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
Tiffany Wu

Tiffany Wu, News Editor

Tiffany Wu is your 2019-2020 Co-News Editor! She is most excited to insert ads on Print Days. In her spare time, she can be found browsing memes and eating dumplings.

 

All content by Tiffany Wu

Revealing Grades Comes At a Disadvantage

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | April 28, 2020
In each tryout video, applicants stated their name and a fun fact about themselves, showed their jumps and performed the cheer and dance. In addition, students reached out to two teachers to fill out a Google Form that aimed to give judges an idea of the attitudes, personalities and work ethic of new potential team members.

Cheer Participates in First Digital Tryouts

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | April 28, 2020
Ghafuri carves a bowl from a wooden block using a gauge, a tool used to make precise marks in wood. While he enjoys making bowls the most, he has also created letter openers and containers.

Junior Explores His Passion for Woodworking

Jordan Lee and Tiffany Wu | April 14, 2020
IGNITING PASSION. Sophomore Maya Vanek, senior Maddy Noh, sophomore Sophia Steinert, seniors Kaitlyn Nguyen-Pham and Grace Tu, junior Haley Hosokawa and sophomore Safah Faraz represented the yearbook staff at the annual IGNITE yearbook camp held at Pepperdine University. While they have won gold in the past, they were only one of four programs to win a gold award this year.

Art Groups Bond Students of All Ages

Helena Hu and Tiffany Wu | January 27, 2020
Forward and senior Justin Tam beats his defender off the dribble along the baseline.

Gallery: Boys’ Basketball vs. Irvine 1/16

Jordan Lee and Tiffany Wu | January 27, 2020
Bulldogs and Vaqueros swarm the paint for the rebound as Forward and Senior Mohsen Hashemi shoots a free throw. The Bulldog’s ability to draw shooting fouls was a key factor in their win against Irvine High. The final score was 65-45.

Guard and senior Robert Giraldy launches a three pointer from the deep despite heavy defense from Irvine High.

Forward and senior Soma Doherty shoots a jump shot from the paint during the third quarter. Doherty was the team’s second-highest scorer with 19 points.

Jenny Song (middle) stands with her Laguna Fencing Center teammates after the North American Cup (NAC) in October 2017 where Song was ranked the Division 2 national champion. In between matches, it is common for Song and her teammates to spend time with each other.

Fencing Friendships Form Out of Town

Shawyan Rooein and Tiffany Wu | January 24, 2020
Stocks and Sugita both value the flexibility and advantages of speaking a second language due to their multicultural households. Stocks speaks Spanish, while Sugita speaks Japanese.

Learning to See Two Backgrounds As One

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | January 23, 2020
Club president and senior Kameran Mody and club member and senior Aditya Sasanur serve some Persian dishes. Made by speaker and senior Shawyan Rooein, he brought a chicken koobideh and a beef koobideh dish, which is composed of ground chicken/beef mixed with spices and onion and grilled on a skewer.

Beyond the Door of Room 608 Lies a Foodie’s Heaven

Tiffany Wu and Junhee Ryu | January 23, 2020
Donavan Miller practices his passion daily, teaching ceramics and studio art classes. Miller took these classes in high school and hopes to inspire his students the same way he was, Miller said.

Arts Classes Paint Their Path to Importance for Students

Farhad Taraporevala and Tiffany Wu | January 23, 2020
As Truong looks over her account, she recalls some of her favorite memories. “My most proud achievement was when Ding Tea reposted my photo; I was very happy,” Truong said.

Senior’s Boba Review Account Helps Others Find Their Cup of Tea

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | January 22, 2020
In his high school years, music teacher Desmond Stevens says he loved OutKast, especially ‘Hey Ya!,” which he attributes as one of the top songs of his senior year. Now looking back in history, Stevens notes that ‘Hey Ya!’ symbolized a confluence between rap and pop, and a push in musical boundaries.

Diving into TikTok Trends with Music Teacher

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | January 16, 2020
Shooting guard and junior Allyson Tabayoyong shoots a three-pointer in the second quarter of the game while being closely guarded by Northwood High captain and senior Amanda Endres. Overall, Tabayoyong scored 24 points for the team (55-43).

Girls’ Basketball Shoots for the Win Against Northwood High

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | January 16, 2020
Trinh’s career as Portola High’s computer specialist began in 2017 after transferring from Ladera Elementary school. Shortly after his move in 2018, he was put in charge of the school’s one-to-one chromebook device program. He works behind the scenes during the school day and even breaks to troubleshoot and repair students’ personal devices.

Computer Specialist Works Double Shift as Tech Hero

Jordan Lee and Tiffany Wu | January 15, 2020
“Especially growing up with a little brother and my dad, since I wasn’t allowed to paint my nails or wear makeup, I tried to take on a more ‘tomboy’ approach,” Siribandan said. “If I pretended that I wasn’t interested in doing things that considered girly, I wouldn’t be as hurt that I wasn’t able to do them. But because I put myself in that whole mindset, it was harder for me to embrace the things that I wanted to do, even after I was allowed to do them.” After cutting 17 inches off her hair, Siribandan hopes to influence younger girls at her church to not let others’ opinions hold them back, especially when embracing femininity.

Junior Makes a Cut Above the Rest

Tiffany Wu, Staff Writer | January 6, 2020
Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, “Frozen 2” hit the big screen on Nov. 22 exploring the past history of the fan favorite cast of characters. On a new quest, the characters must find a way to protect Arendelle and their loved ones from the elements of the world.

[Photo] Journey ‘Into the Unknown’ with Disney’s ‘Frozen 2’

Aaron Sha and Simrat Singh | December 6, 2019
Choir director Adrian Rangel-Sanchez said he expects the difficulty level of the ‘Cinderella’ musical to challenge participants in similar ways as ‘The Addams Family’ with big numbers, extensive choreography and strong ensemble involvement.

‘Cinderella’ is the Perfect Fit for the Spring Musical

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | November 8, 2019
Richard Levensailor, pictured on the right, was diagnosed with a terminal neurological disease and passed away during Katie Levensailor’s first semester of her doctorate program. “I can remember sitting by his bedside at night, working on my 1st round of papers, thinking if he can fight this, I can do this doctorate,” Katie Levensailor said. “He told me specifically not to let his illness stop me from continuing. Many people who start doctorates don't finish because the writing process can be grueling. I knew I had to finish for my dad. I wanted to give him a doctor.”

Late Father Influences Science Teacher

Annie Qiao and Tiffany Wu | November 7, 2019
Kai Wong smiles for the camera with children from the small village of Toga, Fiji. She spent 16 days on the trip, where she participated in restoration projects and cultural activities.

Junior Takes A Tropical Trip

Jordan Lee and Tiffany Wu | October 16, 2019
Guitarists sophomore Joaquin Goana and junior Jeffrey Mejia have practiced their instruments for many years, but bassist and junior Cinta Adhiningrat is a self-taught rising musician.

Rock Band Chemistry Brings the Pride of Portola ‘Closer to the Heart’

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | October 10, 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
Gupta reached out to friends who he knew would be interested in giving back to the community. As an Assistant Senior Patrol leader in his troop with seven years of experience, he hopes to be able to commit to similar community projects in the future that extend past Boy Scouts.

Special Education Garden Sprouts from Senior’s Eagle Scout Project

Tiffany Wu, Co-News Editor | September 23, 2019
With skilled aim, Truong clicks away on his PC, taking down enemy heroes and making his way towards the objective on the battlefield. Working together with five other players, he racks up kills and brings his team to victory.

Freshman Justin Truong ‘Watches Over’ the eSports Team

Nicholas Hung and Tiffany Wu | May 13, 2019
As the finale of the concert, freshman Garrett Lee showcases his saxophone skills in musicality and improvisation with the jazz classic “Mambo Inn,” a song highlighting two unique instruments: timbales and congas.

First-Ever Jazz Night? No Treble

Julia Kim and Tiffany Wu | May 6, 2019
ASB students junior Ava Fakharpour and freshman Amitoj Singh weigh the detriments and benefits of changing tradition. The forum will open up more thoughts from the student body to aid in the final decision.

ASB Opens Forum Regarding Gender Fluid Court

Tiffany Wu, Staff Writer | April 9, 2019
Tang first opened up about his interest in filmmaking to students as a 2019 Passion Day presenter, explaining his process for learning to balance his multiple hobbies and choosing which passion to pursue in the future.

Science Teacher’s Filmmaking Passion in Action

Junhee Ryu and Tiffany Wu | April 8, 2019
Gilliland tends to the horses at Camp Ronald Mcdonald for Good Times, where she initially volunteered with her cousin in 2016 and was recently hired in 2018.

Savannah Gilliland’s Job Takes her Deep into California’s Forests

Priscilla Baek and Tiffany Wu | March 4, 2019
Power forward and junior Mohsen Hashemi plays man-to-man defense and guards against Moorpark High’s forward at the second round of CIF on Feb. 12. Throughout the season, the team continued to improve on their defensive playing, although they faced difficulty against strong players from Moorpark High.

Boys’ Basketball Takes First Shot at CIF

Annie Qiao, Aneska Smith, and Tiffany Wu | March 1, 2019
Junior Yunseong Jung tests out the flute that he and partner junior Stephanie Zhang built to compete in the event Sounds of Music. In the event, team members play the twelve tone scale on the flute they constructed, with pitch frequency being tested for accuracy.

Science Olympiad Advances to State From Regionals

Annie Qiao and Tiffany Wu | February 25, 2019
Junior Aditya Sasanur and sophomore Ethan Hung introduce the four stations planned for the event, including Math Bingo, Non-Newtonian Fluids, Aluminum Foil Boats and Artistic Points of Interest.

STEAM For All Club Hosts Passion Exploration Event

Junhee Ryu and Tiffany Wu | February 22, 2019
Juniors Jason Lee and Nishad Francis won their medals after a season of hard work, collaboration and dedication.

Mock Trial Receives First Individual Awards

Tiffany Wu, Staff Writer | February 21, 2019
Junior and point guard Robert Giraldy prepares to take a free throw in hopes of decreasing Moorpark High’s lead in the third quarter.

Boys’ Basketball Makes it to Second Round of CIF

Annie Qiao, Aneska Smith, and Tiffany Wu | February 19, 2019
The digital program features a gorgeous, full-colored image of Saint Basil’s Cathedral located in Moscow, a popular symbol of Russia, corresponding to the “Russian Winter” theme. Multiple images pertaining to the program’s content were placed throughout, such as photos of sponsors of the Portola High Music Boosters and the many instruments played at the concert.

Visual and Performing Arts Goes Green with Digital Programs

Annie Qiao and Tiffany Wu | February 15, 2019
Sophomore and blue ribbon Physical Science winner Junho Park reviews his lab notebook detailing his experiment on the durability of charging cables.

Bulldogs Bring Home Blue at IUSD Science Fair

Tiffany Wu, Staff Writer | February 12, 2019
FIRST Robotic Team’s sophomore Trung Huynh builds the structure for the battery compartment, finishing the final parts of the robot’s base, while sophomore Neil Lin and freshmen Goshanraj Sandal and Ryan Bascos prepare for assistance. The robot is designed to secure the most game pieces possible into the rocket ship’s holes in the time slot allowed, in a competition aligned with the ‘Deep Space’ theme.

Robotics Clubs Program Their Way Into the Future

Aaron Sha and Tiffany Wu | February 7, 2019
In a rapid counter attack, Manan Mendiratta prepares to slap the puck across the ice into the netting. His travel team, the Anaheim Junior Ducks, is one of the top three in California.

Bulldog Athletes Break the Ice

Shawyan Rooein and Tiffany Wu | January 18, 2019
Students Niki Szekely and Haley Truong created mugs and pinch pot bowls in an array of different sizes, shapes and colors. After completing assigned projects, students are able to utilize their free time and express creativity through sculpting personalized projects.

Moulding Creative Clay Crafts with Ceramics

Junhee Ryu and Tiffany Wu | January 9, 2019
As the year progresses, the Studio Music class continues to interlock layers of complexity of the vast genre of pop music and build on improving their musicianship. Soon, the class will begin preparing for a performance for IUSD superintendent Terry Walker in January.

Shining a Spotlight on Studio Music’s Student-Led Bands

Annie Qiao and Tiffany Wu | January 9, 2019
Freshman Josh Collins of “The Freshmen” attempts to extend his team’s advantage on the court by taking out his next target on “The Cozy Boys.”

Students Dodge Stress with ASB Dodgeball Tournament

Ki Joon Lee and Tiffany Wu | December 18, 2018
According to the Environmental Working Group, 167 million pounds of pesticides and 17 billion pounds of nitrogen fertilizer are used to grow livestock feed alone. In addition, over 20% of the United States’ methane emissions are from cattle.

Science Teacher Takes on Meatless Monday

Tiffany Wu, Staff Writer | December 13, 2018
Students from the 2017-18 Living Earth classes collaborate around a fish tank resting upon a wooden structure that they constructed themselves. The structure contains wheels that students drilled on with help from principal John Pehrson in the Innovation Lab.

Aquaponics Evolves Throughout the Years

Aaron Sha and Tiffany Wu | November 30, 2018
From five p.m until nine p.m, junior Neha Scott dons her classic green Starbucks apron and prepares drinks for her customers, adding intricate swirls of sweet syrup and puffs of whipped cream. In addition, she mans the cash register and baristas, gracefully carrying out her heavy workload.

Students Demonstrate PRIDE Values While Working at Woodbury

Tiffany Wu, Staff Writer | November 15, 2018
Sabreen studies for her AP Physics 1 class in the Student Union, working hard to maintain her demanding workload. In her free time, she also manages a Scratch program intended for third and sixth graders at Ardent Academy.

Finding the Root of Freshman Sabreen Alam’s STEM Skills

Julia Kim and Tiffany Wu | November 9, 2018
Junior and captain Leo Pena palms the ball, keeping it up and ready to be passed to a fellow teammate as his legs powerfully eggbeat beneath him to keep afloat. Pena's eyes are narrowed and defenses raised, ready to respond with a sudden burst of power depending on the situation around him.

Leo Peña Splashes Into October’s Athlete of the Month

Annie Qiao and Tiffany Wu | October 29, 2018

Overhyped!

Tiffany Wu, Staff Writer | October 25, 2018
Sophomore and pre-trial attorney Joanna Fan looks over Mock Trial case law in order to compose her first amendment argument for the 2018-2019 case on criminal threatening and swatting.

From the Classroom to the Courtroom: A Spotlight on Mock Trial

Tiffany Wu and Dylan Vanek | October 12, 2018
Instrumental Music teacher Kyle Traska, who grew up in Oregon, WI, later taught in Oregon School District and De Pere School District.

How Do Other Districts Compare With IUSD?

Tiffany Wu, Staff Writer | September 26, 2018
During the team’s serve-and-receive drill, sophomore Kamdyn Tenorio prepares to dig the serve from the other team. This recieve was part of a practice game in which all players worked on their receiving, serving and most importantly, aiming when going on the offensive attack.

ASB Digs Kamdyn Tenorio as September’s Athlete of the Month

Annie Qiao and Tiffany Wu | September 18, 2018
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The student news site of Portola High School
Tiffany Wu