MARYSVILLE – “Hakuna matata” is the Swahili phrase from “The Lion King” that ASB President Daniel Amador chose to open his speech with at an assembly welcoming students back to Marysville-Pilchuck High School this year.

It means “no worries.”

But like all good speeches and befitting the senior’s tendency to be a bit goofy, he opened with a Lion King joke: “So, I was walking with Simba, and he was walking too slow, so I told him to Mufasa (move faster).”

You had to be there. Students, teachers and M-P staff were, and they are still talking about Amador’s powerful, inspiring message of love, kindness and acceptance for all students, regardless of who they are, how they dress, gender identity, skills or where they come from.

His words are especially poignant for this year’s seniors, who will need plenty of love and laughter in the year ahead.

They are the last class who will graduate from M-P who were freshmen on campus when the M-P shooting occurred on Oct. 24, 2014.

“My motto has always been, ‘Don’t worry about problems, because everything is going to be OK,’” said Amador, who goes out of his way to be nice to others. “It means don’t stress over a test, project or even homework. You’ll do great if you believe in yourself. Ask for help when you need it…don’t worry. When there’s hate there will be more love.

“Hakuna matata – no worries for the rest of your days.”

The district’s rallying cry following the shooting at M-P was, “We’re going to love you through it,” and it holds as true today as it did three years ago in the aftermath of the tragedy that left four students dead and one injured, before the student shooter took his own life.

Assistant Principal Christine Hinojosa has heard a lot of welcome back speeches in her career. Amador’s was the right message for the right time.

“You don’t expect that kind of powerful message in a welcome back assembly,” said Hinojosa, who joined the district this year from Arlngton . Amador has been a guiding light for the adults, sharing his words at staff presentations that have some saying they wish they could hang on to him for another year.

Josh Roehl, ASB advisor and leadership teacher, said: “What is truly special about Daniel is he matches his message. Every day, he goes out and interacts with students. It’s been really great to see whether it’s a teacher, student or staff; he treats everybody with that same love that he has challenged staff with.”

If there are lessons to be learned from the students at the high school, it’s that the emotional damage leaves lingering scars, and heavy hearts do not heal quickly, even after three years. Some teachers and staff are postponing retirement until after this class they have taken under their wing graduates. Meanwhile, one school counselor is focusing primarily on seniors to see that they get all the guidance and support they need. Some students still are feeling and getting counseling for post traumatic stress disorder.

On Tuesday, senior class students are planning a private on-campus event for somber reflection during school hours led by Principal Dave Rose, but are refraining from any event that could be construed as an anniversary celebration of the tragedy. On that date the past few years, school attendance has been low.

Amador was in the cafeteria where the shooting occurred.

“From my perspective, at first when it happened I saw flashes, and things were moving in slow motion,” Amador recounted. “Then it sounded like firecrackers. You turn around, and there it is happening right in front of you. It happened so quickly, then I ran out and jumped over the metal fence into someone’s back yard.”

When he got home he thought he was OK, “but I wasn’t. I was hurting a lot, but I always denied it. My mom asked me about it, and I always said I was OK, but I wasn’t.”

Amador said it took him a long time to come to grips with the grim reality of what happened, but time has helped him move forward.

“A lot of students here, it’s really taken some time to really get past it,” Amador said. “I know still to this day some people are still like – when the day comes it’s like it happened again. It rewinds in their mind.”

If Amador could sit in a room with freshman students at Freeman High School whose nerves are still raw after a fatal shooting incident the first week of school in Rockport outside Spokane, he knows what he would tell them at the start of what will be a difficult journey ahead. “I would let them know to stay strong, and don’t push your feelings away,” he said. “I would let them know there is help, and there are people they can talk to, because I didn’t talk to anyone. I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep your feelings to yourself.”

Amador added, “Show a little bit more love, and more caring to the people around you because some people get affected differently than others. Definitely do what you can to make people feel better.”

Amador said he looks up to Martin Luther King Jr., and his speech was sprinkled with references from the Civil Rights Movement leader and King’s message of hope, diversity, inclusiveness and equality, and an end to discrimination.

“I see so many ethnic groups at M-P, and they’re all important to me because I’m Mexican, and I’m colored, so I feel like I can relate to MLK in some ways,” Amador said. “His way of getting his message across is beautiful in a good way. That’s why my speech included all groups. I wanted to create a sense of belonging.”

Amador is an All-Wesco 3A standout defenseman in soccer, a sport that he almost quit when he was younger because of discrimination and bullying.

“All I heard is Mexicans have to play soccer. I didn’t want to be labeled that way so I quit and wanted to learn to play an American sport, like football or basketball.”

His parents, particularly his father, heard much worse, and encouraged his son to think for himself. Amador said the shooting created a bond among students in his class.

“A few weeks after it happened, everybody felt a little bit more together, and show a little bit more love for the pain people were going through,” said Amador, who this week was named Homecoming King. “Now, we are going to graduate together, so in a way, we are more connected in a better way.” After he graduates, Amador hopes play college soccer, with his eye on Western Washington University. He is looking at majoring in acting and theater, communications and public speaking, politics or a combination.

Amador told his fellow classmates not to worry about race, what you look like, or what you wear. “We’re going to finish this year together.”