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
Most people don’t consider dropping a class when it’s dragging them down. Here’s why they should.

The Hard Question of Hard Classes: Drop or Stay?

Jordan Hata, Staff Writer | March 15, 2024

For many high schoolers, getting good grades and having a high GPA is a perceived must for getting into their dream college. This is why many students take on several AP and honors classes when they become...

Clarke smiles with some of her Math 1 students during their Pi Day festivities, which began after a quiz, allowing them to unwind and have fun at the end of the day, according to freshman Peter Cooke. Clarke said many students pitched in by bringing food and drinks for the party, and Cooke even made her the pi model.

Pi Day Insπres Math Teacher and Enthusiast Melanie Clarke

Ruhi Samudra and Maya Tedini | March 14, 2024

Although holidays typically evoke images of decorations and seasonal treats, math teacher Melanie Clarke finds her joy in a different type of celebration –– one that revolves around a mathematical...

Comedians hosting award shows should tailor their jokes to focus attention on the achievements of their guests in the audience rather than bringing them down. “I think it's inappropriate for them to be making jokes that could offend others, and instead, they should be making jokes that could make everyone laugh,” junior Anaika Nagireddy said.

Award Show Hosts Need to Step Back From Offensive Jokes

Parmin Zamani, News Editor | March 8, 2024

Congratulations! You have just been selected to host the next big award show in Hollywood. Your job is to crack some jokes, entertain guests and viewers and create a positive atmosphere overall. You...

Math teacher Ran Gu receives a $10,000 Innovative Grant from the Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF). IPSF awards over $5,000,000 in grants, donations and program support to the Irvine Unified School District each year, according to IPSF.

$10,000 IPSF Innovative Grant Digitizes Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports Program

Aditi Salunkhe, Assistant Sports Editor | March 5, 2024

Portola High was awarded a $10,000 innovative grant to digitize the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program from the Irvine Public Schools Foundation (IPSF) on Feb. 19. The winning...

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...

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