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
Lauren Hsu

Lauren Hsu, Opinion Editor

Lauren Hsu is your Opinion Editor and Co-Social Media Manager for her third and final year on the Pilot staff. She is looking forward to making even more memories in the newsroom and writing as many Arts & Entertainment articles as possible. Outside of the Pilot, you can probably find her messaging her friends the alien Animoji or speeding around in her 2020 Gravity Gray Kia Soul.

All content by Lauren Hsu
Senior Puneet Singh is crowned Portola High’s first prom queen. “Probably one of the best moments of high school for sure,” Singh said. “Just because hearing everyone cheering and stuff like that is very, I didn't know how to like, it was unreal.”

Students are Enchanted at ‘Once Upon a Prom,’ First Prom Court

Nate Taylor and Lauren Hsu | May 10, 2022

Reviewing Three Local Vegan Restaurants

Lauren Hsu, Celine Lee, and Nate Taylor | May 4, 2022
The cover photo for collaborative single, “Will You Be My Light Switch,” by seniors Jaden Path and Puneet Singh features a dark silhouette of Singh creating a heart with her hands under a starry night sky at Joshua Tree National Park. “I was showing him some of my other pictures, and he really liked that one,” Singh said. “And honestly, I really liked it too, because I feel like the vibes of the picture were correct for the song.”

Seniors Jaden Path and Puneet Singh ‘Switch’ Things up with Recent Single

Lauren Hsu and Celine Lee | April 12, 2022

National Soup Month

Lauren Hsu, Celine Lee, and Nate Taylor | February 4, 2022
The Roller Hockey Club competed for the first time on Oct. 24 at The Rinks Irvine Inline against Edison High School.

Inline to Outpace the Competition

Charlotte Cao and Lauren Hsu | January 10, 2022
The Pride of Portola placed third overall in Division 4a with a score of 79.725. “I honestly think that the performance was, overall, the best performance I’ve ever been a part of in my whole band career; the energy and the audience’s reaction really made me proud of our show production,” assistant drum major and senior Seira Homma said. “I had to make that the best that we’ve ever done, and also, as a leader, set an example for the others to follow. It’s our last-ever performance. It was my last-ever performance. And, you know, the other students have next year and more. But it was my last performance as a senior. It’s kind of sad. I still can’t believe that it’s over.”

Pride of Portola Takes Final Bow at Last Competition of the Season

Lauren Hsu, Opinion Editor | November 16, 2021
After reactivating all her social media, Mitski returns with her hit single “Working for the Knife,” accompanied by its music video. She will embark on a national tour in early 2022, accompanied (hopefully!) by the release of a new album to premiere on stage.

Mitski Makes a Clean Cut from Her Old Sound with ‘Working for the Knife’

Lauren Hsu and Kayla Moshayedi | October 14, 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
Upon entering Spanish teacher Kari Tubbs’ classroom, it is impossible to ignore the bright assortment of posters, photographs and artwork that cover nearly every inch of her walls. “Students tell me that they like it; they like that they come in and it’s colorful, they like that they come in and see different things, and there’s stuff to look at,” Tubbs said. “They get to know me through what I put up. That’s why I’ll just keep doing it.”

Letting the Inside Out: How Teachers Use Their Room Decor to Show Off Their Personalities

Lauren Hsu and Nate Taylor | September 14, 2021
Nostalgic music can be perfect for a variety of summer activities: road trips, beach days, karaoke nights. Each of the songs on this list has charted at least once on the Billboard Hot 100, making them the most iconic pop, R&B and hip-hop tracks.

10 Songs to ‘Throw it Back’ to this Summer

Kayla Moshayedi and Lauren Hsu | June 2, 2021
The effects of climate change will become irreversible by 2030 unless drastic measures are taken to protect the planet, according to the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. “I feel like every day should be Earth Day. It’s important to recognize just how precious the planet that we live on is,” science teacher Michael Tang said. “There’s nothing like it. As of now, we don’t know of any planet that’s habitable like ours, and so it's very important for us to learn and to remember that we need to be good stewards of the Earth.”

Students and Staff Plant Awareness to Celebrate Earth Day

Emma Haag and Lauren Hsu | May 5, 2021
A masked figure made from packing paper by senior Ashley Pyun sits at the front of the Media Center art gallery, designed to show respect for all of the first responders who worked during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students in Honors Modern Contemporary Art designed various installations individually and in groups, and the class's top three favorites were put on display, according to art teacher Kearci Moir.

Freshman Belan Ngo’s crochet designs are heavily inspired by fashion trends she sees on social media platforms, whether it be TikTok, Pinterest or Instagram. “I saw videos on TikTok, actually. There was this one girl who was making a heart crochet hat, and I couldn’t find a tutorial on YouTube, so she helped me with it and sent me different videos to learn off of,” Ngo said. “I also check people’s Instagrams and see what’s most popular at the moment and see if I can turn it into a crochet item.”

Student Small Businesses: Freshman Belan Ngo Crafts Business with Homemade Apparel

Lauren Hsu and Akshay Raj | April 5, 2021
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Stepping Towards Earth’s Crises

Lauren Hsu and Claudia Lin | December 14, 2020
Mindfulness Despite Madness

Mindfulness Despite Madness

Emma Haag, Lauren Hsu, and Kayla Moshayedi | December 7, 2020
According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, eating disorders are the second most deadly category of mental illnesses, causing over 10,000 deaths each year. These numbers are only supported by the normalization of harmful behaviors on social media, such as sharing “target weights,” participating in group fasts and publicly criticizing bigger bodies.

Putting an End to the Popularization of ‘Pro-Ana’

Lauren Hsu, Arts and Entertainment Editor | November 19, 2020
At the height of the Silverado Fire, over 70,000 residents from Irvine alone were under evacuation orders. Thankfully, Irvine Unified schools resumed in-person learning the week following the blaze, which was reported 100% contained as of Nov. 7.

Student Athletes Persist in Practice Post-Fire

Lauren Hsu, A&E Editor | November 17, 2020
On the left, instrumental music director Kyle Traska holds his pet chicken, Elsa, for whom he assembled a coop out of a neighbor’s old kitchen cabinet. On the right, junior Safah Faraz spends time with her four-month-old calico, Pepper, who is a clumsy yet lovable fool.

Feathers, Fur and Fins: Facing Quarantine with Newfound Friends

Kayla Moshayedi, Lauren Hsu, and Zara Shirwany | September 18, 2020
To promote healthy behaviors and encourage environments that will reduce the spread of COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that players refrain from sharing equipment, practice in a properly ventilated area and maintain physical distance as often as possible by focusing on individual conditioning.

Sports Will Continue to Be Safe if Precautions are Followed

Bia Shok and Lauren Hsu | September 18, 2020
Sophomore Ellie Lian and junior Chris Stocks hang out together in a local park. Many students opted to spend more time outdoors over break, especially since open spaces make social distancing easier.

Students Enjoy a Different Summer Break

Lauren Hsu and Michelle Kim | September 15, 2020
While accounts that shame people on social media may have good intentions, social media users often do not know the full story behind others’ choices. According to sophomore Michael Kwon, some students were reposted on troll accounts even if they were following social distancing guidelines or spending time outside with their families.

“Quarantine Shaming” Needs to Stop

Lauren Hsu and Celine Lee | May 29, 2020
Portola High obtained the 1st Team Safe Sports School Award for following both the requirements and the recommendations set by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association. Examples of categories include athlete injury protocol, athletic clearance processes and procedures for emergencies like earthquakes or fires.

Portola High Becomes First IUSD School to Secure Safe Sports School Award

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | May 22, 2020
Junior Zarah Taufique celebrates her sister’s birthday with her extended family during the quarantine. While it may seem at times that the world has come to a halt, students are still finding safe ways to have fun with their family and friends.

How to Make the Most of Your “Corona-cation”

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | April 15, 2020
Sophomore Ryan Jung and seniors Kaveh Wojtowich, Matthew Vo and Taira Asakura hold their house flags as Portola's last house presidents before the transition to the class system.

Portola Makes Transition to Class System

Lauren Hsu and Bia Shok | March 23, 2020
Portola staff meet with the advocates in a lunchtime panel on March 9 to discuss district concerns like textbook funding and standards-based grading. The team has participated in several similar panels with various officials and education specialists to receive feedback and become more familiar with the issues that IUSD faces.

Student Advocates Share their Stories in Sacramento

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | March 9, 2020
The source of the novel coronavirus was said to be an open market in Wuhan, China, where live animals were being sold. While this family of viruses typically only affects animals, several strains are zoonotic, meaning that they have spread to humans as well.

Panicking Is Not Protection: Put an End to the Coronavirus Hysteria

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | March 6, 2020
Freshman Caden Wu uses intricate folds and cuts to create a crane out of colored paper. The orizuru, or paper crane, is considered the most classic Japanese origami sculpture and is associated with celebration and hope.

Art-Based Passion Day Sessions Offer Students a Break

Lauren Hsu and Chiara Ng | February 27, 2020

A Price Worth Paying

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | February 19, 2020
Nate Taylor

Should Ethnic Studies Be a Graduation Requirement in High Schools?

Claudia Lin and Lauren Hsu | February 19, 2020
Senior Jessalyn Nguyen, sophomore Hailey Kim and junior Elisa Tan link arms in a stunt at the regional competition. Each cheerleader receives specialized training specific to their role in the routine, and all must work together closely to make the performance possible.

Cheer Brings Home Second at Regional Competition

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | February 7, 2020
Teachers will be using interdisciplinary projects throughout the remainder of the school year to break barriers between different subjects. Through these collaborations, teachers hope that students will become more aware of interdisciplinary connections in their own lives and think creatively using skills they’ve acquired in the classroom.

Teachers Break Barriers Through Interdisciplinary Learning Projects

Charlotte Cao, Bia Shok, and Lauren Hsu | January 20, 2020
13.4% of citizens in California lack enough resources to meet basic needs, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

Canned Food Drives CAN’t Solve America’s Hunger Crisis

Bia Shok and Lauren Hsu | December 16, 2019
Dance 3 students crouch down during the solo section of the piece, “Crybaby,” choreographed by sophomore Mia Zappala. Choreographers were also responsible for costume design and stage lighting, fine-tuning these elements to enhance their overall performance.

Student Choreographers Steal the Show at Annual Winter Dance Concert

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | December 11, 2019
Juniors Sohrob Shahmirzadi and Aiden Stringer celebrate the groups successful performance within the 99 minute time constraint. Each night, a digital clock ticked down as performers sped through the entirety of Greek mythology, often leaving only seconds to spare.

Fall Play Promises Performances of Mythical Proportions

Charlotte Cao, Lauren Hsu, and Nate Taylor | November 18, 2019
Many students created altars dedicated to personal role-models, like Steve Jobs. Every project includes features that can be found in traditional Mexican ofrendas: paper decorations, called papel picados, represent the element of air, while bright flowers and leaves represent earth.

Students Celebrate Day of the Dead by Honoring Their Role Models

Lauren Hsu and Bia Shok | November 8, 2019
‘For the Children’ Earns Standing Ovation

‘For the Children’ Earns Standing Ovation

Lauren Hsu and Kelthie Truong | November 4, 2019
Sophomore and mentor Garrett Lee shows junior and mentee Justin Silva where to place his fingers on the saxophone. For beginner students like Silva, memorizing the location and placement of the many fingerings for the instrument can be difficult, which is why Lee must undergo training in the form of videos and books in order to be able to effectively teach his peers how to play.

Food for the Soul: Special Education and United Sound Bring Music to Campus

Kate Hayashi and Lauren Hsu | October 23, 2019
Sophomore Students Make a Sustainable Change

Sophomore Students Make a Sustainable Change

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | October 21, 2019
Jadyn Zdanavage (right) takes the lead at the Laguna Hills Invitational on Sept. 14. As a freshman, she holds the spot of fastest female runner in the Pacific Coast League and is ranked ninth for her grade in the entire state of California.

Freshman Runs with Four Sports

Lauren Hsu and Tiffany Wu | September 26, 2019
Portola Singers and Canta Bella perform “The Prayer of the Children” by Kurt Bestor. This coming April, all choir groups are invited to attend the spring break tour in Chicago, Illinois, where they will receive specialized coaching from expert conductors.

Music Department Kicks Off the School Year with Annual Informance

Lauren Hsu, Staff Writer | September 25, 2019
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Lauren Hsu