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

Seniors passions have led them to a variety of colleges and universities — some across the country and others right at home.

Seniors Make Major Decisions for Future Success

Ava Caleca and Justin Tang | May 7, 2021

As the 2020-21 school year draws to a close, seniors are making plans to pursue their passions in a multitude of colleges. With hundreds of majors to choose from, settling on a single field of study for...

Moon works on uploading listings of his newest items, packs of collectible basketball cards, onto his computer. Each sale involves careful research and calculation of the market value, consumer demand and potential profit margin of the product, which Moon has perfected over the past two years.

Student Small Businesses: eCommerce Company Takes Senior to the Moon

Jenny Won, Opinion Editor | May 6, 2021

As you scroll through listings on eBay or Amazon, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of items to choose from. But if you look carefully enough, there is a chance you will stumble upon an item sold by...

The effects of climate change will become irreversible by 2030 unless drastic measures are taken to protect the planet, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “I feel like every day should be Earth Day. It’s important to recognize just how precious the planet that we live on is,” science teacher Michael Tang said. “There’s nothing like it. As of now, we don’t know of any planet that’s habitable like ours, and so its very important for us to learn and to remember that we need to be good stewards of the Earth.”

Students and Staff Plant Awareness to Celebrate Earth Day

Emma Haag and Lauren Hsu | May 5, 2021

From the rapidly-worsening air quality in major cities to recent Silverado fires in Orange County, people across the globe have been impacted by the devastating effects of climate change. But on April...

If implemented, vaccine passports will violate privacy rights and make it harder for people to travel because of low vaccine availability in the country.

The United States Should Not Move Forward with Vaccine Passports

Aadi Mehta, Staff Writer | May 4, 2021

Vaccine passports will allow people to only board an airplane if they are vaccinated from infectious diseases. While it may help people feel safer on a plane, it should not be required for traveling because...

Holocaust Survivor Returns to Tell his Story Amid Rising Antisemitism

Holocaust Survivor Returns to Tell his Story Amid Rising Antisemitism

Nate Taylor, Centerspread & Photo Editor | May 3, 2021

  Author and Holocaust survivor Sam Silberberg met via Zoom call with over 130 social studies students on April 19 to recount his story. During the hour-and-a-half talk, Silberberg described...

Deciding which college to attend is a large milestone during high school. Although it is not the most common choice, choosing to attend community college can provide various benefits financially and mentally.

The Power of Attending Community College Is Underestimated

Clara Ferreira Lopes and Haruka Noda | May 3, 2021

A stigma tends to surround students when first hearing that someone is going to community college, which can become overwhelming for seniors who are committing to colleges. However, students should give...

While on a trip to the United Kingdom, a newly college-graduated Wind Ralston stands on the St. Andrews golf course, which is regarded as the birthplace of golf in the 15th century, according to Guinness World Records.

Wind Ralston: From High School Golf Player to Golf Coach

Ryne Dunman and Jenny Won | April 30, 2021

At first glance, golf may seem like a lonely sport, as each player stands on their own in front of the tee with the vast greens before them. But at Portola High, each golf player has the warmth of coach...

Senior Natalie Yu constructs a prototype of a small mechanical ‘automata box’ during Introduction to Engineering Design, which was first introduced as a course option for the 2020-21 school year. The debut of Principles of Engineering next school year is the second step of a collaborative effort between engineering teacher Anthony Pham, principal John Pehrson and IUSD’s ROP/CTE division to create an engineering pathway for Portola High students.

New Engineering Course Builds Framework for Hands-On Learning

Justin Tang, Staff Writer | April 29, 2021

For the 2021-22 school year, Portola High plans to offer a new science elective: Principles of Engineering.  The technical class, designed to build upon the existing Introduction to Engineering Design...

Right forward and junior Krista Calkins uses her body to protect the ball from the Vaqueros’ defender with hopes of finding another forward to drive it up the field. Calkins was substituted in for Song in the last seven minutes of the half.

Girls’ Soccer Scores Victory and Redemption against the Vaqueros

Claudia Lin, Co-News Editor | April 29, 2021

Girls’ soccer (3-4-1) won 1-0 in the stadium against Irvine High on April 20, following a tough loss against University High on April 16. Their next game is scheduled against Northwood High at 3:15...

From haikus to free verse, poetry has the ability to touch our hearts by directly addressing the emotions that are difficult to properly explain.

A ‘Love Letter’ to Poetry

Charlotte Cao, News Editor | April 28, 2021

Like satin, the syllables slip off of structured stanzas, stumbling then settling into the softened recesses of my heart. I swallow, and then this art, this poem, plummets, like stone, like a cherry pit,...

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