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
Vocalist of Crocs ‘N’ Socks and junior Suah Yang bundles up in a cardigan and black sunglasses for the cozy “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood. “I’ve loved to sing since I was a little kid,” Yang said. “I’ve been doing choir for a long time, but last year Mr. Traska was like, ‘oh why don’t you do studio music,’ because I love to perform pop songs, and with a band. Performing it gives me joy because expressing my feelings through music is really fun.”

A Showdown for the Ages: Student Bands Rock the Stage

Claire Liu and Annie Xiao | October 15, 2024

The contemporary pop department held their annual Battle of the Rock Bands in the amphitheater on Oct. 5. This year, the department experimented with a voting format through Instagram analytics, which...

Tight end offensive player, punter and linebacker junior Maxwell Mapstone and linebacker, wide receiver and junior Malachi Moore pursue a Woodbridge High player as he attempts to score a touchdown. “Our strategy was to stop the play action passes and not let the quarterback get out of the pocket because he was pretty fast, and we did a really good job at that,” tight end offensive and defensive player and senior Anthony Riccardi said.

Boys’ Football Conquers Woodbridge High in First League Game

Stephanie Hwang and Marianne Chan | October 15, 2024

Football (1-5) won 27-6 against Woodbridge High at home on Oct. 4 in its first league game of the season. The next game was scheduled for Oct. 11 against Katella High. “It was just kind of icing on...

Librarian Phoebe Kern scans a book and checks it out for a student. “I consider my most important role as a librarian to create free and equitable access to information and to foster a safe and inspirational space for students [to] interact with that information in an encouraging learning environment,” Kern said.

Turning a Page in the Book of Opportunity

Aditi Salunkhe and Maya Tedini | October 14, 2024

The Learning Commons is far more than a quiet study corner — it is shaped by two staff members with a deep passion for reading — a place where every student can find something meaningful. As former...

DECA vice president and senior Harini Rameshbabu introduces an ice breaker activity at the annual Portola High Business Mini Conference. Having put in the time to cultivate the conference, Rameshbabu addresses her peers in the opening activity. Rameshbabu said that her intention to join the business program came from longing for self-discovery. “I just wanted to gain more leadership skills and just overall, learn more stuff about myself and gain communication skills,” Rameshbabu said. “I thought it was a great way for me to learn what I do best and learn what works for me and not.”

Fellow IUSD Schools Join Portola High Business Mini Conference for the First Time

Nora Aljazzar, Staff Writer | October 11, 2024

Portola Business Club held its annual Business Mini Conference on Sept. 28 in the Student Union. Unique to the previous mini conferences Portola High has hosted over the years, students outside of the...

Republican Senator James David (JD) Vance of Ohio and Democratic Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota present their agendas at the Vice Presidential Debate at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York.“By comparison to the presidential debate, it was sort of elucidating more so than the presidential debate,” social studies teacher Daniel Hunter said. “There were plenty of criticisms of the presidential candidates, but I felt that it was a refreshing change in the level of discourse from what we had seen in the presidential debate.”

Vance vs. Walz: The 2024 Vice Presidential Debate

Marianne Chan and Sky Nguyen | October 10, 2024

Ohio Senator James David (JD) Vance and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz exchanged views in a 90-minute vice presidential debate that took place on Oct. 1 at the CBS Broadcast Center, according to CBS News.  Chief...

From homemade pastries to specialty lattes, these cafe menu items make for the best study treat! Along with their tasty options, many of these cafes offer a wide array of accommodations, including seating, wifi and calming music, to couple with your study experience.

Get Your Mind ‘Brewing’ With These Study Cafes!

Kayley Winata and Zoha Syed | October 10, 2024

With schoolwork piling up and tests creeping around the corner, the best way to feel motivated is to treat yourself to a tasty reward. To give you a tidbit of what Irvine’s cafe culture has to offer...

Administrative Assistant Christina Sanchez answers one of many calls throughout the day from a parent, allowing for the school to continue operating efficiently. “I think that because I have a lot of years of experience, that I'm able to help things run smoothly,” Sanchez said.

The Faces of Portola High: Meet the Front Office Team

Jinseo Hong and Kelly Yeh | October 10, 2024

The front office is full of energy, creating a lively community for students, teachers and parents. Sunlight regularly streams through the large windows, illuminating the friendly faces of the staff....

Setter and sophomore Jane Park jumps for the volleyball during the first set of the game. Park scored multiple points throughout the game through her serves, including the Bulldogs’ final point that won them the fifth set. “The first two sets there were definitely moments where we were playing our normal subs, but then for the most part, I feel like it was a lot of still trying to figure out what we could do to get points,” co-captain, libero and senior Izzy Macasero said. “Once we finally did realize that, that's what helped us get these victorious moments.”

Girls’ Volleyball Wins Hard-Fought Reverse Sweep Against Sage Hill High

Mary Lee and Catherine Li | October 8, 2024

Girls’ volleyball (1-0) won 3-2 in its away tournament game against Sage Hill High on Sept. 6. Although the Bulldogs lost the first two sets, they were able to regain their footing for the third, fourth...

As can be seen with the 2003 Monkeypox outbreak in prairie dogs, a clinical sample of human skin is seen with an electron microscopic image of the particles of the Monkeypox virus. The WDPH was sent 104 reports of potential human MPXV cases. 27 of the 104 cases were mostly confirmed (70%), and some were only suspected, according to the National Library of Medicine.

Understanding Monkeypox: What You Need To Know

Nicole Ferguson and Tamara Bradley | October 8, 2024

Monkeypox has been discovered in more than 90 countries, though it originated from an orthopoxvirus which is endemic in parts of Africa, according to the CDC. The disease was, as the name states, first...

After a spur of marine biodiversity during the early Ordovician period, newly formed rings hovering over Earth’s equator are assumed to have induced a cooling period, leading to the second-largest mass extinction, the Ordovician-Silurian extinction, according to the Scholarly Community Encyclopedia.

Scientists Propose a New Discovery: Earth May Have Had Rings

Ruhi Samudra and Hannah Ko | October 8, 2024

Earth may have had rings, like the ones seen on Saturn, approximately 466 million years ago, according to research set to be published in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Letters on Nov. 15. If true, the...

Freshman Joyce Huang finishes her swing at the first green, making sure to keep herself in the right mental state. “I would work on fixing my mindset,” Huang said. “I was frustrated on the first few holes, but I had to switch my mindset back. You’re affected by the last few shots when you’re frustrated, but you need to focus on the next few and shoot well.”

Girls’ Golf “Swings” the Odds in Their Favor Against Rosary High

Stephanie Hwang and Claire Liu | October 7, 2024

Girls’ golf (4-3) won against Rosary High with a total score of 192-288 in a home match at Rancho San Joaquin on Sept. 25. The next match is scheduled for Oct 7. against University High. Some Bulldogs,...

Boba’s rising popularity makes it a favorite drink for many, and new shops are opening regularly. In this review, we will be exploring two of the latest arrivals: 3Cat and Macu Tea.

Exploring New Boba Shops: A Blend of Atmosphere and Taste

Kelly Yeh and Sophia Kim | October 4, 2024

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