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
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...

By extending the intermission time, classical music concerts can be more entertaining for younger listeners. Various groups can use different methods to increase audience interest in concerts, such as performer-audience question and answer sessions.

A Call to the Classiness of Classical Music

Kayleen Kim, Managing Editor | November 8, 2023

Mundane, old-fashioned and complicated. These are the one word responses of some Portola High students to what their perception of live classical music is. The negative perception that has gripped the...

Taylor Swift released her re-recorded album, “1989,” on Oct. 29. The birds on her original album cover were “trapped” on her shirt, but here, they are flying freely, demonstrating the freedom she gained after the fight with her previous label.

Rediscover the Resilience: Get Ready For a Nostalgic Journey Through ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’

Elizabeth Gao, Staff Writer | November 7, 2023

Embrace the rhythm of nostalgia and embark on a captivating journey through Taylor Swift’s re-recorded album “1989 (Taylor’s Version),” which was released on Oct. 27. Alongside familiar tracks...

Whether clubs should be merged is up to debate. Proponents emphasize the communal effects of merging, while critics claim that it dilutes club individuality.

H2H: Should Clubs Be Merged?

November 6, 2023

Freshmen Aman Talib and Paxton Shum paint rocks at Tuesday’s lunchtime activity set up by ASB. Students of all grade levels gathered in the quad to paint rocks with their friends.

ASB Promotes a Drug-Free Lifestyle Through Red Ribbon Week

Nina Krish and Elise Ngo | November 6, 2023

Red Ribbon Week took place from Oct. 23-27 to highlight the importance of living drug-free. The annual drug prevention campaign included various activities such as School Resource Officer Melissa Porter...

Wrongfully convicted of 10-year-old Marcus Tumble’s murder, Jonathan Mollusk (freshman Zubin Bhatia) is pinned to the floor by Tumble’s father (sophomore Alex Lingerfelt) and another assailant, where they proceed to drown him in retribution. In the background, an evidence board — commonly associated with people who have unhealthy obsessions with crime cases — underscores the dubious verdict of Mollusk’s guiltiness.

Fall Play Captures Audience In a ‘Trap’ of Their Own Making

Marianne Chan, Staff Writer | November 3, 2023

A ray of silver mist enveloped the red-clad figure of Ensemble One (senior Kate Abalos) as she uttered the opening lines of ‘Trap’ by Stephen Gregg, beginning a night of twists, turns and psychological...

With the early registration, students feel pressured by CollegeBoard to spend their money on an exam they may not take.

AP-ush Exams: Early Registration Hurts More Than Helps

Stephanie Hwang, Assistant News Editor | November 3, 2023

As AP exam registration starts early in the year, students stress over having to make $110 to $150 commitments when they are unsure whether they want to take the exam. AP exam registration should start...

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