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
From Game Plans to Lesson Plans: Teachers Who Shined as Varsity Athletes

From Game Plans to Lesson Plans: Teachers Who Shined as Varsity Athletes

Senna Kahf and Dania Yamani | January 8, 2025

From creating lesson plans to grading exams, teachers are no strangers to juggling commitments. For some teachers, this skill was developed during their own years in high school as they balanced varsity...

After the 2024 Earl Engman, a track relay invitational, Skeete and the hurdles team pose for a photo. “I [like] making connections with people,” Skeete said. “I still keep in touch with a few friends from water polo and track, and they're some of my closest friends now.”

Olivia Skeete: How One Athlete Excels in Multiple Sports

Tamara Bradley and Jinseo Hong | January 7, 2025

While juggling academics with a demanding sports schedule is no easy feat, for junior Olivia Skeete, it is a part of everyday life.  “I [enjoy] making connections with people,” Skeete said....

Workers and volunteers join together in the Operation Christmas Child processing center in Orange County to assemble charity boxes filled with toys and basic necessities for children in need.

Operation Christmas Child Gives Joy To Children This Holiday Season

Nora Aljazzar, Staff Writer | January 6, 2025

Samaritan’s Purse launched their national collection week of Operation Christmas Child from Nov. 18 to 25. Operation Christmas Child allows donors to pack shoe boxes with school supplies, toys and hygienic...

Senior Bianca Morrell catches a pass while playing offense during the LA Chargers Girls’ Flag All-Star game. “I was ecstatic—playing on the fields where the LA Rams get to play, and working with coaches who've had experience with flag football, and playing around with girls who like to compete and who want to win,” Morrell said.

Senior Bianca Morrell is ‘Flagged’ for Success

December 20, 2024

Selected to participate in the Los Angeles Chargers Girls Flag All-Star game on Nov. 25 at SoFi Stadium, flag football player and senior Bianca Morrell played for the Orange County team. OC beat LA...

Student-led acapella group Portobellas delivers a captivating performance of "The Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams. Portola Singer, Portobella director and senior Sara Haidar, said that their repertoire was highly advanced, demanding both precision and harmony. She said she has formed strong bonds with her fellow choir members over the years. "Choir is such a community," she said. "I guess what I'll miss the most is just being with such a cool group of people, getting to work with people that you probably would never work with otherwise."

Choir’s ‘Spellbinding’ Performance Sells Out the Spirit of the Season Concert, Turning Fans Away for the First Time

Zoha Syed, Staff Writer | December 19, 2024

Choir made history during its annual Spirit of the Season concert on Dec. 6, selling out completely and exceeding the theatre's capacity. All four choir levels were accompanied by Portobella, the Philharmonic...

Point guard and junior Lucas Ip fights to score a basket between two defenders. “I think one of our strengths is shooting,” Ip said. “We have a lot of good 3-point shooters, and then we have a lot of players that are able to drive and facilitate the offense, which allows us to get these 3-pointers.”

Boys’ Basketball Faces Loss in Close Game Against El Toro High

Maya Tedini and Hannah Ko | December 19, 2024

Boys’ basketball (5-5) lost 72-75 in a pre-league game against El Toro High on Dec. 5. Their next game is on Dec. 19 against Beckman High at 7 p.m. at home. The Bulldogs started off in the lead and...

Point guard and junior Maddy Nguyen, combo guard and freshman Yuri Ha and shooting guard and sophomore Kelcie Fan kicked off the new girls’ basketball season together. “I love this team because there’s just more chemistry,” Nguyen said. “Just being able to play with them is just a great opportunity for me to be happy, have fun and enjoy my junior year.”

Here are Some Players to Watch Out For as Girls’ Basketball ‘Shoots’ into the New Season

Catherine Li and Kailyn Clark | December 18, 2024

Girls’ basketball (4-8) kicked off the season on Nov. 19, bringing in new players and excitement to the team. Here are three players to look out for during the new season: point guard and junior Maddy...

Captain, center-back and senior Malaika Fawzi takes a free kick from the 32-yard line in the first half. “I think that my role as captain is leading them both on and off the field,” Fawzi said. “Even if we’re down or we mess up or we get scored on, I’m making sure that everyone is working towards a positive goal and bringing each other up.”

Girls’ Soccer Holds Chargers to Tie, Setting Momentum for Season Ahead

Ruhi Samudra and Parmin Zamani | December 17, 2024

Girls’ soccer (1-1-2) tied 1-1 in their recent home game against El Toro High on Dec. 5. Their next game will be at home against Dana Hills High on Dec. 19.  In the opening minutes, the Chargers...

Peer tutoring adviser and math teacher Ran Gu supervises the program in the Learning Commons. “It is very interesting to see how students interact with other students,” Gu said. You're rarely ever put into a position where you have to explain something. As a teacher myself, I found that I learned a lot in trying to teach someone else, and I enjoy coaching students how to teach other students.”

Cultivating Collaboration: The Teachers Behind Portola’s Peer Tutoring Program

Kayley Winata and Dania Yamani | December 16, 2024

With many changes to the peer tutoring program in the past year, such as the relocation to the Learning Commons, new teacher advisers and signing-in processes, the peer tutoring staff has been hard at...

Goalie and senior Giselle Lu leaps up in the water and attempts to block a shot made by Long Beach Polytechnic High. Similarly, utility player Serena Wang managed to make several crucial saves. “We didn’t have as many members of defense as their offense, but we were able to stop the goals and shut them down because we helped each other by basically crashing onto the person with the ball and taking the ball,” Wang said.

Girls’ Water Polo Persists Through Teamwork Despite Tough Loss

Alice Ahn and Kelly Yeh | December 13, 2024

Girls’ water polo (4-3) lost 12-7 at its home match on Dec. 5 against Long Beach Polytechnic High. The Bulldogs’ next games will be at the Corona Christmas Invitational on Dec. 20. The game kicked...

During her English Language Development class, social studies teacher Taryn Sorrentino walks around the room, assisting students during work time. As an AP instructor, she emphasizes the importance of time management. “The first couple of weeks of school, it comes as a shock to students how much they are required to read and how much time it's going to take to really master the content of this course,” Sorrentino said. “The biggest skill I hope to teach students is just how to manage their time and also being mindful of all the things that they sign up for.”

Meet Portola High’s New AP Human Geography Teacher

Zoha Syed and Kelly Yeh | December 12, 2024

This year, social studies teacher Taryn Sorrentino is bringing a fresh perspective to AP Human Geography at Portola High, blending real-world connections with classroom lessons. When the honors point for...

“Moana 2” rehashes the original film in an uncreative way, falling flat in plot structure and storytelling despite captivating visuals and upbeat songs. Unlike the original “Moana” (2016), the sequel included songs that were eerily similar to the first and shallow new characters that fail to entertain.

“Moana 2” Is a Sequel that’s Lost at Sea

Siri Kolanupaka and Sruti Allani | December 9, 2024

Following the $643 million box office success of the original “Moana” in 2016, fans of the franchise were eager to see what the sequel, released on November 27, would bring as the first movie delivered...

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