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
Cara Chan

Cara Chan, Features Editor

Cara Chan is the Features Editor and Business Manager for her third year on the Portola Pilot. Though she’s feeling bittersweet about her final year, she’s just as excited to get to know her fellow staff members and make the most out of her senior year. When she’s not trying to figure out how to write an introduction to an article or emailing advertisers, you can find her listening to music (she’s open to recommendations), hoarding stuffed animals, or imitating Dheeksha’s texting style.

All content by Cara Chan
Q&A With the Portola Pilot Seniors

Q&A With the Portola Pilot Seniors

Cara Chan and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | May 25, 2023
Senior Leena Malik and sophomore Hannah Ko compete in the varsity 100-meter hurdles event. Malik finished in second place at 17.05 seconds and Ko finished in sixth place at 17.84 seconds, both qualifying for Pacific Coast League finals.

One Hundred Sixty Track and Field Athletes Qualify for PCL Finals

Cara Chan and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | May 2, 2023
Dance 3 and 4 took to the stage to perform a graceful and delicate contemporary piece titled “Always Be the One” to the song “I’ll Always be the One Who Makes You Cry” by Eric Hutchinson. The talented group of girls captured the audience’s attention as they skillfully executed their routine.

‘Vertigo’ Dance Concert ‘Spins’ into Action

Cara Chan, Marianne Chan, and Aditi Salunkhe | March 31, 2023
Chess tournaments are competitive and demand a high level of physical strength from the player as they can last upwards of nine hours. Chess should be categorized as a sport due to its intensity and the stamina players must have.

[Photo] Settling the Debate: Chess Should Be Considered a Legitimate Sport

Aditi Salunkhe, Staff Writer | March 17, 2023
Those in favor of tuning into podcasts enjoy the flexibility and productivity offered by the more immersive medium, while fans of articles argue they can gain a deeper understanding in a shorter period of time.

[Photo] H2H: How Should You Get Your News?

January 30, 2023
Sophomore Viget Vuong folds craft paper to create part of his origami magic ball. For origami beginners, Vuong recommends reading origami books with instructions or watching videos online.

Sophomore Viget Vuong Finds Comfort in Origami

Cara Chan | January 12, 2023
Seniors Rishabh Bajaj, Xasive Espinosa Aldave and Caroline Wang tape posters to the ground in celebration of Homecoming. Spirit Night was inspired by University High’s tradition, according to ASB co-adviser Kate Avery.

First Homecoming Spirit Night Begins Week-Long Homecoming Festivities

Cara Chan and Madeline Chung | October 17, 2022
Korean pop girl group TWICE performs “Scientist” at the Dickies Arena in Texas during the TWICE Fourth World Tour “III” in February. Over the past few years, K-pop has become an international sensation. TWICE is the first K-pop girl group to headline and sell out a U.S. stadium.

We ‘Talk That Talk’ About these Summer K-pop Releases

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy and Cara Chan | September 7, 2022
Physical education and health teacher Brittany Frymire walks her students through a jump-roping drill during class. According to Frymire, the most important part of her daily workouts is music, ranging from relaxing country music for longer running sessions to lively hip-hop on more intense weight lifting days.

Physical Education Teacher Brittany Frymire Puts Her Heart and Sole into Running

Cara Chan and Arnav Chandan | May 7, 2022
“Bridgerton” promotes diversity with the portrayal of the new season to bring inclusion within the cast on screen as it adopts color-blind casting.

Color-Blind Casting Fosters Inclusivity in Media Beyond Race

Cara Chan and Arshia Sista | April 22, 2022
Senior Michael Vu finishes up his last touches on Hoshino Ichika, the main character of video game series “Collar X Malice.” Combining the styles of different artists in the AP Studio Art class, the mural showcases not only the diversity of styles in anime art but also the synergistic sense of community within the class.

AP Studio Art United through a Unique Medium: Anime

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy and Cara Chan | April 18, 2022
Batman has been played by many actors since the 1940s, some of the most famous being Ben Affleck, Christian Bale, George Clooney, Michael Keaton and Robert Pattinson.

The Batman Legacy: Ranking the Top Batman Films

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy and Cara Chan | March 22, 2022
Senior Aryan Shrivastava, junior Jenny Zhang and senior Howard Zhang present their trophies for qualifying for the International Career Development Conference. Six out of 11 Portola High delegates placed as finalists.

Largest Number of Student Delegates in School History Qualify for DECA Internationals

Cara Chan | March 9, 2022
Americans are expected to spend a total of $6.2 billion on jewelry for Valentine’s Day this year, a significant increase from $4.1 billion in 2021, according to the National Retail Foundation.

Are You Breaking Bank on Valentine’s Day? That’s Heartbreaking

Cara Chan, Assistant Features Editor | February 14, 2022
Midfielder and sophomore Aaron Sato attempts to block the opponent after a throw-in from Laguna Hills High.

Boys’ Soccer Barely Misses its Goal against Laguna Hills High

Cara Chan and Arnav Chandan | February 2, 2022
With the return of many Sony franchise villains such as Green Goblin, Electro and Dr. Otto Octavius, it was difficult to understand the role that many of them played. Only a select few played a major position, while others such as the Lizard were present for the sole purpose of fan service. Condensing the movie to a select villain with a strong motive would be a better decision for the overall plot.

‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ is a Tangled Web of Nostalgia

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy and Cara Chan | January 11, 2022
Various students across all dance classes performed “Don’t Call Me Back” to the song “These Boys Ain’t It” by Saygrace, which included themes of female empowerment.

Annual Winter Dance Concert ‘Breaking the Ice’ Leaves Audiences in Shivers

Cara Chan and Arshia Sista | December 15, 2021
Defender and sophomore Kyle Hwang attempts to fend off opposing players from the ball in order to look for a scoring opportunity in the second half. Hwang’s role as defender makes him responsible for preventing the opponents from scoring.

Boys’ Soccer Shoots for the Stars Against Orange High

Cara Chan, Arnav Chandan | December 4, 2021
Senior Khalil Dhanidina Skates His Way to the Top

Senior Khalil Dhanidina Skates His Way to the Top

Cara Chan and Celine Lee | November 22, 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
Many felt the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, whether that be in regards to mental health, physical health or academics. Freshman Zoe Wynn was particularly affected in regards to her golfing game. “When COVID hit, it was kind of challenging for me because I wasnt able to practice, and all I did was hit on this mat at home, and I got really bad at golf,” Wynn said. “I just told myself that if I keep trying, then I will see the progress eventually, and more practice cant hurt. So I just kept doing it.”

Freshman Golfer Zoe Wynn is Ace-ing the Competition

Cara Chan and Kayleen Kim | November 4, 2021
From the MET to Portola: Homecoming’s Best Dressed

From the MET to Portola: Homecoming’s Best Dressed

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy and Cara Chan | October 29, 2021
Two men walk around the Great Park, showcasing their traditional Korean attire. Korean traditional clothing for males usually consisted of long robes with wide sleeves and a black hat with two flaps on the side.

20th Irvine Global Village Festival Celebrates a Cultural Explosion After One Year Hiatus

Cara Chan and Arshia Sista | October 14, 2021
On the right, science teacher Michael Tang stands next to two-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Roger Deakins, with friend and fellow movie buff Paul Hsu on the left at a premiere for the 2019 film “1917.” Deakins won Oscars for Blade Runner 2049 and 1917 and is one of Tangs favorite cinematographers.

Profile of a Cinephile: Science Teacher Michael Tang

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy and Cara Chan | September 30, 2021
Glass Animals performs “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” live on Sept. 19 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. The band recently embarked on its “Dreamland” Tour and debuted the single live at an earlier concert.

‘I Don’t Wanna Talk’ about Glass Animals’ New Single

Cara Chan and Lauren Hsu | September 22, 2021
S1 Episode 05: Cultural Touchstones: How Do You Honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage?

S1 Episode 05: Cultural Touchstones: How Do You Honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage?

Cara Chan, Celine Lee, and Nate Taylor | June 2, 2021
Junior Aryan Shrivastava breaks his personal record and school record by jumping a height of 5 feet 8 inches, approximately the height of a full grown adult. While the concept of the event is seemingly simple, gaining enough momentum and power to jump high enough backwards while also making sure the entire body is in line is very difficult.

Girls’ and Boys’ Track and Field vs. Irvine May 13

Cara Chan and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | May 19, 2021
Senior Noah Lee sets up the equipment needed for the next segment of PNN. Lee committed to University of California, Irvine for film studies and plans to be involved in the film industry for his future career. “I think that a lot of people dont become filmmakers not because theyre not skilled enough, but because they just think its too difficult. But it is, it is difficult, anything worth doing is,” Lee said. “And I think that other people that are aspiring to be filmmakers, if they just keep trying, then they can make a career out of it. They can love what theyre doing.”

Behind The Lens: Senior Noah Lee’s Passion for Film

Cara Chan, Business Manager | May 17, 2021

Tips for SATs and ACTs by Portola High Students

Cara Chan and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | May 7, 2021
Second Virtual Family Night Greets New Bulldogs

Second Virtual Family Night Greets New Bulldogs

Cara Chan | April 19, 2021
Junior and Science Olympiad captain Andrew Chen created cheat sheets to help study and prepare for competitions. His study session typically consisted of taking practice tests, browsing through online resources and reviewing information from his cheat sheets.

Science Olympiad Heads to State After Competing in Virtual Regional Tournament

Cara Chan, Business Manager | March 19, 2021
For those on a gluten-free diet, this crispy breaded shrimp from China Moon Restaurant is an excellent choice. With a light, starchy breading over a flavorful mini salad, this shrimp dish is popular for good reason. Although China Moon Restaurant does not offer delivery options, it is well worth the trip for takeout considering the array of gluten-free options and the many precautions they take to avoid gluten contamination.

Quarantine-Style Lunar New Year Calls for Home-Style Restaurant Food

Cara Chan, Dheeksha Bhima Reddy, and Naila Talib | February 19, 2021
Students nominated homecoming nominees through a Google Form, in which the student body voted and three nominees from each grade level made it to the finals. Freshmen Josiah Lee, Taisho Shiono and Makena Wong; sophomores Arshia Sista, David Kim and Nathan Ji; juniors Cece Mou, Megan Sha and Celine Aoki; and seniors Zach Smay, Jun Kim and Shishir Ravipati were the homecoming finalists.

Introducing the 2021 Homecoming Royalty

Cara Chan, Business Team | February 16, 2021
The model minority myth hurts both Asian Americans and other minorities, which can further perpetuate racism against Asian Americans and racism against underprivileged minority groups, downplaying the chances of other minorities to pursue an acceptable societal status and creating a rigid set of regulations of how an Asian must act in the community.

Model Minority Myth Magnifies Misunderstanding

Cara Chan and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | January 7, 2021
During former President Barack Obama’s term in 2016, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused Supreme Court Justice hearings for former President Obama’s nominees. However, he strongly pushed for a new nominee during the final year of President Trump’s term, exposing the hypocrisy of McConnell and the Republican-majority Senate.

Amy Coney Barrett’s Nomination Marks a Concerning Departure from Precedent and Principle

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy, Cara Chan, and Ryan Jung | December 2, 2020
In addition to the typical music production and songwriting, BTS has chosen to take part in the concept development, visual design, set curation, photographs and video direction of this album, according to Rolling Stone, to thoroughly reflect their emotions during unusual times.

BTS Album Shows That ‘Life Goes On’ Despite Pandemic

Cara Chan and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | December 2, 2020

Teachers Share Their ‘Sides’ on Celebrating Thanksgiving

Cara Chan, Business Team | November 27, 2020
Students whose projects have previously received funding but want additional funding can apply again, with IPSF offering funding for the same project for up to three years.

IPSF Offers Students up to $1,000 for Innovative Projects

Cara Chan, Business Manager | November 5, 2020

Brown-butter hazelnut blondies

Cara Chan, Business Manager | October 30, 2020

The Great Zoom Baking Show

Cara Chan and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | October 23, 2020
Despite many of the negative effects, quarantine has also provided an opportunity for students to explore their artistic and creative abilities on a deeper level. “I really like to focus on the quality of my notes … with [IVA and] the lectures, we get to click pause and go back or do whatever we need to do [to fit] our personal needs without having to feel like we’re disrupting the class,” sophomore Katherine Chang said.

Students Reflect on their Selected Learning Model

Cara Chan, Business Manager | September 23, 2020
“Animal Crossing: New Horizons” has prospered tremendously, selling about 2.6 million copies in Japan alone as of April 7, according to Famitsu sales data. The game and console are sold out almost everywhere and are getting increasingly hard to find. However, some online services such as Amazon have the console and game in stock, although the price is likely to be more expensive than retail price.

‘Animal Crossing: New Horizons’ Takes the World by Storm

Cara Chan, Contributing Writer | April 13, 2020
BTS’s “Map of the Soul: 7” features four versions, all with different colored covers, including shades of pink and white, blue and black, blue and red, and blue and orange. The number “7” symbolizes the seven members of the group as well as the number of years they have been together.

BTS Takes ‘ON’ 2020 With New Meaningful and Sentimental Album

Cara Chan and Dheeksha Bhima Reddy | March 10, 2020
Red Velvet attended KCON LA on Aug. 2, 2015, a year after its debut. Since the beginning of its career, the group has been on the rise, eventually leading to the success of the new album, “The ReVe Festival: Finale.”

Listeners Would Be ‘Psycho’ to Miss the New Red Velvet Album

Dheeksha Bhima Reddy and Cara Chan | February 18, 2020
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The student news site of Portola High School
Cara Chan