The LIghtning Press

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Faye Zhang: Loss and legacy

By Chloe Larson - Editor - November 13, 2023


Faye Zhang, a 2023 Eastview graduate, attended Georgia University this fall. On October 14th, 2023, Faye tragically passed away in an accident while rock climbing with friends in Sand Rock, Alabama. It was her second time climbing outdoors.

The funeral was held October 28th for family, friends, and many members of our Eastview community. Eastview graduates Rhea Rajvansh and Allie Nathan, as well as Mr. Hering spoke at the service.

Faye’s portrait hangs on the Speech and Debate Wall of Excellence in C2. Making it to final rounds at many high-profile tournaments, Faye was 2nd place at the 2023 NSDA National Tournament in Extemporaneous Speaking. She was also the 2022 State Champion in Classic Debate. Faye’s accomplishments are too numerous to list here, but her impact at Eastview goes much further. Her senior year she was captain of both the Classic Debate team and Speech team, where her positive impact was spread far and wide. More than just her incredible talent, Faye was unbelievably hardworking. Quick to critique her own work, she had nothing but support for her teammates' speeches. Although she seemingly lost her phone at every tournament, a half hour to write and memorize a speech about US policy was no problem for Faye. Faye was a great captain because she was a great speaker in Speech and Debate alike, but Faye also saw the importance of her leadership role. Kind, welcoming, approachable, and fun-loving, Faye exemplified the best parts of the Speech and Debate team culture. Always smiling and cracking jokes, she could occasionally be found breaking down laughing at practice, in final rounds, and at parties.

We are grateful for the time we got to spend with Faye and for the enduring impact she has on our Eastview community. Now that she's gone we must each do our part to be the light in our communities like Faye was. By being kind, fun-loving, hardworking, and strong we can embody her legacy. We love you, Faye.


Find Her Obituary Here

Remembering Mrs. Huhner

By Tanisha Senapati - Editor - November 13, 2023

Over this past summer, beloved Eastview teacher Kay Huhner passed away at the age of 69. Mrs. Huhner was part of the opening staff at Eastview High School, and supported hundreds of students in her career with her mentorship program. She was part of the Eastview Community Foundation and was also one of the founders of the Battle for the Apple, the rivalry high school football game between Eastview and Apple Valley that benefited the Randy Shaver Cancer Research & Community Fund. Additionally, she played a huge role in the Eastview theater productions as she served as costumer for many of the productions. 

She impacted many students lives at Eastview as one Eastview senior wrote that “Mrs. Huhner was a joy to have as a teacher, she would always make funny jokes and mess around with everyone. My favorite memory of her was on the last day of Mentor seminar, Mrs. Huhner brought us all cookies, oranges, and water to celebrate. No one ended up taking the oranges so she ran around trying to give them to people. She always knew how to put a smile on people’s faces and she will be missed greatly.” 

Even while fighting ovarian cancer for four years, Mrs. Huhner never let that bring her mood down. Another former student of hers shared that she “was shocked when I found out that she had been battling cancer. She never let that affect her during class and she always had such a big smile on. I would have never guessed that she was dealing with cancer.” 

When listening to what members of the Eastview community had to say about Mrs. Huhner, a couple words stood out: kind, funny, helpful, and sweet. The Eastview community celebrated the life and legacy of Mrs. Huhner during the annual Fight Cancer Dodgeball Game earlier last quarter.

You can find her obituary here: 

https://www.hastingsmnfuneral.com/obituaries/Kay-Louise-Huhner?obId=28425233 

In REMEMBRANCE OF MR. Pasquerella

Akshara Molleti • Co-Editor in Chief • October 18th, 2020

Mr. Pasquerella. Band director. Husband. Father. These are just a few of the many words that represent Mr. Pasquerella, who was a beloved person at Eastview High School.

Mr. Pasquerella was always a beacon of light, someone you would look forward to seeing and always be ready to hear what he had to say. My freshmen year, I remember Mr. Pasquerella smiled at me in the hallway and said a quick “Hi.” This small interaction brightened up my day, and since then I would always look forward to seeing him. That is the type of person Mr. P was. His kindness was apparent in small actions that may often go unnoticed, but, when recognized, were always appreciated.

Senior Thor Reimann has so many memories of Mr. Pasquerella, from band and being part of the Pit Orchestra. One memory from Reimann’s sophomore year was when Mr. Pasquerella got angry at the band and walked out while they were practicing in the PAC. He came back after a little while and, as they began to play again, told them “Don’t walk on eggshells with me.” He instructed them to remember that even if he is mad, his emotions should not impact their playing and that they should never feel apologetic for making music with their instruments. 

Another memory he treasures is after playing in the All-State Orchestra, which Mr. Pasquerella attended the concert for, and how the next day Mr. Pasquerella seemed to beam at him. He had told Reimann that the trombone section “owned the Orchestra.” The genuineness of Mr. P’s words and actions stay in your heart for a very long time.

Something Reimann will miss the most after Mr. P’s passing away is the dinners the Pit Orchestra would have after the last show. They would all go to a restaurant, eat good food, and Mr. P would just talk about life.

Music was Mr. Pasquerella’s passion, but he also was extremely connected to his students. He cared about us as people and wanted us to succeed in and out of the band room. Every time I walked into his lesson room, the first thing I noticed was the many pictures of him and his students or daughters. He put them first over anything else.

Known for his life lessons, Mr. Pasquerella took time to not only explain a concept to his students, but also see why this matters in the world. I spent countless days in band where we would play for a little while, but then also talk about other band and non-band related issues. He was someone who you could always count on to be rooting for you, with his door always open to you and any of your concerns.

Senior Akansha Kamineni describes how Mr. Pasquerella was the person who motivated her to stay in band. After auditions, she has so many memories of Mr. P just sitting with her and talking about life. He would always bring everything back to life and its lessons, whether it be cheese, taxes, or even mushrooms.

Junior Rhea Rajavansh explains how “on the last day of freshman year, Mr. Pasquerella told us lots of throwback stories from his childhood. That day was so fun, because he connected with us and all the freshmen shared a genuine moment with him.”

One of my favorite memories with Mr. Pasquerella occurred in January of this year. Just a few months before, I had been seriously considering quitting band. Despite my internal struggles, I worked hard and was accepted into the University of Minnesota Honor Band. At the Honor Band Concert, I felt extremely proud to represent our school, especially when Mr. P congratulated and complimented me on the performance. After seeing the pride on his face as he looked at me and the other students, I was sure that I had made the correct decision to continue to play my trombone and stick with band.

Mr. Pasquerella was and still is an inspiration to all, as he serves as a constant reminder for why we keep working when the going gets tough. While he may not be physically walking the halls of Eastview, he stays alive in all of our hearts, and all of our special memories with him.

We love you Mr. P.


To view the Memorial Service for, videos of, and pictures of Mr. Pasquerella, please visit https://www.eastviewbands.com/marching-festival.