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Like most school teachers, Diana Messens has more responsibilities than just teaching her business classes. She also is in charge of the student council and serves on the board of the local teacher credit union.
Outside her school life, Diana is also a “good neighbor” in the community. She serves on the United Fund board of directors, is a member of the Friends of the Neosho National Fish Hatchery and is a member of Beta Phi of Beta Sigma Phi.
One of her annual volunteer activities is to help with the Kids Fishing Clinic and Derby at the local fish hatchery. Her husband, Jeff, works at the hatchery so she likes to help out. Her experience with young people on a daily basis makes her a natural to help herd around groups of kids who enjoy a day outdoors.
Her usual job at the derby is to serve as a group guide. This means she selects one of the groups of kids and follow it around as the kids move from station to station. As a guide, she concerns herself with any discipline problem that might crop up, leads the way from station to station and helps anyone in her group who needs something like a bathroom break of drink.
“I like to introduce myself when we get together,” she said. “And I have any parents who come along, I have them introduce themselves. I tell them if they are disciplined, it’s because we want them safe. It’s a fun job: We just become like a little pack of friends.”
Diana was born in Butler, Mo., and attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, earning a bachelor of science degree in education and a master’s of business degree. As the oldest of three children, she was the first in her family to receive a college education.
“My two younger brothers then went on to college,” she said. “And I think we started a nice trend in the family.”
After one year teaching in Amoret, Mo., Diana came to Neosho where she has taught for 29 years. Plans call for her to teach one more year before she retires and even then she might do some substitute teaching.
“The best part of teaching for me,” Diana said, “is that ‘light bulb moment’ when a students says ‘I think I’ve got it.’”
Diana and Jeff like to keep fit so they are a familiar sight in their Neosho neighborhood as they walk and walk their dog. Diana also likes to go to the YMCA to the dance classes and Jeff goes there to swim early each morning.
Jeff also likes scuba diving, but that’s not for Diana.
“I’m an avid reader of magazines and newspapers,” she said. “And I like to visit flea markets and antique shops. Jeff and I got together but we go through the markets separately. I look for myself and for what he likes and he looks for himself and for what I like. We cover more ground that way.”
Like most school teachers, Diana Messens has more responsibilities than just teaching her business classes. She also is in charge of the student council and serves on the board of the local teacher credit union.
Outside her school life, Diana is also a “good neighbor” in the community. She serves on the United Fund board of directors, is a member of the Friends of the Neosho National Fish Hatchery and is a member of Beta Phi of Beta Sigma Phi.
One of her annual volunteer activities is to help with the Kids Fishing Clinic and Derby at the local fish hatchery. Her husband, Jeff, works at the hatchery so she likes to help out. Her experience with young people on a daily basis makes her a natural to help herd around groups of kids who enjoy a day outdoors.
Her usual job at the derby is to serve as a group guide. This means she selects one of the groups of kids and follow it around as the kids move from station to station. As a guide, she concerns herself with any discipline problem that might crop up, leads the way from station to station and helps anyone in her group who needs something like a bathroom break of drink.
“I like to introduce myself when we get together,” she said. “And I have any parents who come along, I have them introduce themselves. I tell them if they are disciplined, it’s because we want them safe. It’s a fun job: We just become like a little pack of friends.”
Diana was born in Butler, Mo., and attended Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, earning a bachelor of science degree in education and a master’s of business degree. As the oldest of three children, she was the first in her family to receive a college education.
“My two younger brothers then went on to college,” she said. “And I think we started a nice trend in the family.”
After one year teaching in Amoret, Mo., Diana came to Neosho where she has taught for 29 years. Plans call for her to teach one more year before she retires and even then she might do some substitute teaching.
“The best part of teaching for me,” Diana said, “is that ‘light bulb moment’ when a students says ‘I think I’ve got it.’”
Diana and Jeff like to keep fit so they are a familiar sight in their Neosho neighborhood as they walk and walk their dog. Diana also likes to go to the YMCA to the dance classes and Jeff goes there to swim early each morning.
Jeff also likes scuba diving, but that’s not for Diana.
“I’m an avid reader of magazines and newspapers,” she said. “And I like to visit flea markets and antique shops. Jeff and I got together but we go through the markets separately. I look for myself and for what he likes and he looks for himself and for what I like. We cover more ground that way.”
