“We need lots of butterflies in this world.”

Amid laughter and tears, that message was delivered to students at Post Falls High School Wednesday morning by Stu Cabe, a national speaker and educator who specializes in helping improve school climates and culture.

Cabe spoke to students about moving forward in the face of tragedy while bringing a little laughter back into the school.

Butterflies, he said, are people who spread positivity every day.

“You don’t know what someone might be going through that day, so why make it worse?” he said. “Butterflies are people who, it doesn’t matter who you are, they say ‘I am going to make you feel better.’”

Cabe was invited to help students heal and bring positive energy to the school after last Tuesday’s car-train collision, which killed a Post Falls High student and seriously injured another. Over the past year, the school has also lost a football coach to cancer and another student in a car crash.

During the assembly, Cabe offered jokes, intentionally poor imitations and reasons to laugh at the process of parenting.

Superintendent Jerry Keane said said he hopes the presentation gave students tools to move through hard times.

“We want to make sure we are supporting our students and our staff as best we can. It’s been a tough time for us all,” he said. “I like how this focuses on taking care of yourself and also taking care of one another.”

“It was great to see our student body laugh together, a lot,” added Chris Sensel, the school’s principal.

The school’s juniors and seniors saw the assembly Wednesday, and freshmen and sophomores will experience it today.

Brady Gooch and Draven Evans, both juniors, said they really liked the assembly and how it never had a dull moment.

“I noticed some people wiping tears,” Gooch told The Press. “They needed this more than anyone else.”

“I didn’t know [the students in last week’s crash] well, but this was good for everyone to hear,” Evans added.

Camren Cooper, a junior, said he appreciated the emotions the assembly provoked.

“It encourages you to be a positive person, even in a bad situation,” he said.