Accepting a Fear Factor challenge at the 2025 American Montessori Society Event in Denver could have led to a scary, or even disgusting challenge, but the very opposite happened to Cortez’s Children’s Kiva Montessori teacher Daniel Acosta.
Instead of being dared to eat a bug smoothy or lie in a bed of snakes, Acosta was awarded two rare paintings from TED Talk speaker, author and American speed artist Erik Wahl.
“I believe it was fate,” Acosta told The Journal. “I believe it was life trying to choose me.”
During his time speaking to Montessori teachers at the event, Wahl speed-painted a painting of John Lennon while playing Lennon’s song, “Imagine.” By the end of the song, the painting was complete. After painting, Wahl proposed a Fear Factor-style challenge to the thousands of attending teachers, which Acosta accepted.
When he came on stage, what happened surprised Acosta and all of those in attendance.
“After he finished painting, he started talking about where his inspiration comes from, and the inspiration that comes from teachers,” Acosta said. “Out of the blue, he threw a ball into the audience and I caught the ball.”
When Acosta was ushered to the stage after catching the ball, he was given an envelope with a challenge. Acosta had the option to accept the challenge or pass it off to someone else. Acosta decided to take the challenge.
“As I was going on stage, he said, ‘Daniel, have you ever done a freestyle rap?’” Acosta said of Wahl’s joke. “I opened the envelope and it said that the painting of John Lennon is yours to keep.”
After receiving the painting, Wahl offered Acosta $100, saying he could either take the $100 or keep the painting.
“I said, ‘No,’” Acosta said. “When he asked me why, I said, ‘The painting chose me.’”
Not only did Acosta receive the painting of Lennon, he was also gifted an additional painting, Wahl’s take on the Mona Lisa.
Acosta, who moved from Colombia to Cortez to teach at Kiva Montessori four years ago, was also the 2023 Colorado After schoolteacher award winner. Acosta teaches ELA and science.
When asked about the most rewarding part of being an educator, Acosta shared his thoughts on patience and allowing students to follow their passions.
“This has been a system that has taught me a lot about patience,” Acosta said. “Being able to push my students but also follow their pace. And the second one … here at Kiva, we follow the standards to make sure that our students meet their needs, but we also make sure that we follow their passions, and that is a real-life oriented approach. Everything we do is something that could be meaningful for their life when they leave school.”
Acosta thanked school leaders for allowing teachers to go to the Montessori event for “the best professional development that we can get.”
Leaders at the Montessori also praised Acosta and the other teachers who took the time to attend the event, leading to Acosta being awarded the paintings.
“Their team’s willingness to learn together during their vacation time was definitely celebrated with Wahl’s generosity and Acosta’s courage,” they said.
