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

Zoha Syed, Director of Photography

Zoha Syed is the Director of Photography for her second and final year on the Portola Pilot. In her free time, you can find her spamming her best friend Kayley with instagram reels, snacking on sour gummy worms, and listening to music; you will never catch her without an airpod in her left ear. She can’t wait to make the most out of her final year on Pilot alongside her best friends!

All content by Zoha Syed

Six Dried Yogurts, Six Ways!

Kayley Winata and Zoha Syed | September 18, 2025
Canta Bella member and junior Bella Valencia performs a solo during the ensemble’s performance of “Stay” by Rihanna. “I always enjoyed watching the Treblemakers, the all guys group, because they always have really fun dances,” Portola Singers member and junior Jaskiran Singh said. “I also loved Bella Valencia's solo and Portobella song.”

Seniors, Solos and Standing Ovations: the Annual Pops Concert was a Night to Remember

Nina Krish and Zoha Syed | June 5, 2025
PinkPantheress released her second mixtape, “Fancy That,” on May 8, her first project since her debut album “Heaven Knows.”

Do You ‘Fancy That?’: PinkPantheress’ New Mixtape Is So Well-Produced, It’s ‘Illegal’

Zoha Syed, Staff Writer | May 23, 2025
Distance runner and sophomore Nick Perez passes the 200-meter mark while running the 800-meter run, speeding up to catch up to and pass two runners.

Track and Field ‘Crosses the Finish Line’ With Their Third Consecutive PCL Win

Kayley Winata and Zoha Syed | May 7, 2025

Don’t get FOMO From Not Trying BOPOMOFO, Irvine’s New Cafe

Nina Krish, Zoha Syed, and Kayley Winata | April 23, 2025
Sprinter and junior Taylor Nguyen and sprinters and seniors Hannah Ko and Nahsima Titanji take the lead in the girls’ varsity 100-meter hurdles, placing second, third and sixth, respectively. “We had one school record by Taylor Nguyen for the 300 hurdles, which was awesome for her to do that first race out,” head track and field coach Cale Kavanaugh said. “We had a lot of our kids who opened up with PRs that were pretty significant or they picked up right where they left off last year, which was awesome.”

Track and Field Begins Season on the Right ‘Track’ with Exemplary Performance

Kayley Winata and Zoha Syed | March 19, 2025
Senior Sanaa Bullock talks strategy on the field with Flag Football coach Julie Primero. Bullock helps the team run more efficiently and keeps spirits up, according to Primero. “[She takes] care of things so that we [can] really focus on practice, getting better, prepping for games, stuff like that,” Primero said. “If they see something that needs to be taken care of, they do it without asking me so that I can focus on coaching. I think it carries over to being an organized leader.”

Team Managers: The Backbone of Team Sports

Kailyn Clark and Zoha Syed | March 13, 2025
Student-led acapella group Portobellas delivers a captivating performance of "The Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams. Portola Singer, Portobella director and senior Sara Haidar, said that their repertoire was highly advanced, demanding both precision and harmony. She said she has formed strong bonds with her fellow choir members over the years. "Choir is such a community," she said. "I guess what I'll miss the most is just being with such a cool group of people, getting to work with people that you probably would never work with otherwise."

Choir’s ‘Spellbinding’ Performance Sells Out the Spirit of the Season Concert, Turning Fans Away for the First Time

Zoha Syed, Staff Writer | December 19, 2024
During her English Language Development class, social studies teacher Taryn Sorrentino walks around the room, assisting students during work time. As an AP instructor, she emphasizes the importance of time management. “The first couple of weeks of school, it comes as a shock to students how much they are required to read and how much time it's going to take to really master the content of this course,” Sorrentino said. “The biggest skill I hope to teach students is just how to manage their time and also being mindful of all the things that they sign up for.”

Meet Portola High’s New AP Human Geography Teacher

Zoha Syed and Kelly Yeh | December 12, 2024
The arrival of the seasonal red patterned cups signifies the arrival of winter, with new designs released yearly. These cups exhibit holiday joy with their red, white and green embellishments that are sure to bring joy to any beverage lover.

Starbucks ‘Steeps’ Up the Holiday Spirit with their Seasonal Treats

Zoha Syed and Kayley Winata | November 21, 2024
Defense attorney and sophomore Ansh Gosain direct examines trial witness and senior Musa Atif, whom he worked closely with while preparing for the scrimmage. Collaboration plays an important role in the success of the team because of the bonds it cultivates, according to Atif. “I’m going to miss having a team and a group of people I can work with and rely on,” Atif said.

Mock Trial Demands Order in the Court During First Scrimmage of the Season

Kayley Winata and Zoha Syed | November 4, 2024
From homemade pastries to specialty lattes, these cafe menu items make for the best study treat! Along with their tasty options, many of these cafes offer a wide array of accommodations, including seating, wifi and calming music, to couple with your study experience.

Get Your Mind ‘Brewing’ With These Study Cafes!

Kayley Winata and Zoha Syed | October 10, 2024
Dance 4 member and junior Ria Peregrin performs a solo part alongside period six Dance 3 and Dance 4 students to “Omigod You Guys,” an energetic jazz piece inspired by the dance from the film "Legally Blonde” at the inaugural Broadway Night on Sept. 13 in the theater. Broadway Night consisted of all performing groups on campus each showcasing their work from the last couple weeks in hopes to get more excitement for the upcoming performances during the school year, according to choir director Adrian Rangel-Sanchez.

Portola High’s First Broadway Night is a ‘Curtain Call’ for Success

Nina Krish and Zoha Syed | September 20, 2024
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Zoha Syed