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
Claire Liu

Claire Liu, Humor Editor

Claire Liu is the Humor Editor and a Business Manager for her third and final year on the Portola Pilot. This year, she will try her best not to double the given word count. If she’s not in a depressive mood because of the state of the country, you can find her listening to dead jazz players, watching long-form improv sessions or crying because Sonia is no longer her boss.

All content by Claire Liu
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has gained a stunning amount of traction on X, garnering 480 million views in August alone. “At least in my experience with political science, there's a correlation between people who consume political media and people who actually vote,” Social Studies Department Chair Jon Resendez said. “So, I think what you're getting is a not insignificant percentage of the actual voting population to see your media, and that feedback loop is going to continue to inspire him and his team.”

Gavin Newsom’s New Press Strategy Is Certainly “News-Some”

Claire Liu and Stephanie Hwang | September 23, 2025

A Look Into the Readers Who Ran Portola’s First Ever Graphic Novel Festival

Claire Liu, Centerspread Editor | June 3, 2025
American rapper, singer and producer 2hollis just released his fourth album, “star.” It is a bright and exhilarating new chapter of the artist’s fame.

[Photo] A Rising ‘Star’ Just Dropped the ‘Flashiest’ Album

Sophia Kim, Staff Writer | April 16, 2025
Every year on Presidents’ Day, a few celebrated American presidents come to mind: Abraham Lincoln, George Washington and Franklin D. Roosevelt, for example. Yet, despite the differences in every president’s administration, a few things make some especially celebrated. “I think the presidents that stand out as being really important throughout history all have charismatic personalities,” social studies teacher Taryn Sorrentino said. “I think they appeal to large groups of people. I think they portray a willingness to help people and I think they portray a sense of home to the American people, especially during times of hardship or distress.”

A Lookback on Presidents’ Day: Who are Portola High’s Favorite Presidents?

Claire Liu, Back Page Editor | February 28, 2025
Members of the National Ethics Bowl Club compete at the Southern California Regional High School Ethics Bowl at Chapman University. “When we’re in competition season, meetings become a lot more structured and focused, though things still have a tendency to get a bit chaotic sometimes,” president and junior Moses An said. “It’s a collaborative process, and we put a lot of focus on teamwork.”

National Ethics Bowl Club Discusses the Difficult Questions of Life

Stephanie Hwang and Claire Liu | February 25, 2025
The Grammy Awards shine bright as artists, producers and industry legends gather to celebrate the year’s best in music. With stunning performances, emotional speeches and shocking wins, the night is sure to be one to remember. Who will take home the coveted Golden Gramophone?

2025 Grammys: Predicting Who Will Dominate Music’s Biggest Night

Claire Liu and Aditi Salunkhe | January 31, 2025
Freshman Katie Tseo takes a focused swing at the tee box. The game started off well because of birdies on early holes, which rippled into good holes later on, according to head coach Wind Ralston.

Girls’ Golf ‘Strikes’ to Success Against University High and Makes Individual and Team CIF

Stephanie Hwang and Claire Liu | October 31, 2024
The recently implemented Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) policy that standardizes temperature settings has centered attention on the classroom environment rather than learning class materials. “We spend a lot of time trying to make sure that students are continuing to be engaged,” English teacher Cale Kavanaugh said. “And so we think through a lot of different factors with that, and one factor is environment.”

[Photo] Teachers Should Have Control over Classroom Air Conditioning

Sky Nguyen and Nicole Ferguson | October 23, 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.

[Photo] 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.”

[Photo] New Year, New Policy: How the New Club Policy Brings Positive Changes

Sonia Wang and Suhana Kaur | October 9, 2024
Vocalist of Crocs ‘N’ Socks and junior Suah Yang bundles up in a cardigan and black sunglasses for the cozy “Sweater Weather” by The Neighbourhood. “I’ve loved to sing since I was a little kid,” Yang said. “I’ve been doing choir for a long time, but last year Mr. Traska was like, ‘oh why don’t you do studio music,’ because I love to perform pop songs, and with a band. Performing it gives me joy because expressing my feelings through music is really fun.”

A Showdown for the Ages: Student Bands Rock the Stage

Claire Liu and Annie Xiao | October 15, 2024
Freshman Joyce Huang finishes her swing at the first green, making sure to keep herself in the right mental state. “I would work on fixing my mindset,” Huang said. “I was frustrated on the first few holes, but I had to switch my mindset back. You’re affected by the last few shots when you’re frustrated, but you need to focus on the next few and shoot well.”

Girls’ Golf “Swings” the Odds in Their Favor Against Rosary High

Stephanie Hwang and Claire Liu | October 7, 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.

[Photo] Follow the Music, Not the Musicians

Stephanie Hwang and Nora Aljazzar | October 3, 2024
Vice President Kamala Harris shakes hands with former President Donald Trump at the second presidential debate. As the election nears its final stretch, both Harris and Trump are busy proving to voters that they are prepared to steer the country away from crisis. “I would like someone that has an actual plan,” AP Economics teacher James Ferrel said. “But I also want an element of humbleness to understand that their plan may not be perfect, and they may adjust as needed. Effective leadership requires them to make those difficult decisions.”

Harris vs. Trump: The 2024 Presidential Debate

Claire Liu and Sky Nguyen | September 17, 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

S4 Episode 04: Turning Pages: Exploring Summer Reads with Three Portola High English Teachers

Tyler Kim, Catherine Li, and Claire Liu | May 29, 2024
Senior Jesper Nguyen jams out on his melodica as Jazz I’s marching band line slowly unravels in front of the amphitheater. “Our current jazz pianist, Jesper Nguyen, is really good,” pianist and sophomore Neo Tian said. “I feel like I have to honor him by stepping up to his expectations and filling his shoes next year.”

Turning Back Time: Annual Jazz Night Concert Rewinds Back to Improvisational Roots

Claire Liu, Staff Writer | May 17, 2024
Boys’ lacrosse huddles after the first quarter as the coaches briefly run through the plays of the game. “Let’s do the best we can because for some of us this is the last time we’ll ever play,” head coach Michael Harriger said.

Boys’ Lacrosse Raises Valiant Fight Against Woodbridge High During Final Game

Claire Liu, Staff Writer | May 3, 2024
Taking sick days when you are not sick makes it unfair for students who are actually ill and harder for teachers to fairly create make-up tests. “It's getting harder for us to distinguish sick students because students are just saying they're ill when in reality they're not,” AP Physics and engineering teacher Anthony Pham said. “We're at a point where we should consider just always having a different, harder exam for students no matter what the scenario might be, which will really hurt students that are actually sick and who need the time to recover before they can study.”

[Photo] A Doctor’s Note on Test Day Keeps the ‘Sick’ Students Away

Stephanie Hwang and Jordan Hata | April 29, 2024
As an experienced jazz musician, Nia Chhen Stewart thoroughly displayed her enthusiasm for the genre while performing a solo for “Over the Rainbow.” “I've never done a [solo] where all the attention was on me,” Stewart said. “It was really nerve wracking but also empowering to be singled out for the piece.”

All that Jazz: IUSD Jazz Ensemble Festival Spellbinds Audience

Marianne Chan and Claire Liu | April 12, 2024
A ban on the sale of fur clothing is the most straightforward way to discourage animal cruelty. “Fashion brands that use real fur have no regard for animal welfare,” Biology Club member and sophomore Grace Li said. “That’s why more and more public attention is being directed towards fur alternatives.”

Faux Fur, Real Ethics: Why It Is Time for the United States to Ban Fur

Claire Liu, Staff Writer | April 10, 2024
Students need to normalize taking a variety of classes that are not necessarily APs so that they have non stressful and fun classes in between their more challenging ones. “I’m not against APS,” junior Nero Xu said. “I think APs are a good challenge and can help you look good for colleges. What I’m against is students cramming APs even though they clearly don’t like it or are overwhelmed by it.”

[Photo] APs or Actually Problematic?

Elizabeth Gao and Stephanie Hwang | March 29, 2024
The Ultimate Gift Giving Guide

The Ultimate Gift Giving Guide

Shaina Taebi and Claire Liu | December 22, 2023
Although the stream of assessments may seem endless as 2023 comes to a close, students should become more aware of the stress teachers face. This new perspective can help students take steps to alleviate the pressure on educators’ shoulders and potentially abate the amount of pressure they face during exam season.

[Photo] You Are Not Alone: Teachers Feel Stressed During Finals Too

Mary Lee, Staff Writer | December 20, 2023
The sense of accomplishment that students feel after receiving a ticket pushes them to be better. “The fact that people acknowledge their good deeds and give them credit for it makes students want to be even better in order to receive more attention,” according to junior Madison Lee.

[Photo] Person of Ticket: Why PRIDE Tickets Should Be Digitized

Stephanie Hwang, Assistant News Editor | November 27, 2023
Whether clubs should be merged is up to debate. Proponents emphasize the communal effects of merging, while critics claim that it dilutes club individuality.

[Photo] H2H: Should Clubs Be Merged?

November 6, 2023
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S4 Episode 01: Delving Into the Diverse Music Tastes of Students

Marianne Chan and Claire Liu | October 17, 2023
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The student news site of Portola High School
Claire Liu