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
Tara Vatandoust

Tara Vatandoust, Co Editor-in-Chief

Tara Vatandoust is an Editor-in-Chief for her third, and sadly, final year on the Portola Pilot. This year, she is looking forward to (finally!) being able to write A&E again and leaving slightly passive aggressive grammar-related comments on second drafts. When she’s not needlessly overanalyzing Disney movies, you can find her blasting the “La La Land” score and soundtrack on repeat, adding to her extensive plushie collection or nitpicking usages of the Oxford comma in non-Pilot related texts.

All content by Tara Vatandoust
Juniors Danica Dagdag and Josephine Nguyen study before class on the outside tables. Together, they use the study strategy of collaboration to work on their psychology and math assignments.

Finals Week Flurries: Study Strategies to Make Students’ Spirits Bright

Sky Nguyen and Tara Vatandoust | December 18, 2023
Portola High is packed to the brim with interesting teachers inside the classroom, but how much do students know about their favorite teachers’ outside of the classroom? Here are some traditions and interests held by a few of these entertaining instructors:

The Secret Life of Teachers: Portola High Teachers’ Unique Interests and Special Traditions

Tara Vatandoust, Co-Editor-in-Chief | October 2, 2023
Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey’s second studio album “Bewitched” takes listeners on an utterly dreamlike poetic sonic experience through love and loss. The entire album is a practically perfect collection of “Alice in Wonderland” references, ethereal imagery, romantic fantasies of dancing in the streets and the word “melancholy.”

Laufey’s Latest Album has ‘Bewitched’ Us Right ‘From the Start’

Tara Vatandoust, Editor-in-Chief | September 18, 2023
Online marketplaces have been steadily accelerating in scope, with over 431.4 billion dollars worth of sales being on the internet in 2022, according to Forbes. Despite seeming like a positive, this shift has caused innumerable destruction to physical stores.

Brick and Mortar Stores Should Remain a Staple of the Consumer Model

Tara Vatandoust, A&E Editor | May 26, 2023
Disney officially announced the release of a live action remake of the beloved animated film “Moana” (2016) on April 3. Other remakes currently slated for release are “The Little Mermaid,” “Snow White” and “Lilo & Stitch.”

Disney’s Penchant for Remakes Loses the Magic of Traditional Animation

Arnav Chandan and Tara Vatandoust | May 12, 2023

Singers, not Synchers: Artists Should Not Rely on Prerecorded Tracks During Concerts

Tara Vatandoust, Arts and Entertainment Editor | April 18, 2023
Senior Adna Parva worked with her family to create this Haftsin from scratch by obtaining all of the necessary materials. Parva’s family likes to employ a theme for their Haftsin each year, with white and gold being the preferred color scheme this time around, according to Parva.

Nowruz Celebrations Connect Persian Students to Culture in a Historic Year for Iranians

Tara Vatandoust and Parmin Zamani | March 23, 2023

Valentine’s Day Trivia: How Well Do These Bulldog Couples Know Each Other?

Tara Vatandoust, A&E Editor | February 14, 2023

[Video] Night of the Arts and Cabaret Night Take the Stage to Kick Off Fine Arts Week

Ruhi Samudra, Staff Writer | February 14, 2023
S3 Episode 03: Irvine Students Who Are Breaking the 'Bubble'

S3 Episode 03: Irvine Students Who Are Breaking the ‘Bubble’

Tara Vatandoust and Sonia Wang | January 5, 2023
Junior Kady Lin and sophomore Carol Chiang hug each other after the annual Secret Sister hosted by Canta Bella members. They both received each other as their Secret Sister and were able to enjoy some snacks like cookies and a “Canta Slay” cake after.

Secret Santa Gifts Students Holiday Joy

Tara Vatandoust, A&E Editor | December 15, 2022
Senior Jadyn Zdanavage Commits to UMich Track and Cross Country Teams

Senior Jadyn Zdanavage Commits to UMich Track and Cross Country Teams

Tara Vatandoust | December 2, 2022
Media platforms such as Netflix and Hulu often weaponize and manipulate the trauma of real people for financial gain, failing to provide accurate consideration for these real people’s lives. “I feel like it is impossible to only want to inform. You need people who finance these shows and documentaries, and they want to see certain things,” science teacher Michael Tang said. “I don’t think we can ever achieve objectivity or completely good intentions. It’s so tied to money; it’s so tied to fame.”

Trauma Voyeurism: An Unethical Means of Gaining ‘Clicks’ in the Modern Age

Hannah Ko and Tara Vatandoust | November 7, 2022
While society often perceives trick-or-treating as a tradition reserved for younger children, teenagers can have great enjoyment from the festivities. Many people try to hand out extra candy to teenagers to encourage them to hold on to their childhood, according to Spanish teacher Kari Tubbs.

Trick-or-Treating Is Not Less Sweet as a High Schooler

Mia Jong and Tara Vatandoust | October 26, 2022
New Assistant Principal is Full of Bulldog PRIDE for his New Job

New Assistant Principal is Full of Bulldog PRIDE for his New Job

Tara Vatandoust, A&E Editor | October 12, 2022
Senior Anne Yang winds up her serve during an after-school practice session. Yang typically spends two-to-three hours a day practicing in order to prepare herself for regular tournaments, alternating between private and group practice sessions.

Senior Anne Yang ‘Serves’ up Success as She Commits to Brown for Tennis

Tara Vatandoust, A&E Editor | September 16, 2022
Students walking or biking home from school often had the sun directly on their faces, and temperatures regularly exceeded one hundred degrees throughout the school day, according to CNN. In the future, there are many actions students can take to reduce the frequency of heat waves and stay cool. Taking initiative by voting for climate policies and ensuring that one is hydrated are two easy steps for students, according to science teacher Leanne Lupone.

Record-Setting California Heatwave Disrupts School Activities

Mia Jong and Tara Vatandoust | September 12, 2022
Junior Sarika Menon works on measuring out the length of her boat in preparation for the race. The size of the boat will be a crucial factor in determining which group will ultimately win the race, according to junior Sharon Chen.

AP Physics Classes Splashes Into Summer with Final Project of the Year

Tara Vatandoust, Staff Writer | May 27, 2022
Although rock climbing continues to become increasingly mainstream, misconceptions about the sport itself continue. Climbing can often come off as being heavily strength-based, despite the fact that both juniors Rhea Sheth and Jacob Yun cite an athlete’s mentality as imperative to success. “You really have to be able to take one loss or fall and really maximize the amount of information you're getting from it and being able to improve on that information the most you can,” Yun said. “Although it's a lot of strength, a lot of it when it comes down to it is being the smarter climber and being able to adapt quicker than the other people.”

Rock Stars of Portola (Quite Literally)

Tyler Kim and Tara Vatandoust | May 18, 2022
Portola High’s ASB class is fully finalized for the 2022-2023 school year, comprising students from all grade levels and providing representation for many groups on campus.

New 2022-2023 ASB Members Appointed & Announced

Tara Vatandoust | May 16, 2022

Portola High’s Popular Teachers

Grace Baek, Clara Ferreira Lopes, and Tara Vatandoust | May 4, 2022
Movie Musicals to Binge over Spring Break

Movie Musicals to Binge over Spring Break

Tyler Kim and Tara Vatandoust | April 1, 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.”

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’

Tara Vatandoust, Staff Writer | April 1, 2022
S2 Episode 04: Women's 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
Disney through the Decades student and senior Desmond Wong is all smiles as he reads a book on Disney history and diversity to enhance his learning of the inclusivity unit. This follows an in-class watch of Pixar’s latest film, titled ‘Turning Red,’ to learn about the Disney company’s new approach to diversity.

How Portola High’s Passion Courses Redefine Interactive Learning

Tara Vatandoust, Staff Writer | March 29, 2022
Advanced choir and symphonic orchestra perform all ten movements of “Eternal Light: A Requiem” by Howard Goodall. Rehearsals of the piece were broken down into segments to aid performers with the choir singing in irregular rhythms in Latin, according to Canta Bella member and sophomore Kody Lin.

Choir is Even ‘Stronger Together’ After Performing 40-Minute Requiem

Tara Vatandoust, Staff Writer | March 25, 2022
These are Your Teachers’ Pettiest Pet Peeves

These are Your Teachers’ Pettiest Pet Peeves

Clara Ferreira Lopes and Tara Vatandoust | March 4, 2022
Literary and language arts teacher Kate Avery is all smiles as she makes it to her favorite part of “Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone” during one of her annual re-reads. Accompanying her on her desk is an assorted set of Harry Potter-related items: a snow globe of a snowy owl resembling Harry’s pet owl Hedwig, a framed photo of Avery’s favorite quote from the Harry Potter series and a lamp depicting various symbols featured prominently in the novels. While Avery no longer buys licensed ‘Harry Potter’ merchandise, she enjoys having more subtle nods to the series adorning her classroom.

For this Teacher, ‘Harry Potter’ Really is the Chosen Series

Tara Vatandoust, Staff Writer | February 28, 2022
Despite senior Jaclin Tirla’s large online presence with over 12 million views, not many people in her real life are aware of her digital fame. “I was proud of myself because I’ve never accomplished something so big,” Tirla said. “I told my mom, and she was shocked too because she didn’t even know I wrote books.”

Student Author Jaclin Tirla Finds an Ace Up Her Sleeve With New Book Publishing

Tyler Kim and Tara Vatandoust | February 25, 2022
It’s Time to Throw Out the Rotten Tomatoes

It’s Time to Throw Out the Rotten Tomatoes

Tyler Kim and Tara Vatandoust | January 25, 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 doesn't 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
Taylor Swift Finally Gets to ‘Begin Again’ in ‘Red’ Re-Recording

Taylor Swift Finally Gets to ‘Begin Again’ in ‘Red’ Re-Recording

Tara Vatandoust, Staff Writer | November 18, 2021
S2 Episode 01: Giving Thanks: What Does Gratitude Mean to You?

S2 Episode 01: Giving Thanks: What Does Gratitude Mean to You?

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy, Cara Chan, Ryan Jung, and Tara Vatandoust | November 14, 2021
Sophomores Daniella Shao and Rory Miller, seniors Puneet Singh and Abigail Kwon and sophomores Kapil Ramasubramanian, Kody Lin, Mathias Lee and Nithila Francis are among the fourteen chosen for the Southern California Regional Honor Choir. Some of the songs they will perform include “The Garden of Love '' and “Cantate Domino” along with their fellow honor choir participants.

Choir Students Shine in the Spotlight of the Southern California Regional Honor Choir

Tara Vatandoust, Staff Writer | November 9, 2021
The Bulldogs perform their end-of-game ritual, celebrating Portola’s 6-0 win streak as victorious cheers erupt from the students.

Bulldogs Leave a Victorious ‘Legacy’ against Beckman High Patriots

Erin Choi, Kayleen Kim, and Tara Vatandoust | September 28, 2021
Portola High alumna and The Cup employee Anika Garg greets local customers with a smile as fellow employee Chan Hee prepares an order of baked goods on Sept. 18. Most of The Cup’s customers are Novel Park residents and regulars, contributing to the familial atmosphere.

The Cup Coffee Shop Brews Up A Concoction of Connections

Tara Vatandoust, Staff Writer | September 20, 2021
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Tara Vatandoust