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
Clara Ferreira Lopes

Clara Ferreira Lopes, A&E

Clara Ferreira Lopes is the A&E Editor for her second year on the Portola Pilot. She is excited to work with the Pilot staff and create long lasting memories. Outside of the newsroom you can find her performing on stage with her fellow actors, reading cheesy romance novels, being outside in nature surrounded by her loved ones (including her dog named Princess Leia), and hosting themed movie nights where dressing up is imperative.

All content by Clara Ferreira Lopes
Physics teacher Ryan Johnson reads a poem from his phone at an open mic in Long Beach. “For me, its a way of noticing the beauty in everyday life that I, for whatever reason, think that people arent already describing as beautiful,” Johnson said.

Creativity in STEM: Ryan Johnson’s Journey with Poetry

June 1, 2022

Portola High’s Popular Teachers

May 4, 2022

Meet Our Librarian

May 2, 2022
Boys’ lacrosse team captains and juniors Ryan Le and Zane Schatz, sophomore Tyler Le and senior Michael Tashman come together after one of their team practices. The four captains said they believe that they are role models for their team by presenting ambitious yet attentive attitudes.

Team Captains Lead Boys’ LAX to the MAX

April 29, 2022
Simon Hilton, owner of Simon International at Orange County Great Park Farmers Market, talks to customers about his various designs and styles of rings on March 27. The farmers market features items like jewelry and clothes in addition to food items.

A Taste of OC: Exploring the Local Farmers Market

April 22, 2022
Senior and midfielder Dyaln Quant, along with his teammates, tries to secure possession of the ball for the Bulldogs before sprinting toward the Trojan’s goal.

Boys’ Lacrosse Succumbs to University High in 5-16 Shocker

March 30, 2022
When senior Juli Epps originally came up with the tattoo idea, she envisioned the flowers separately, but after discussing what she wanted with her tattoo artist, he designed the flowers into a bouquet. “At first I was just thinking three separate flowers,” Epps said. “But he arranged them in a bouquet, and I liked that.”

Flowers for Family: Senior Honors Generations with Tattoo

March 24, 2022
These are Your Teachers’ Pettiest Pet Peeves

These are Your Teachers’ Pettiest Pet Peeves

March 4, 2022
McCarthy (shown here holding his lacrosse stick) instructs his players to select their jerseys ahead of their first league game against the Woodbridge Warriors on March 7.

Meet Matthew McCarthy: New Boys’ Lacrosse Assistant Coach

March 4, 2022
Quiz: What Christmas Movie Should You Watch?

Quiz: What Christmas Movie Should You Watch?

December 14, 2021
Sophomore Tabatha Perdomo, junior Mia Linville and senior Nicole Phillip use a seam ripper to dismantle a pair of old jeans for their patches.

In with the Old, Out with the New

December 2, 2021
Senior Thivinya Kobbekaduwa holds up a Sri Lankan flag. Kobbekaduwa was born in Sri Lanka and was inspired to give back to her home city of Kobbekaduwa after hearing news of underfunded schools in Sri Lanka from her aunt.

[Photo] Thivinya Kobbekaduwa Helps Underprivileged Sri Lankans Skim Through a New Chapter of Education

November 22, 2021
Freshman Mariana Alvarado-Rivera, junior Gustavo Alvarado-Rivera and their mother Rosana Rivera transform their house into an alien abduction site, using blow-up aliens and skeleton figures. The glow-in-the-dark stickers on the windows and bright lights placed above and near the house illuminate the decorations even during the nighttime.

Check Out these Local Haunts Before They Disappear

October 29, 2021
Thirteen seniors from Portola High were among the 2,100 students who qualified as semifinalists in California by meeting the cutoff score of 221. The number of semifinalists in a state is proportional to the state’s percentage of the national total of graduating seniors, causing cutoff scores to differ by state. All students who meet the cutoff score for their state automatically qualify as semifinalists, regardless of their score relative to others.

Thirteen Seniors Named National Merit Semifinalists During Pandemic PSAT Testing

October 1, 2021
Val Estrada Brings ‘Hope’ to Students and Staff

Val Estrada Brings ‘Hope’ to Students and Staff

September 17, 2021
Senior Samir Behera performs as Mr. Forbes in the play “The Wreck on the 5:25,” the last play of his high school theater career.

[Photo] Senior Samir Behera Takes Theater beyond High School

May 18, 2021
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

May 3, 2021
In order to include a variety of books for the competition, each one was selected based on the genre and writing style. Some prominent titles included Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo and Stronger, Faster, and More Beautiful by Arwen Dayton.

[Photo] Students Compete in First Battle of the Books

March 26, 2021
Freshmen Ashley Tabayoyong, Jaime Lin and Elyse Berger gather together before cheer practice on March 24 along with their other upperclassmen teammates. “I really like having a lot of people to hang around with; its really fun at practice,” Lin said.

Meet the Pep Squad’s Only Three Freshmen

March 26, 2021

New Performance Group Brings Fresh Pop and Rock

February 19, 2021
Junior Camryn Chung aims for a shoot in an endurance drill during water polo practice. Players are not yet allowed to pass balls to one another due to COVID-19 precautions but are permitted to pass to coaches.

Getting Ready to Kick Off Fall Season

February 13, 2021
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

February 9, 2021
One of Youth Action Team’s first at-home projects was an online summer volunteer camp that allowed YAT members to hear from other non-profits like Big Brother Big Sister and Hearts2Heroes and to assist them with other projects, like making care packages.

Student Volunteers Lend a Helping Hand from Home

January 29, 2021
Six students share what they received from friends and family for the 2020 holiday season. Even with the stress of the pandemic and final exams, these presents added joy and relaxation to the students’ lives.

Christmas Presents Create a Cheerful Ending to 2020

January 14, 2021
Harry Styles chose to sing three songs off of his second album. The singer Performed “Fine Line,” “Adore You, “Golden” and “Watermelon Sugar” in front of a vintage airstream van, which contributed to a camping theme.

This Year’s Jingle Ball Had Fans ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’

December 18, 2020
A Glimpse into Student Futures of the Coronavirus Era

A Glimpse into Student Futures of the Coronavirus Era

December 11, 2020
Senior Sonia Goyal and junior Amy Chen perform their socially-distanced number called Bola Rebola. All of Dance Company performed the same dance for the video pep rally, but in small groups of five to seven people.

Student Performers Show School Spirit for the Holiday Season

November 24, 2020
Many students have yearly Thanksgiving plans and traditions that wont be able to occur because of COVID-19. The introduction of video conferencing programs like Zoom create a new way to be around family without in person gathering aspect.

Celebrating Thanksgiving from a Distance

November 23, 2020
The High School Experience : How Freshmen Can Get Involved in High School Life Online

The High School Experience : How Freshmen Can Get Involved in High School Life Online

November 5, 2020

Quarantine Books: What Have Students Been Reading?

November 3, 2020

[Video] A Thrifting Guide to Finding Halloween Costumes

October 21, 2020
With the new hybrid model, teachers and students are changing their learning habits to adapt to the struggles of distance learning.

Teachers and Students Share Struggles with Learning Models

September 23, 2020
The Top of the World, Laguna Beach, is the traditional spot that most Irvine High schools host their senior sunrise, because of the local shops and breakfast spots nearby, and the breathtaking view of the ocean and sky from high elevation.

Seniors Socially Distance at the Top of the World

September 14, 2020
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The student news site of Portola High School
Clara Ferreira Lopes