloved classic films to appear increasingly foreign to older generations. Instead of seeing familiar faces in the new live-action remakes of Disney’s older...

Mares demonstrates his lettering while patrolling the campus. “[Calligraphy] wasn’t like baseball or football,” Mares said. “I just liked it. It’s kind of just one of those things that you can relax with.”

Meet our Campus Control Calligraphy Connoisseur: George Mares

Mia Jong and Catherine Li | June 3, 2024

Whiteboards across campus have curly lines and feather-like strokes, culminating into elegantly shaped letters nestled neatly into their corners. However, these delicate strokes were not created by...

Many of head baseball coach Bryan Resnick's videos have received millions of views, being a platform to connect with people from different states. “I put out a video about how to hit a home run, and I just started seeing it getting shared and shared and shared and just snowballed,” Resnick said. “I’m really most proud of just being able to build something that people enjoy.”

Home Plate Humor: Baseball Coach Resnick Mixes Comedy and Content Creation

Mia Jong and Sonia Wang | May 30, 2024

Head baseball coach and PE teacher Bryan Resnick created his YouTube channel Domingo Ayala in 2009 as a casual hobby with friends in the dugout. Now, with over 223,000 subscribers and a total of 42 million...

S4 Episode 04: Turning Pages: Exploring Summer Reads with Three Portola High English Teachers

Tyler Kim, Catherine Li, and Claire Liu | May 29, 2024

As we approach the end of the school year, co-hosts Tyler Kim, Catherine Li and Claire Liu examine what books a few Portola High teachers will be reading over the summer.   Music credits: Piano...

Detective Roland (Jason Wu Chen) suffers a nervous breakdown after being thwarted by kleptomaniac Shalia (senior Sanika Nihalani) once again. In a Q&A after the play, Wu Chen said that he added an element of improvisation to the scene when he spontaneously hurled his cigar lighter into the airport wall.

Honors Ensemble Play “Gate F-10” Takes Off for the Last Time

Marianne Chan and Elizabeth Gao | May 29, 2024

Whistles and cheers greeted the cast of Honors Theater Ensemble during their last performance at the Black Box Theater on May 16. “Gate F-10,” self-written and performed by the all-senior class,...

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