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
Senior Anusha Namburu and senior Haniya Hassaan eat chicken biryani at the Diwali party hosted by the South Asian Student Association “The festivities are associated with firecrackers or explosions that only happen once a year and are often hallmarks of our childhood,” Portola High SASA club outreach director and senior Amogh Baddam said. “We’re just seeing everybody celebrate our culture and having fun together in traditional clothes.”

South Asian Student Association Hosts 7th Annual Diwali Party

Aditi Salunkhe and Sonia Wang | November 20, 2023

Two hundred seventy five high school students attended South Asian Student Association’s (SASA) annual Diwali party on Friday, Nov. 10 at the Pools Park. To celebrate, students wore traditional Indian...

Canta Bella was the second choir to perform on stage. Amongst other great performances of the night, some audience highlights included a rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Sir Duke” by Irvine Singers of Irvine High, and University High Madrigals’ performance of “Tchaka” by Syndney Guillaume.

Canta Bella Hits a High Note at IUSD Choral Festival

Tyler Kim, Co-Editor-in-Chief | November 18, 2023

The voice is a versatile instrument; it can cover the entire spectrum of human emotions. Whether it conveys the dream of a child or a tribute to a jazz legend, regardless of enhancement by the classic...

The Irvine Unified Board of Education heard public comments on whether to ban LGBTQ+ flags in its most recent meeting on Oct. 7. “This meeting being perhaps an eye opening moment for students and teachers alike to realize, ‘Wow, there are still a lot of prejudices and misunderstandings about the LGBTQ community,’ and we should talk about that to move forward,” English teacher Doris Schlothan said. “But in terms of coming back to this flag policy, I think [this conversation] is done.”

IUSD Board Meeting Calls Into Question LGBTQ+ Flag Presence in Classrooms

Kayleen Kim and Ruhi Samudra | November 17, 2023

During the Nov. 7 board meeting, the Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) Board of Education heard public comments regarding a potential policy that would ban the LGBTQ+ flag from all classrooms,...

Though critics argue that daylight saving harms students’ health and makes them more tired, proponents say that it actually pushes students to be more productive by giving them more time.

Is Daylight Savings Truly Necessary?

November 17, 2023

Social Studies teacher Jon Resendez stands with his 2022-2023 cohort of policy fellows. Each teacher was selected from across California based upon their commitment to the classroom, their ability to advocate for their students and their pursuit of innovation in teaching, according to Teach Plus California.

From Classroom to Change-Maker: Jon Resendez Advocates for Students and Teachers in Teach Plus California Fellowship

Olivia Ganes and Mia Jong | November 16, 2023

Advocacy is a catalyst for change. Throughout the year, social studies teacher Jon Resendez has been utilizing his voice to positively impact the community by promoting equity in education, exploring his...

Plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty can be addictive, fueling the practice of corner-cutting and creating other bad habits, according to the City University of New York. “Getting away with [academic dishonesty] is probably the biggest ego-booster and motivator that someone can get,” former AP Psychology student and senior Vedant Tiwari said.

Don’t ‘Play’ with Plagiarism: You’ll End Up Destroying Your Future

Michael Sun and Elizabeth Gao | November 15, 2023

Since the very beginning of our elementary education, we have had it hammered into our heads: plagiarism is bad.  It seems obvious enough. It is unethical, proof of poor scholarship and undermines...

Wide receiver and senior Kamran Jahromi sprints after catching a punt in a football game against Laguna Hills High on Oct. 27. Wide receiver and senior Rider Cooper defends Jahromi against opposing players as he advances across the field.

No. 1 PCL Wide Receiver Kamran Jahromi ‘Receives’ All the Praise this Football Season

Camille Clement and Elizabeth Gao | November 15, 2023

The Laguna Hills High marching band echoes from the stands, an eerie sound emanates from their drums as their football team punts the ball to the Bulldogs. Standing at the 5-yard line, wide receiver and...

Zaara Batla and Vianna Pineda are the only two seniors on the flag football team. “It was just being part of a new group, a new team, seeing how far we could get in our first season,” Batla said. “That was really exciting to me.”

Seniors Vianna Pineda and Zaara Batla ‘Snatch’ the Opportunity to Play Flag Football in Their Last Year

Maya Tedini and Parmin Zamani | November 14, 2023

“It is never too late to start something new.” An idea often circulated but rarely enacted. Among high school students, hesitancy to try new activities often grows as they progress through grade levels....

Raising awareness about the littering issues at Portola High will help students become more proactive in throwing away their trash and creating a pristine campus. “Everyone else has to do their part in maintaining a clean, organized environment,” freshman Claire Liu said. “And when people don't do that, it's just really upsetting.”

Portola High’s Littering Issue is a Ca-“trash”-trophe

Sonia Wang and Kayley Winata | November 13, 2023

“On a scale of one to 10, I'd say it's a nine.” This is what Custodian Mark Leavy said regarding Portola High students’ littering problem, with 10 being the most severe. Trash is everywhere: bathrooms,...

Mountain Biking club president and sophomore Luke Passey presents about mountain biking trails he recommends, which are also potential meeting locations, at his club’s first meeting. Some of these trails are found in Irvine Regional Park, Crystal Cove and Whiting Ranch, with the last being the location he’s considering for the club’s first mountain biking excursion.

‘Paving’ the Way: Mountain Biker Luke Passey Shares His Hobby with School Community

Cindy Mei and Maya Tedini | November 9, 2023

Whether it is embarking on new trails or attempting new tricks, mountain bikers challenge themselves with the thrilling sport. Their shared experiences foster passion and community, which founder of Portola...

Students in the marine zoology elective had the opportunity to witness various species and ecosystems covered in class in real life. “The jellyfish module was my favorite topic,” junior Irene Jung said. “All the species in the aquarium were real and alive, and we saw and got to touch moon jellies and other cool species.”

Marine Zoology Students had One “Shell” of a Time at Aquarium Field Trip

Kayley Winata, Staff Writer | November 9, 2023

Students taking the newly implemented Marine Zoology course took a field trip to the Aquarium of the Pacific on Oct. 25, 2023. Unlike most field trips, students were not confined to a set schedule...

Mishra (third from left) and Hommez (right most) pose with their fellow elementary Science Olympiad coaches and teacher adviser before a tournament, located at Sierra Vista Middle School. “The [original] idea for OCAST was elementary Science Olympiad,” Hommez said. “We were planning on creating that at Woodbury, but due to COVID, we were unable to, so we started OCAST instead. But a year later, we were able to get in touch with the principal.”

OCAST “Casts” A Love for Science Upon Young Scholars

Michael Sun, Assistant Arts and Entertainment Editor | November 9, 2023

Every problem has a solution — you just have to find it. Emergency Distance Learning, back in 2020, was exactly that problem, with seniors Zara Hommez and Siya Mishra discerning a divide between...

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