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

Even through strict limitations and precautions, choir makes the most out of Valentine’s Day, spreading love and friendship through music. “I think that sending out music virtually is a way that we keep our audience engaged and that we continue to be a team or an ensemble that promotes hope,” choir director Adrian Rangel-Sanchez said. “And that promotes positivity through the challenging times that were in.”

Choir Spreads Music and Love with Virtual Valentine’s Grams

Celine Lee and Elizabeth Bank | February 18, 2021

Choir members held a fundraising event from Feb. 1-12 that allowed students and teachers to purchase and send a personalized Valentine's Day video gram of a choir member singing. Choir raised $1,630...

Under COVID-19 precautions, varsity basketball player and freshman Kira Watanabe spends her first year unable to pass balls and play as a team during practice. “We lost summer programming; we lost fall programming,” Brian Barham said. “High school basketball is an adjustment, and its not going to happen overnight for her. But once she adjusts, look out.”

Freshman Kira Watanabe Shoots for the Stars

Celine Lee, Staff Writer | February 17, 2021

Standing at less than five feet tall, freshman Kira Watanabe doesn't scream "basketball player" on a first glance. But all it takes is a few minutes watching her play to realize why Watanabe is the sole...

Students nominated homecoming nominees through a Google Form, in which the student body voted and three nominees from each grade level made it to the finals. Freshmen Josiah Lee, Taisho Shiono and Makena Wong; sophomores Arshia Sista, David Kim and Nathan Ji; juniors Cece Mou, Megan Sha and Celine Aoki; and seniors Zach Smay, Jun Kim and Shishir Ravipati were the homecoming finalists.

Introducing the 2021 Homecoming Royalty

Cara Chan, Business Team | February 16, 2021

While the traditional homecoming dance and game were not able to be held due to COVID-19, Portola High still awarded homecoming royalty on Feb. 4 and 5 to continue tradition, according to ASB adviser Sarah...

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady and his daughter Vivian hold up the Vince Lombardi trophy as they celebrate the Buccaneers win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV.

Super Bowl LV: Buccaneers Win Second Super Bowl, Brady Wins Seventh

Aadi Mehta, Staff Writer | February 12, 2021

Football legend Tom Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to their second Super Bowl win in franchise history, beating the Kansas City Chiefs in their home stadium 31-9 on Feb. 7. Brady was awarded the...

Junior and Mock Trial defendant Megan Sha prepares to perform throughout the first rounds of the competition.

Mock Trial Team is Ready for Action

Michelle Kim and Celine Lee | February 11, 2021

Mock Trial team members see their efforts from summer 2020 to now come together with virtual competitions held Feb. 2-11. The persistence and commitment of each member amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the...

In order to reduce cases, students must follow state and county guidelines while following safety procedures on-campus. Wearing a mask in public places and avoiding crowded areas while maintaining a six feet distance from others is essential.

COVID-19 Dashboard Serves as Accurate Communicator to Irvine Community Members

Aryan Mittal and Bia Shok | February 10, 2021

Irvine Unified School District’s COVID-19 dashboard has been updated accurately since its launch in October 2020 to its most recent update on Feb. 9. The dashboard’s purpose is to transparently communicate...

Another contribution to the musical on TikTok was the creation of the “fake playbill based off of key art by Jess Siswick. Creators collaborated, exchanged ideas, and produced the final product using the PLAYBILLder, a feature offered by Playbill.com that allows artists to create their own professional-quality playbills.

‘Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical’ Reinvents Theatre

Clara Ferreira Lopes and Zara Shirwany | February 9, 2021

There are countless ways a theatrical production can come to fruition, but online musicals might be the new trend. In the last few months of 2020, TikTok creators, as well as professional actors and technicians,...

Using data from CNBC and FactSet, researchers at the Congressional Research Service created a timeline of GameStop share prices and major events that could have contributed to fluctuations in the company’s stock for members and committees of Congress.

GameStop Stock Falls Following Short Squeeze Conditions

Ryan Jung, Staff Writer | February 8, 2021

Users on the stock trading subreddit r/wallstreetbets sounded the alarm in late January that brick-and-mortar video game chain GameStop was being shorted past its number of publicly available shares, leading...

Portola Pilot Staff Reflects on 2020

Ryne Dunman, Staff Writer | February 8, 2021

Click this link to see the video if you are a mobile app user.

American politics revolves around the Democratic and Republican parties; but according to NPR, Americans prefer government between the center. Pushed to choose between two extremes, many do not vote at all.

Americans Don’t Vote, but They Should

Erin Choi, Managing Editor | February 5, 2021

In 1997, my Korean-born parents set off for the United States with a luggage carrier between them. They are now American citizens. My mom watches Hollywood movies without Korean subtitles to decode for...

Members of ASB held the Find the Swedish Fish spirit activity, a nod to Pixars Finding Nemo, during breaks on Feb. 2 and 3. Students took turns trying their hands at locating the fish-shaped candy under one of three cups after a series of shuffles.

Spirit Week Takes Cue from Pixar

Justin Tang, Staff Writer | February 5, 2021

ASB's first spirit week of spring semester, held across two weeks from Jan. 26 to Feb. 5, drew from such Pixar films as "Toy Story" (1995) and "The Incredibles" (2004) to inspire dress-up days, breaktime...

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