2025 COMMUNITY PARTNERS

TERRY & TONI DIEL

​Inducted in 2025

Toni & Terry Diel were honored at the 2025 SHSAA Hall of Fame with the Community Partner Award.

Toni graduated from Wichita East High School. She attended Done College in Crete, Nebraska, then graduated from Olivet Nazarene College in Illinois. She earned her Master's from Governor's State University in Illinois.
 
Terry graduated from Cherokee High School in Oklahoma in a class of 24. He earned his BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute and his Master's from the University of Illinois, Champaign.
 
Both taught in multiple districts in Missouri, Illinois, and Nebraska, retiring from OPS in 2011 and 2017 respectively. Their teaching careers spanned over 38 years.
 
Beginning in July 2006, entering from the circle lot for an interview, South became home. South High and South Omaha felt comfortable. They met new people, made new friends, lived on 23rd and K for twelve years. Their familiar faces frequented sporting events, plays, and concerts. They enjoyed meeting ex-students and their families at community events.

Alter retiring from the classroom, they continued their South involvement by substitute teaching. Terry for 14 years and Toni for 7 years. Both sub only at South. Toni disarms rule breakers with a gentle touch to on arm saying, "honey, I love you, but...” Terry uses dad jokes to lighten any situation.

Toni helped with early registration in the fall and proctors AP exams in the spring while Terry makes creative features for the display cases, provides artistic help when needed for a graphic, and makes the best chili for the English Department.  

When asked why South, Toni said she loves being around the students. staff, and families. Questioned about really retiring, she said, "when the students stop making me laugh, I will completely quit.? Terry will quit when Toni tells him to.