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
For twins and freshmen Cal and Tessay Ulicny, playing sports together has always been a way for the siblings to bond, according to Tessa Ulicny. “We’ve done so many sports together,” Tessa Ulicny said. “We did soccer together, and we helped each other. And even now with water polo, we help each other. We help each other all the time to get better, and I love that.”

Twins Cal and Tessa Ulicny Make a ‘Splash’ on Varsity Water Polo

Mia Jong and Sonia Wang | October 31, 2024

Same birthday, same passion, different teams. Cal and Tessa Ulticny, freshmen and twins, are making waves in the boys’ and girls’ varsity water polo teams, respectively, an intense sport known for...

Freshman Katie Tseo takes a focused swing at the tee box. The game started off well because of birdies on early holes, which rippled into good holes later on, according to head coach Wind Ralston.

Girls’ Golf ‘Strikes’ to Success Against University High and Makes Individual and Team CIF

Stephanie Hwang and Claire Liu | October 31, 2024

Girls’ golf (8-3) won against University High with a score of 163-169 in their final league match at Strawberry Farms on Oct. 17. They were named co-league champions, and all members of the team qualified...

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

To satisfy its customers, the fashion industry mass-produces millions of articles of clothing just for them to go out of style, adding to excess waste and pollution. Club co-presidents and sophomores Christopher...

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

With the rise of social media, students are increasingly susceptible to echo chambers that reinforce their pre-existing beliefs. Students should reference trustworthy news sources and stay up-to-date on...

During practices for CIF, the girls’ volleyball participates in new activities, according to setter and sophomore Jane Park. For example, the team has been participating in activities where the athletes can have more fun, according to setter, defense specialist and junior Jojo Liu.

Girls Volleyball ‘Sets’ Portola High History with CIF Qualification

Mary Lee and Catherine Li | October 28, 2024

Girls’ volleyball qualified for CIF IV after its home win against Woodbridge High on Oct. 10, making school history.  Having faced many close games and difficult opponents together, the team's CIF...

Running back and senior Diego Reyna celebrates after getting two consecutive first downs in the second quarter. “I was just so excited to have a big crowd out there and just everyone that I know backed in the stands,” captain, quarterback and senior Nash Luper said. “The hype around it was really cool. Coming out of it, it was just so much fun to have all those people there and to get a win in front of all of them.”

Football Maintains First Place in Omicron League Following Exhilarating Homecoming Win

Ruhi Samudra, Co-Editor-in-Chief | October 28, 2024

Football (4-5) won 31-6 against University High at the Homecoming game on Oct. 18. If the Bulldogs win their away game against Pacifica High on Oct. 31, they will be named league champions and advance...

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

Electric cars, solar power and wind energy are often associated with ideas of green, clean energy that is beneficial and untainted in all aspects.  However, when consuming and discussing alternatives...

Class Council displays each homecoming build built for the four class themes before debuting their dance during the homecoming halftime show against University High. Each grade level was assigned a Pixar movie, where freshman had "The Incredibles," sophomores "Monsters Inc.," juniors "Cars," and seniors "Toy Story.” “Class Council started getting involved in the beginning of the school year.” Spanish teacher and Class Council advisor Otto Lopez said. “Once they found out the theme, they started doing the backdrop build. They started choreographing the dance. They started thinking about outfits and costumes to wear.”

Class Council Arranges for Pixar-Themed Homecoming Dance

Nora Aljazzar, Staff Writer | October 25, 2024

ASB and class council have been preparing for Homecoming since the end of last school year. The theme spanning this year’s dance was Pixar, and each class was assigned a Pixar-themed movie to represent...

Senior Hau Le takes the lead as the students featured in the fall play ‘Puffs’ introduce themselves while clad in yellow costumes, configured by Tech Theatre. “Closing night, the audience was fantastic. I remember the end scene, the battle scene, people were screaming, people were laughing,” Sally Perks and sophomore Coco Marshall said.

Portola High Fall Play “Puffs”: A Silly Spin On the Story of Hufflepuffs at Hogwarts Charms Audience

Siri Kolanupaka and Sruti Allani | October 24, 2024

The Advanced Drama and Tech Theatre classes performed their rendition of “Puffs: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic” by Matt Cox as the fall play. The show was a phenomenal...

Student Teacher David Pulanco leads the treble and bass choir through warmups at the beginning of class. “Probably my favorite thing about the students at Portola is how dedicated they are to the program,” Pulanco said. “They really love working for the music. They really love working hard to get the music done. It's a passion that I don't see a lot of in students.”

A Rising Voice: Student Teacher David Pulanco’s Journey to Portola High

Nicole Ferguson and Nina Krish | October 23, 2024

With a growing choir program that continues to expand at Portola High, student teacher and California State Fullerton student David Pulanco currently assists choir director Adrian Rangel-Sanchez. Pulanco...

This is an example of the type of AI-generated image (created by Midjourney) that has been used on social media platforms like X, Instagram and Facebook in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Although it is easier than the actual fake hurricane images to prove these images are fake because of the pixelated nose, it is still important to practice media literacy to be able to recognize deepfakes such as these.

Do Not Fall into the ‘Storm’ of AI Generation

Nora Aljazzar and Stephanie Hwang | October 22, 2024

After Hurricane Milton stormed Florida’s west coast, fake Artificial Intelligence-generated images are being circulated on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. One video, garnering 1.5...

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

With the new year comes new friends, new classes and for some, new counselors. After a recent increase in the student population at Portola High combined with the departure of former counselor Nicole Epres,...

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