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
Softball coaches Lili Belton and Olivia Pino play in a collegiate softball game on Westcliff University’s team. Belton completes a back door slide safe at home to avoid the tag and score the run, and Pino makes a play by getting an out while playing second base. “They take it very seriously and what they bring to the program is skill and discipline, and kind of just this youthful experience,” head softball coach Alexandra Dobbs said. “I would say they are this perfect combination of sensitive and kind, but driven and serious.”

New Softball Coaches Lili Belton and Olivia Pino ‘Pitch’ in with Passion

March 4, 2024

Recent movie musicals, including “Mean Girls” and “Wonka,” were not properly advertised as musicals, resulting in many audience members being surprised when the actors eventually broke out into song. “There was literally no singing in the trailer and I was very confused as a fan of the musical for Mean Girls,” senior Kody Lin said. “I have friends in theater that didn't know the movie itself was going to be a musical.”

Movie ‘Thespian-age’: Hollywood Should Not Hide Movie Musicals

Sonia Wang and Catherine Li | February 29, 2024

Through the release of films like “Wonka,” “Mean Girls” and “The Color Purple,” December and January proved to be exciting months for fans of musical theater, bringing forth perhaps the largest...

Many young Sephora shoppers spend money on expensive products in order to keep up with trends showcased online, according to math teacher Melanie Clark. “I don't really agree with young kids spending so much money on beauty products,” Clark said. “I feel like they should start at CVS and just learn how to take care of themselves. I feel like it creates an entitled generation where they think that they deserve certain things, when in reality they're pretty expensive.”

Sephora 10-Year-Olds Are Getting Out of Hand — Here is What Should be Done

Kayley Winata and Sonia Wang | February 27, 2024

When people walk into a Sephora store nowadays they are sure to find messed up samples and dirty displays. The perpetrators? 10-year-old girls, Sephora’s newest and most controversial demographic. These...

Senior Kate Abalos and junior Bill Song take notes on prominent issues with Portola High's learning environment after brainstorming with a group of students from Irvine Virtual Academy and Creekside High through engaging discussion.

IUSD Students Advocate For Change in Preparation for Sacramento Trip

Madeline Chung and Camille Clement | February 26, 2024

Portola High is home to many changemakers who are motivated by their mission to speak out about pressing issues facing the community. Every year, six of these students are chosen to travel to Sacramento...

Senior Krishna Gade guards a Marina High player against advancing farther. “He was a big presence for us on the court,” head coach Brian Smith said. “More than that he was excited to be playing, he had basketball taken away from him, so he was enjoying being back out there.”

Senior Krishna Gade ‘Slam-dunked’ His Last Year Of High School Basketball With His Teammates After Facing Injury Repercussions

Nina Krish and Olivia Ganes | February 23, 2024

Center and senior Krishna Gade joined Portola High’s basketball program his freshman year, playing on the junior varsity team. After tearing both his ACL and meniscus in eighth grade, he grappled with...

Though BookTok encases a wide range of genres and titles, novels are often recommended more for their aesthetic rather than their content, according to Varsity. Many readers do not approach these books critically and can fall into harmful patterns of romanticization that bleed into real life. “I think that some books are promoted as romances when in fact they're promoting a lot of toxic relationships that people are now perceiving as commonly acceptable,” senior Zara Hommez said. “So I think it's important to draw the line between what is constituted as fiction and what is constituted as reality.”

Novel Sensations: Booktok Fans Should ‘Read Between the Lines’

Mary Lee and Catherine Li | February 23, 2024

Searching for a wildean fantasy, twisted dystopian epic or by-the-fireplace novella but just can’t find the one? Look no further than BookTok, the newest and most spellbinding obsession for readers across...

Wingstop’s show stopping fries are one of the highlights of the restaurant: “One of my favorite things is the seasoned fries,” sophomore Lee Gilat said. “Their flavors are addicting and you can always go back for more. They never get bland. It always tastes like something new is in your mouth even though it is the same flavor.”

Tiktok’s Most Popular Restaurant: Wingstop Bursts with Flavor and Excitement

Olivia Ganes and Nina Krish | February 22, 2024

Founded in the 90s, buffalo-style wing restaurant Wingstop surpassed its competitors in popularity in recent months, according to PR Newswire. Its innovative marketing and creative flavors helped build...

Unleashing Potential: Senior Jason Liu’s ‘Leap’ of Resilience Brings Long Jump Success

Unleashing Potential: Senior Jason Liu’s ‘Leap’ of Resilience Brings Long Jump Success

Madeline Chung | February 21, 2024

A sharp exhale marks the beginning of flight for senior Jason Liu. Limbs outstretched, he soars across the sandy expanse, sending a cascade of dust into the air upon landing. Liu’s journey in track...

Junior Joanna Peng utilizes a MacBook and iPad after school to work on assignments. One of Peng’s most used products is her iPad due to its versatility. Peng uses it as a computer using a magic keyboard and also uses it to draw and make calls. “I've bought iPads since the first generation when it came out, [I’ve bought the] minis, and then I crashed [the iPad 3] under my table,” Peng said. “It's something that I continue to buy and continue to use most often in my life.”

Junior Joanna Peng’s Room is Ripe with Apple Products from Seed to Macintosh

Kayleen Kim and Kelly Yeh | February 21, 2024

In the softly lit ambiance of junior Joanna Peng's room, a corner dazzles with the presence of 40 meticulously arranged Apple products on a display case. An Apple TV, iPhone, AirPods, MacBooks and...

Portola High can implement a better rain protection system by opening up more space for students at school. “Because it’s a Southern California school, it’s an outdoor school, so there’s really not much to do to protect kids from the rain,” junior Lulu (Jingxin) Zhao said. “However, I think it would be good if we could open more classrooms during rainy days too, so kids don’t have to eat out in lunch or crowd in the gym.”

Rain, Rain Go Away: Advocating for School Protection

Maitri Allani and Claire Chan | February 20, 2024

We have all experienced the soggy wet socks when you step in a puddle, the soaked hair from spending too much time in the rain or even an umbrella flipping inside out from the intense winds, soaking you...

Sophomore Jenny Park, sophomore Darin Nguyen and sophomore Andrew Zhang guide mentee and sophomore Justin Mach’s mallets when playing the marimba, Mach’s favorite instrument to play, according to Mach. “The big piece in the beginning is just building that rapport and trust between the mentees and the mentors,” education specialist Melody Resendez said. “If we can get that going in a year, that alone, it's a huge accomplishment.”

United Sound ‘Amplifies’ Inclusivity in Music

Kayley Winata and Kelly Yeh | February 15, 2024

Every Thursday, the delicate rings of marimbas, joy-filled laughter and harmonizing cellos fill the music room. United Sound, a student-powered mentoring program dedicated to fostering inclusivity...

Art Fair participants from various clubs and art courses had the opportunity to sell handmade creations to students at stands near the ASB room during lunch from Jan. 30 to Feb. 1. “I feel like it's just a good way to connect with the rest of my peers, the artist community [and] the student body while also giving back to the school because it's given me so many opportunities where I can flourish in the creative arts,” artist and junior Alexander Torpus said.

Students ‘Sew’ Off Their Talent in the Art Fair

Marianne Chan and Stephanie Hwang | February 13, 2024

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