Prominent Coloradans Talk About The Teachers Who Inspired Them

DENVER (CBS4) - Those who watched "Teach" Friday on CBS4 saw wonderful examples of the inspiring teachers shaping young lives. That moved CBS4's Suzanne McCarroll to talk to prominent Coloradans about the teachers who inspired them.

The Lumineers have serenaded audiences from Denver to Europe. The Grammy nominated band has hit it big.

"The path that I'm on right now I pursued a little bit by accident," Neyla Pekarek said.

Pekarek sings and plays the cello. But before joining The Lumineers she was a substitute teacher in Colorado. It was her choir teacher who gave her the confidence to perform today.

"I can't imagine being nervous now because we play every single day in front of thousands of people," Pekarek said. "I remember my very first choir concert and my parents said, 'Why did you look at the floor the whole time?' "

In the Broncos locker room many players say who they are both on and off the field began with a teacher in a classroom decades ago.

"Taught me how to be a man and be respected in all aspects of your life," wide receiver Eric Decker said.

The CEO of RE/MAX, Margaret Kelly, says her parents wanted her to work in a factory instead of going to school. It was a teacher who suggested she could do more.

"I had the gruffest woman southern teacher in Detroit and she was as gruff as can be, the toughest one who expected excellence," Kelly said.

Counting all those wins and losses takes some math skills which Rockies owner Dick Monfort traces back to a slightly intimidating high school math teacher.

"He had hands like the size of a baseball glove and he was a tough guy and he always picked on me," Monfort said.

They are successful Coloradans who credit life lessons learned in school.