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
In order to prevent the spread of COVID-19, of which playing wind instruments is known to be a superspreader, students are instead learning about musical composition. Though it may be a challenge, students are still able to harness their creativity while becoming familiar with new softwares.

Student Musicians Embrace the Art of Composition

Nate Taylor, Centerspread Editor | October 6, 2020

Distance learning has been a struggle for every collaborative elective class, forcing limits on creativity and constraining cooperation.  To combat this, the instrumental music department has focused...

IUSD will follow procedures for both reopening and closing in case of a COVID-19 outbreak in accordance with the Orange County Department of Education’s guidelines, including the protocol outlined in the above graphic.

First COVID-19 Case Confirmed at Portola High

Jenny Won, Opinion Editor | October 5, 2020

As of Oct. 5, fewer than two weeks since the return to in-person learning on Sept. 24, there is one confirmed COVID-19 case at Portola High out of nine total across Irvine Unified School District (IUSD),...

Senior Angela Kim edited the video, spending approximately ten hours per one minute of footage to piece together the elements, which are all depicted in this video timeline. Her inspiration was Vox, which explains why “The World's Largest Humanitarian Crisis Explained | A Letter to Humanity: Save Yemen” features many handmade graphics and news images.

‘A Letter to Humanity:’ Students’ Video Project Raise Awareness and Funds for Yemen

Charlotte Cao, Co-News Editor | October 5, 2020

When the television turns on, people become inundated with current news, whether it be politics or the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet, all too often, certain events fall through the cracks; the humanitarian crisis...

Assistant principal Jen Ochsner is talking to a former student during snack. She says that because she is comfortable with adapting quickly and problem solving, she enjoys being in an administrative position. “I’m also somebody who enjoys the process of problem solving and enjoys thinking outside the box . . . With a lot of things going on and changing, I am comfortable with that and comfortable with having to shift and adapt to things that change, and things that need to get done,” Ochsner said.

Former Math Teacher Jen Ochsner Joins Administrative Team as Assistant Principal

Bia Shok, Features Editor | October 2, 2020

After former assistant principal Kris Linville transferred to the role of director of Irvine Virtual Academy, former math teacher Jen Ochsner became the third assistant principal as of the 2020-21 school...

Mental Health, an Underlying Epidemic: What Brings You Hope?

Ryne Dunman and Jaein Kim | October 1, 2020

  The Portola Pioneer is the official news and culture podcast of the Portola Pilot, aiming to foster a sense of community and provide a unique storytelling medium to its listeners. In the September...

The fall play, “One Stoplight Town,” will be virtual this year despite the transition to the hybrid model, as there is no definitively safe way of sanitizing every piece of equipment after each student’s use, according to performing arts teacher Samantha Sanford.

Shining the Spotlight: Tech Theater Works a Different Kind of Behind-the-Scenes

Bia Shok, Features Editor | October 1, 2020

Under more typical circumstances, members of both the technical theater and advanced technical theater courses would be fully occupied with the fall play production.  Creating play sets, designing...

How to Support Local OC Businesses During the Pandemic

How to Support Local OC Businesses During the Pandemic

Celine Lee, Staff Writer | October 1, 2020

Social studies teacher Virginia Nguyen began a book club this summer to facilitate anti-racism work within IUSD. Over 80 educators have participated so far. Nguyen uses “So You Want to Talk About Race” by Ijeoma Oluo to guide discussions on how to destigmatize the topic of race and implement these conversations in various environments.

Staff and Students Bring Discussions on Racial Equality to the Classroom

Kelthie Truong, Managing Editor | September 30, 2020

After protests associated with the Black Lives Matter Movement increased the pressure on discussions about systemic racism, teachers and students initiated a series of proposals over the summer that initiated...

With school districts’ increased reliance on remote learning, high-speed internet access at home has become a higher priority for many students. Without a reliable online connection to their classes, students affected by the digital divide have no choice but to be less active participants in their learning.

IUSD Serves as a Model in Bridging Today’s Digital Divide

Ryan Jung, Staff Writer | September 30, 2020

Access to technology plays a significant role in ensuring academic success for today’s students, which has been amplified by the shift to virtual learning due to the spread of COVID-19. However, not...

Many student athletes play in front of college recruiters in order to establish relationships with them.

Student Athletes Try to Find Solutions For College Recruitments

Ava Caleca and Haruka Noda | September 29, 2020

COVID-19 has had a large impact on high school CIF tournaments, students’ college scholarships and college recruitments. Many student athletes are concerned that the pause in games, tournaments and on-campus...

All departments are working on their own equity and social justice based goals to audit their curricula. This is reflected in social studies classrooms through lessons and activities on Black contributions to philosophy, major world events and American culture, according to social studies department chair Jon Resendez.

Teachers Adopt Racially-Diverse Curricula to Support Anti-Racism

Akshay Raj and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | September 28, 2020

Since the IUSD Board of Education adopted Resolution No. 19-20-48 on June 23 to support the Black Lives Matter movement and racial justice in the classroom, teachers have taken steps to address the marginalization...

The facts presented in the podcast may not exactly be the type of facts that you’ll need to know for your American History class, but they’ll definitely make you laugh out loud and put you in an upbeat mood.

Podcast Recommendations for Those Who Don’t Know Where to Start

Celine Lee, Staff Writer | September 25, 2020

With millions of podcasts in dozens of genres and subgenres, the world of podcasts can be intimidating for beginners who don’t know where to start. Here are four podcasts, from daily news to crime, that...

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