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
Opinion
Students often feel unheard in their school environment, but by taking the Panorama Survey seriously, they can make their voices count and drive meaningful change on campus.
Make Your Mark: Why the Panorama Survey Deserves Student Attention
Alice Ahn and Kelly Yeh | March 17, 2025
Students need to learn a second language in order to reap the positive effects people gain from language learning such as an improved level of cultural awareness and a boost in one’s brain reserves.
More Than Just a Requirement: Why Multilingualism Matters
Nora Aljazzar, Staff Writer | March 10, 2025
Americans are set to purchase about 75 million pounds of chocolate on Valentine's Day 2025, according to Tasting Table. This Valentine’s Day, lovers should opt for a thoughtful and personal way to express their affection rather than relying on pricey, mass-produced gifts.
Don’t Let Cupid Drain Your Wallet This Valentine’s Day, Opt For Meaningful Gifts Instead
Sonia Wang and Aditi Salunkhe | February 14, 2025
Science rolling chairs negatively affect student learning by creating distractions, according to chemistry student and sophomore Sayed Adil. “Every time I get up and sit down, it moves around,” Adil said. “It's distracting in class whenever we're finished with [a] test. Some people just fidget around with it and make some noises.”
‘Rolling’ into Frustration: Science Classrooms Should Replace Rolling Chairs
Sonia Wang and Senna Kahf | November 18, 2024
California Proposition 2 and 32 are heavily impactful to students both short-term and in the long-run. If passed, these propositions could negatively increase Californians’ tax debts but positively increase minimum wage.
The Pros and Cons of California Proposition 32 and 2
Nicole Lu and Moer Koey | November 6, 2024
As global events continue to unfold, students need to stay informed with facts and be vigilant in guarding against misinformation. “Whatever is happening in Ukraine or in Gaza has an immediate impact on our lives, and it is incredibly important to stay aware about what is going on in the outside world if we want to make a positive change,” Girnita said. “You want to be able to stay informed and contribute to your community in any way you can because the reality is we are not the leaders of tomorrow, we are the leaders of today.”
Students Should Stay Aware of Global Conflicts and Be Wary of Misinformation
Aditi Salunkhe and Moer Koey | October 30, 2024
Offshore wind energy is a key example of the complexities of renewable energy sources. The public should interpret the word “renewable” with caveats as there are many side effects, both positive and negative, along with a lack of information surrounding the newer technologies that fall under this category.
Renewable Energy Sources Are Not As Straightforward As You May Think
Mary Lee, Assistant A&E Editor | October 28, 2024
This is an example of the type of AI-generated image (created by Midjourney) that has been used on social media platforms like X, Instagram and Facebook in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Although it is easier than the actual fake hurricane images to prove these images are fake because of the pixelated nose, it is still important to practice media literacy to be able to recognize deepfakes such as these.
Do Not Fall into the ‘Storm’ of AI Generation
Nora Aljazzar and Stephanie Hwang | October 22, 2024
The new club policy has potential clubs applying at the end of the year instead of the beginning, a process initially proposed by the ASB advisers, according to junior and club commissioner Nami Motwani. “There was a lot of discourse throughout the entirety of our whole club process to do it a year earlier, just because it makes one of my jobs easier,” Motwani said. “It also makes sure that clubs are able to socialize and kind of market through the beginning of the school year.”
New Year, New Policy: How the New Club Policy Brings Positive Changes
Sonia Wang and Suhana Kaur | October 9, 2024
Musicians today have a large influence on their fans, and sometimes their fans are affected by the words they say. Thus, it is important for fans to form their own opinions rather than sorely listening to their favorite artists’ takes on political and social issues.
Follow the Music, Not the Musicians
Stephanie Hwang and Nora Aljazzar | October 3, 2024
The new phone guidelines spark engagement in various class settings since students are no longer allowed to use their cell phones and must devote their attention to learning instead. “My [advisement] students are more engaged in whatever's happening,” Principal John Pehrson said. “[By] having the cell phones put aside, now they can just naturally get their heads up and interact with people around them.”
New Phone Practice ‘Disconnects’ Students From Their Phones to ‘Connect’ Them to Class
Nicole Lu and Kayley Winata | September 25, 2024
The U.S. Men’s Gymnastics Team won bronze at the 2024 Olympics, which ended a 16-year-long Olympic medal drought, according to NPR. “Since it became kind of popular over the course of the Olympics, more boy gymnasts kind of see themselves represented in a very highly televised event, where usually it doesn't happen,” former gymnast and senior Hutchison said. “A lot of the promotion for gymnastics is focused on female gymnasts instead of male gymnasts, so it trending over time is really helpful.”
Defying Gravity and Expectations, Men’s Representation in Gymnastics Soars to New Heights
Mia Jong and Dania Yamani | September 24, 2024
Portables on campus have varying levels of quality control — although some teachers have reported little issues, other teachers such as business teacher Katherine Dillon have had to deal with issues such as malfunctioning ACs. “My air conditioning wasn't working for the first two or three weeks, and it was reaching temperatures in the classroom of 87 degrees when we had students in the classroom,” Dillon said. “I had to go teach in the Learning Commons two times when it got unbearable.”
The Pitfalls of the Portables: Maintain Better Quality Control for Portables
Sonia Wang and Senna Kahf | September 19, 2024
Arranging something as subjective as an album in a definitive list is borderline impossible. But there is one thing that music lovers seem to agree on, and Apple Music does not: “An album is a bit of everything,” sophomore Aditya Nair said. “The biggest thing you have to factor in is the impact the album had on people…This can’t be labeled the top 10 or 100 albums of all time.”
Does Apple Music’s 100 Best Albums Ranking “Skip” Too Many Great Ones?
Claire Liu, Staff Writer | June 7, 2024
Casting people of color in media is beneficial in providing representation and telling diverse stories, according to math teacher Jessica Torres. As a first-generation Mexican-American, she feels inspired by Hispanic influencers sharing their stories online and hopes to see future popular media reflect diverse experiences.
Swapping the Roles: Disney Should Continue Casting POC in Live-Action Remakes
Camille Clement and Catherine Li | June 4, 2024
Local community colleges, including Irvine Valley College and Saddleback College, as well as the University of California system, use Canvas as their primary learning management system. Thus, in order to prepare students for higher education, Canvas should be implemented early on in students’ careers.
Full-Fledged Learning Management Systems Benefit Everyone: Why Canvas Triumphs Google Classroom
Michael Sun and Maitri Allani | May 22, 2024
As time progresses, the spotlight on mental health intensifies, illuminating the pervasive stigma that continues to cause difficulties for those in need. It's time to rewrite this narrative, to embrace empathy over stigma and to create a community where mental well-being is a shared priority.
It’s Time to Destigmatize the Meaning of Mental Health
Sky Nguyen and Elizabeth Gao | May 21, 2024
When Caitlin Clark, the No. 1 pick of the WNBA draft, was revealed to receive a significantly lower wage than Victor Wembanyama, last year’s NBA No. 1 pick, injustice towards female athletes became evident to sports viewers. “It needs to balance out a little bit more, especially now with Caitlin Clark and everything that she's done for women's college basketball,” prospective Wellesley college girls’ basketball player and senior Emaleena Elson said. “She's brought in so many more viewers and so much more attention to the WNBA. So at the end of the day, if the wage gap is about viewers, then shouldn't it be more balanced now?”
A ‘Slam Flunk’ in Sports: Caitlin Clark Controversy Stirs up Gender Pay Gap Discussion
Kayley Winata and Sonia Wang | May 1, 2024
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The student news site of Portola High School
Opinion