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
Shaina Taebi

Shaina Taebi, Centerspread Editor

Shaina Taebi is the Centerspread Editor and is beyond excited to spend the year designing one of the few colored pages in the Portola Pilot. For her second year, she is thrilled to write brutal reviews on outfits and draw for the entire class period in the name of Pilot. Outside of school, you will find her making horrible jokes, and defending Harry Styles’s acting.

All content by Shaina Taebi
Making offensive jokes and categorizing them as dark humor opens the gate for stereotypes and false generalizations that diminish certain groups. “If youre Jewish or youre Asian or youre LGBTQ or youre a woman, you know, theres all kinds of stereotypes in these ways that if you joke about them, it opens up the possibility of people from other groups joking about them” social studies teacher Veronica Grammier said.

Let’s Cut the Cord on these Comedian’s Open Microphones

Shaina Taebi, Centerspread Editor | March 3, 2023
Junior SJ Janolkar prepares for the DECA state competition with fellow Business Club members. After winning district vice president through a lengthy application and election process, Janolkar will be inaugurated at DECA state, which takes place March 3-6.

[Photo] SoCal DECA is in Good ‘Company’ with Vice President SJ Janolkar

March 3, 2023
Beyond being able to help current students, alumna and Rice University freshman Claudia Lin said she was eager to participate in the project because she wanted to represent her school and demonstrate the importance of being open to different college experiences. “I remember when I was in high school, and I was just very nervous and very like anxious about what college would look and what the future would look like,” Lin said. “And especially during the college offseason, I was super anxious. So I guess I just wanted to show people that its gonna be okay and at the end of the day, like, there are so many amazing schools out there, and its not just limited to one.”

Alumni Network Connects Graduates and Students

Shaina Taebi, Centerspread Editor | January 12, 2023
Citizens in China have started to break down the ‘wall’ of censorship and political control the Chinese Communist Party has placed upon its citizens. Protests for the removal of Zero-Covid, and more importantly, Chinese President Xi Jinping, reveal a rising wave of young, political dissenters that will shape China’s future political sphere.

[Photo] Protests in China Are Not about Zero-COVID; They Are About the Chinese Government

January 5, 2023
With a brand new and exciting journey for the math teacher, Alewine, Jennings, and Todd all express their appreciation for each other. “I would say it’s all fun, and we’re all close,” Alewine said. “We all can talk about different pregnancy things when we get together. Its like ‘What are you craving? How are you surviving? Are you tired? Have you had this doctor appointment?”

These Math Teachers are About to Have ‘Acute’ Children

Ruhi Samudra and Shaina Taebi | December 9, 2022
While artificially generated art can be produced at a faster rate, it is not comparable to the beauty of human-made art. “I think that [art] often ties into self expression and ties into processing how youre feeling or whats going on in the world and being able to communicate in that way, and those are pretty complex, big things to do,” visual arts teacher Kearci Thompson said. “So its not as interesting to most people that study art because were like, okay, [the AI] can do some of the things kind of well, but it doesnt have that human aspect that draws you in.”

AI Art Will Always Stay Artificial

Ruhi Samudra and Shaina Taebi | November 3, 2022
Special segment producer and senior Daisy Liao hooks up the camera to the stand for the shooting of the Belonging project in the green room. “Every single year, we can create a video like this where we get a bunch of many students into one video and ask them, ‘What does this emotion or what does the theme of this school year mean to you?’” Liao said.

Promoting Acceptance: The Belonging Project

Kayleen Kim and Shaina Taebi | November 1, 2022
The cover of Swift’s Moonstone Blue Version of “Midnight” perfectly captures the late night feeling and the title of the album. The vulnerability and various tones expressed within the album parallel the so-called, ‘late night thoughts’ one might experience at midnight.

‘Midnights’ By Taylor Swift Is Anything But Mediocre

Maitri Allani and Shaina Taebi | October 31, 2022
Tom Cruise returns as fighter pilot “Maverick” in a sequel to his hit film “Top Gun”. The film is expected to contain new technology such as camera operations, flight footage and film gauges that were created over a span of ten years, according to Cruise at the film’s world premiere on May 4.

[Photo] Prepare for Take-Off (Again) with ‘Top Gun’: Tom Cruise Flies as ‘Maverick’ 36 Years Later

May 20, 2022
Netflix’s new show “Heartstopper” is in Top 10 of all shows in all of Netflix series and has pulled in 929,000 engagements, according to Variety.

Netflix’s New Show is a ‘Heartstopper’

Arshia Sista and Shaina Taebi | May 18, 2022
Sophomore Zain Alzobiedie receives the football during a varsity game against University High on Oct. 8, 2021. Having picked up football as a second sport in his freshman year, Alzobiedie said he still has quite a bit to learn. “When I first joined football, I wasn’t going to prioritize it,” Alzobiedie said. “But then I realized that I wasn’t really good enough, so I put in a lot of extra work: lifted every day, worked every day. I always tried to be the best I could be.”

The Art of Inspiration: A Look Inside How Athlete Zain Alzobiedie Finds Motivation

Shaina Taebi and Justin Tang | May 10, 2022
Clothing companies have been caught multiple times enforcing toxic body images for many groups, including women. The idea of a “perfect” body often forces girls and women to push themselves in order to conform to this standard. “I mean, it starts with your own thinking and feeling you shouldnt have to feel like you need to fit into a smaller size or larger size, to feel pretty or to feel beautiful” sophomore Dea Gupta said. “Just accepting your own body and liking yourself- it should be enough for you.”

Include All Sizes, Not Just One

Shaina Taebi, Staff Writer | April 20, 2022
One of the Oscars’ most definitive characteristics is its rule of only allowing films with at least a limited Los Angeles theater release, according to the official website. However, with the rise of streaming upon us, online streaming originals from the likes of Netflix and Hulu have gradually gained traction among the public, with Apple TV+ specifically nabbing its first Best Picture trophy this year with “CODA.”

[Photo] 2022 Academy Awards Leave us Wondering if the Future of the Oscars Might Stray Too Close to ‘Nightmare Alley’ or Soar above the Sand ‘Dunes’

April 1, 2022
S2 Episode 04: Womens Rights: Exploring Feminism during Women’s History Month

S2 Episode 04: Women’s Rights: Exploring Feminism during Women’s History Month

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy, Claudia Lin, Ryan Jung, Shaina Taebi, and Tara Vatandoust | March 31, 2022
For students who feel that AP Physics 1 is too daunting or that CP Physics wouldn’t be the best fit for their interests or abilities, Principles of Engineering can offer an alternative that involves a survey of the applications of physics. However, the focus is placed on fostering interest in engineering rather than making the course an intermediate course in physics, according to physics and engineering teacher Anthony Pham — a possible reason that it has gone under the radar for many students entering their junior year.

[Photo] ‘Hidden’ Classes: How Can Engineering Courses Be Better Promoted During Course Selection?

March 15, 2022
After senior Kian Miremadi won, he took a photo with the winning jackpot amount of $1,220.

Senior Kian Miremadi Takes Home Jackpot in Senior Assassins

Arshia Sista and Shaina Taebi | March 11, 2022
Top Row: junior Dheeksha Bhima Reddy, junior Arnav Chandan, sophomore Kayleen Kim, junior Sidra Asif, senior Clara Ferreira Lopez, senior Michelle Kim and senior Justin Tang. Bottom row: sophomore Shaina Taebi, junior Arshia Sista, sophomore Tara Vatandoust, junior Cara Chan, senior Ryne Dunman, senior Claudia Lin and adviser Brianna Rapp. Lin believes that it was a good learning opportunity for all who attended and competed. “Its just everyone coming together to kind of appreciate and celebrate journalism in the form of competition and also just appreciating other peoples newspapers,” Lin said.

Portola Pilot Makes History with First Newspaper Sweepstakes Award

Shaina Taebi, Staff Writer | March 10, 2022
Creating a more LGBTQ+ inclusive environment can be as simple as using someone’s preferred pronouns, avoiding the use of derogatory language or refraining from referring to someone by their deadname. “You could educate yourself. It doesnt have to be full-on like research, but just being aware,” a sophomore who would like to remain anonymous said.

Homophobia Is Not Making Anyone Less Gay

Shaina Taebi and Tara Vatandoust | January 11, 2022
The VAPA department dressed up as social studies teacher Wind Ralston. According to music teacher Desmond Stevens, he attempted to grow a beard similar to Ralston’s for the costume.

Staff Halloween Costume Competition Stirs up Good-Natured Rivalries

Shaina Taebi, Staff Writer | November 8, 2021
Senior Jiyoun Yoo often finds herself learning as she is in the middle of creating a new piece. She revises her pieces in order to perfect the small details, according to Yoo.

Jiyoun Yoo Taps Into Her Own Creative World

Shaina Taebi, Staff Writer | October 26, 2021
Students gathered in the mosh pit and formed a circle while jumping to the music, “Baby” by Justin Bieber. Most ASB members were found in the center of the pit holding flashlights, surrounded by the three other graduating classes.

Welcome Back Dance makes Comeback after COVID-19

Kayleen Kim and Shaina Taebi | September 3, 2021
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Shaina Taebi