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

One Last Hurrah: Seniors Revive Childhood With Backpacks

Suhana Kaur, Assistant Opinion Editor | September 15, 2025

Amid the sea of black and neutral-toned backpacks, multicolored and cartoon-covered kiddie backpacks add a pop of color and a nostalgic flair to campus. “Senior backpacks” — children’s backpacks...

Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, “Man’s Best Friend,” has a diverse array of songs that pay homage to older production styles while also showcasing Carpenter’s experimentation.

Sabrina Carpenter’s New Album “Man’s Best Friend” Is Spunky and Retro In All The Right Ways

Sruti Allani and Siri Kolanupaka | September 12, 2025

After releasing her teaser single “Manchild” on June 5, Sabrina Carpenter built anticipation for her new album, “Man’s Best Friend,” which dropped on August 29.  The 12-track record is a creative...

Laufey’s latest album, “A Matter of Time,” continues her signature blend of jazz, pop and classical influences, earning a spot among this summer’s standout releases.

These Summer Releases Make the Season ‘Feel Like Forever’

Alice Ahn, Co-Editor-in-Chief | September 11, 2025

After the flashy, ‘bratty’ burnout of summer 2024, summer 2025 arrived like a long, overdue exhale. The drama faded, the BPMs slowed and the season drifted by in a haze of soft synths and breezy hooks....

Students eagerly receive face paint at the back-to-school tailgate. “The tailgate is definitely a good way to welcome the students of Portola and bring people together,” junior class president Lauren Slade said. “Seeing all of these people have fun makes me feel good as a member of ASB who put a lot of work into this event.”

Beach-Themed Back-to-School Tailgate Launches Bulldogs into New School Year

Siri Kolanupaka, Opinion Editor | September 9, 2025

To celebrate the start of a new school year, Portola High hosted the Beach Bash back-to-school tailgate in the campus quad on Aug. 22 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. For underclassmen, the event was their first...

Freshman Ben Matusda tees off on the ninth hole.

Boys’ Golf Takes a Mulligan: Shooting for a Par-fect Next Season

Moer Koey, Staff Writer | June 7, 2025

Boys’ Golf (8-1) faced a hard fought loss on May 20 with a score of 386 in their CIF match against 20 teams at Bear Valley Country Club. Despite the defeat, the team looks forward to a new season with...

While developing the expansion of bus routes in Irvine, Irvine’s city council aims to reduce traffic of all kinds, especially traffic around schools. “I want to make sure these shuttles are accessible to students,” said Irvine city council member Kathleen Treseder. “One of the things we've prioritized as we're designing our routes is to make sure that they go by as many high schools as possible, and also possible middle and elementary schools, because we want students to be able to take those to school. The traffic around schools is terrible. So, the more people we can get onto the shuttles, the better the drop off will be for everybody else.”

All Aboard: Irvine CONNECT Plans for a Shuttle Bus Expansion

Tamara Bradley, Staff Writer | June 6, 2025

Irvine CONNECT plans to add an additional bus and five more bus stops located near UCI, Portola Parkway, Jamboree, West Barranca and Great Park in July. On April 22, the Irvine City Council voted to...

Canta Bella member and junior Bella Valencia performs a solo during the ensemble’s performance of “Stay” by Rihanna. “I always enjoyed watching the Treblemakers, the all guys group, because they always have really fun dances,” Portola Singers member and junior Jaskiran Singh said. “I also loved Bella Valencia's solo and Portobella song.”

Seniors, Solos and Standing Ovations: the Annual Pops Concert was a Night to Remember

Nina Krish and Zoha Syed | June 5, 2025

The annual choir Pops Concert honoring the class of 2025 through a mix of celebration and nostalgia took place in the Performing Arts Center on May 30. There was a dynamic lineup including pieces from...

Irvine is seeing major developments with the upcoming Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum and T&T grocery store, while UC Irvine and Portola High School earn prestigious awards. The city’s recent growth reflects a commitment to culture, education and sustainability, bringing more diversity to the city, according to IUSD.org and UC Irvine Digest.

News Recap: Irvine Grows as a Dynamic City

Siri Kolanupaka and Nicole Lu | June 3, 2025

Many new changes are being announced that are significantly affecting residents; from new museums to new exhibitions, many different types of amenities are coming to the city. The Flying Leatherneck Aviation...

A Look Into the Readers Who Ran Portola’s First Ever Graphic Novel Festival

Claire Liu, Centerspread Editor | June 3, 2025

The steady rise in the popularity of conventions like Comic Con and MegaCon spells an optimistic outlook on the future of graphic novels and comics. Likewise, the Learning Commons introduced its own...

Basketball athlete Audrey Shiono decorates her backpack and her water bottle to bond with her teammates by making something unique to them that encourages her during games. “I got my first Squishmallow keychain at Walgreens shopping with my friend because she said that it represents my personality,” Shiono said. “My other friend then bought me the blue Squishmallow keychain for the same reason. I love having them on my bag as a reminder of staying positive while playing and practicing.”

Form and Function: How Athletes Decorate Their Gear for Team Bonding and Self-Expression

Stephanie Hwang and Mary Lee | June 3, 2025

Whether it be through candy, post-game dinners or group activities, athletic teams have found ways to bond together, but one that most may not know about is gear. Even something as small as matching water...

“Lilo & Stitch” brought in over $300 million at the global box office, far surpassing its $85 million production budget, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Live Action “Lilo & Stitch” Film ‘Stitches’ Together a Story of Family and Love

Aditi Salunkhe, Co-News Editor | June 2, 2025

A live action remake of Disney’s “Lilo and Stitch” was released in theaters on May 23. Directed by Dean Fleischer Camp, known for the “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” series, the film reignites...

Kendrick Lamar and SZA took the stage at SoFi Stadium on May 21, 2025, for their 11th show together.

Kendrick Lamar and SZA deliver mesmerizing performance during their Grand National Tour

Olivia Ganes, Assistant Sports Editor | May 30, 2025

American rapper Kendrick Lamar and singer SZA performed the first of three consecutive shows delivering a memorable performance that highlighted their artistry during their Grand National Tour, May 21...

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