CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, Ohio — The team spirit is everywhere at Cleveland Heights High School, and we mean everywhere.
From the green and red lights outside the school, to the signs, shirts, and even garbage cans representing the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, the brothers Travis and Jason Kelce are being celebrated in a big way by the whole school.
They're not only rooting for the pair who are making history Sunday by facing off in the Super Bowl -- they're cheering on a pair of Cleveland Heights graduates.
"That's a name that gets thrown around here a lot," Cleveland Heights senior and football player Owen Bisker said. "Two of the very best players that I've ever seen."
Social studies teacher Mark Sack taught Travis during the star tight end's senior year back in 2008.
"Travis was unique as a student in my class," Sack told 3News. "He brought an interesting perspective to things, social issues. Obviously, he was focused on his outstanding athletic career at Heights in multiple sports, but he always brought some insight and a little bit of humor ... lightened things up a little bit, so he was an appreciated, appreciated member of our class."
Sack admits he and Kelce sometimes butted heads, but when the seven-time All-Pro was inducted into the high school's hall of fame a few years back, he gave his former teacher a shoutout.
"Mr. Sack, I apologize," Travis said at his induction back in 2018, while the crowd laughed. "I see it now, I see it now. That's all I've got to say."
But, it's all good, because the Kelce brothers are doing good off the field, too.
"They're doing a lot of good for disadvantaged youth," Sack said, "creating opportunities for both hope and practical skills."
Jerome White, a Cleveland Heights Hall of Famer himself, also had Travis in art class. He says he always knew the Kelce brothers had talent and heart.
"It's always good to see when your students go on and achieve higher goals, the things that you never expect, and they succeed," he gushed. "That's what makes you feel like, 'What I did and working with that student, it was worth it,' you know? It's paid off."
Editor's Note: The following video is from a previous, unrelated report.
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