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
Mary Lee

Mary Lee, Staff Writer

Mary Lee is a staff writer for her first year on the Portola Pilot. Unless she is refreshing her Google Classroom page to check for any announcements or assignment updates from her teachers, you can find her listening to flutist Sir James Galway and gawking at his impeccable tone and musicality. She hopes to learn about diverse perspectives on and off campus, one pomodoro at a time. Widening her writing experience is a life goal, and she is confident the Portola Pilot will bring her one step closer to reaching it.

All content by Mary Lee
Students themselves benefit most by actively participating in the exercises within their PE class. “Coaches or PE teachers get disappointed because its like, ‘Im not upset that youre not doing what I asked you to do. Im upset that youre going to continue to be like this,’” PE teacher and Athletic Director Peter Abe said. “And thats only going to hurt you long term, which will lead to things that they cant even fathom in terms of illness and disease.”

Yes, PE Classes Are Worth Your Effort

Mary Lee, Staff Writer | April 12, 2024
Junior Bill Song, senior Gabe Mutsvangwa, junior Sophie Guilfoile, junior Evelyn Lai, senior Kate Abalos and junior Mia Jong (left back to front right) represented Portola High at the 2024 IUSD Sacramento student advocacy trip. The trip encourages critical thinking and student engagement in political discussion, according to Resendez. “You have to sit in a room with a legislator, and have the courage to stand up and say, I have a story to tell, and you need to know about it,” Resendez said.

Portola High Students Join Annual IUSD Sacramento Student Advocacy Trip

Mary Lee, Staff Writer | March 21, 2024
Though BookTok encases a wide range of genres and titles, novels are often recommended more for their aesthetic rather than their content, according to Varsity. Many readers do not approach these books critically and can fall into harmful patterns of romanticization that bleed into real life. “I think that some books are promoted as romances when in fact theyre promoting a lot of toxic relationships that people are now perceiving as commonly acceptable,” senior Zara Hommez said. “So I think its important to draw the line between what is constituted as fiction and what is constituted as reality.”

Novel Sensations: Booktok Fans Should ‘Read Between the Lines’

Mary Lee and Catherine Li | February 23, 2024
Junior Yash Malani accepts the first-place award at the IUSD Science and Engineering Fair. “It feels like we accomplished a lot,” Malani said. “It got me looking into the possibility of robotics and the hardware part of computers.”

Portola High Students Win High Honors at 2024 IUSD Science Fair

Mary Lee and Aditi Salunkhe | February 5, 2024
Environmental legislation that directly affects individuals can teach students crucial life skills that can help them with decision-making not only in the environmental sector but also their day-to-day lives.

Environmental Legislation Awareness Opens Doors for Students’ Futures

Mary Lee, Staff Writer | January 9, 2024
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.

You Are Not Alone: Teachers Feel Stressed During Finals Too

Mary Lee, Staff Writer | December 20, 2023

Daylight Savings Should be a Permanent Fixture

Mary Lee and Stephanie Hwang | November 17, 2023

Club Merging is an Opportunity, Not a Deprivation

Mary Lee and Elizabeth Gao | November 6, 2023
Senior Haniya Hassaan and juniors Zoe Nguyen and Anaika Nagireddy prepared their sports and entertainment marketing presentation for a panel of judges. Students were given 10 minutes to prepare for their event and were split into groups of two to three attendees.

Students Stay ‘Busy’ in Portola Business Club’s Fourth Annual Mini-Conference

Aditi Salunkhe and Mary Lee | October 30, 2023
Dance and French teacher Megan Kirby instructs Dance 1 students on the proper form and technique of pique turns. “Theres a lot of learning from mistakes involved and developing skill[s] and having a growth mindset,” Kirby said.

French Teacher Megan Kirby ‘Turns’ to the Dance Studio

Mary Lee and Aditi Salunkhe | October 5, 2023
A geography course can help students learn the importance of critical thinking and understand the world around them on a deeper level. Without such courses, this opportunity may be missed.

Students Deserve to View the World with Geographical Knowledge

Mary Lee, Staff Writer | September 28, 2023
Fears that time is running out and the environment will collapse in the near future has spurred feelings of helplessness and desperation among young individuals. “I think there should be a lot more to be done to educate citizens on how you can take action in ways such as making public comments at city council meetings and just getting to know your representatives in general,” animal and environmental protection club president and senior Katherine Chang said.

Eco-anxiety Is a Step Forward to Saving the Environment

Jana Malek and Mary Lee | April 13, 2023
Science teacher Leanne Jimenez explains the next year’s different course options to eighth-period honors chemistry students on Friday. According to Jimenez, physics is a required course to take in junior year, whether it be a CP or AP level.

Science Teacher Leanne Jimenez Applies Uruguayan Educational Methods in the Classroom

Kayleen Kim and Mary Lee | April 10, 2023
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The student news site of Portola High School
Mary Lee