Mary Lee, Managing Editor
Mary Lee is a Managing Editor for her third and final year on the Portola Pilot. While immersing herself in ambient pomodoro music or playing Korean music on full blast, she enjoys reading the Metropolitan Diary section from The New York Times and sharing stories with family members. Throughout this school year and beyond, she hopes to discover more sources of genuine fulfillment. She looks forward to writing stories on topics she cares about while building lasting relationships with the school community.
![Following their game against La Quinta High on Feb. 25, the softball team debriefs with head softball coach Kevin and prepares for a chant. “I feel like Coach Kevin instilled a very positive environment,” co-captain and junior Irene Kim said. “Seeing the passion that the girls who have never played the sport [have] and seeing their progress throughout the season makes me feel so proud. Seeing that kind of passion and hope gives me hope for the future of this program.”](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/edited-1200x800.jpg)
![The Badminton Club poses for a team picture at a CIF tournament at Cerritos High. While the club has formed a team for the Open Freelance League, they continue to push for Badminton to become an official sport at Portola High. “It [has] taken a lot of contact with the office and especially the athletic director Mr. Abe because he needs to approve everything, and it's been difficult at times, but it's also given a lot of good moments and memories and times for us too,” club vice president and sophomore Ian Tan said.](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/editedphoto-1200x900.jpg)
![For head coach Kevin Gough, the Feb. 25 game was his first win as a new coach. “I feel great,” Gough said. “But we still go back to the drawing board tomorrow. We're practicing tomorrow, work on the things that we need to work on, then we’re going back to a game [in several days].”](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/imageedited-1200x800.jpg)
![Tech specialist III Marco Maldonado helps students and staff through the Helpdesk ticket system via email. “I tend to be here in the morning,” Maldonado said. “[I am] waiting to see if I get tickets needing me to assist in something in the classroom that could inhibit them from teaching.”](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/7376Edited-1200x675.jpeg)
![Juniors Jessica Choi and Gia Phatarphekar and senior Caren Hsin step into graphic design by experimenting with creative freedom. “I just think you have to try [graphic design] to see what it’s like,” Phatarphekar said. “A lot of my friends, last year, they took the class and they ended up really liking it. [It] can be really free and creative.”](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Graphic-Design-Collage-1200x675.png)
![Project Success Specialist Megan Olsen chats with students in the Zen Den during lunch. “Even if it's just popping in the door and saying, ‘Hi, Ms. Olsen,’ sometimes that's enough to brighten your day,” Olsen said. “I know it is for us [teachers].
So, I hope students know that they can just do that.”](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/IMG_6216-copy-1-1200x675.jpg)
![Freshman Nikitha Thota rummages through her pencil case in search of her favorite stationery item. Thota’s initial love for stationery was largely influenced by her older sister’s obsession with stationery, Thota said. “She used to always bring a bunch of pens home, then when I a little kid I would just see all this stuff, and I would think it's really cool. It wasn't me really going out and getting [stationery]. It was really just me taking it from her.”](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/IMG_0441-copy.jpg)
![Dance and French teacher Megan Kirby instructs Dance 1 students on the proper form and technique of pique turns. “There's a lot of learning from mistakes involved and developing skill[s] and having a growth mindset,” Kirby said.](https://portolapilot.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/kirby-edited-1200x800.jpg)
