Many Colorado educators have quit. But this former NFL coach, Walmart manager and psychotherapist ditched their old jobs to teach.

Overwhelmed by the unpredictable shuffle between remote and in-person learning, scared of contracting a deadly virus, and tired of trying to make ends meet, many Colorado educators walked away from teaching during the pandemic with no intention of returning.

An already stressful job took on compounding pressures during the past three years, with teachers tending to more severe mental health struggles among students while grappling with their own. Meanwhile, political battles that found their way into classrooms and sustained community violence in schools stoked fear and frustration across the state.

But those stressors haven’t chased all teachers out of schools. Some newly minted educators have even sought out a career in a school amid the heavier workload and…