ONEIDA, N.Y. -- The 13th Annual Wall of Distinction Induction and Alumni Dinner will be held Saturday, Sept. 27, at Theodore's Restaurant (the former Rusty Rail Party House), 3231 Seneca Turnpike, Canastota, The cocktail hour will be from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., with dinner at 7 p.m. followed by the induction ceremony.
The Wall of Distinction is our primary fundraiser and celebrates graduates who have made an outstanding contribution in their field. It also recognizes retirees and others who have served the Oneida City School District with distinction.
Nominees are selected from applications submitted and must meet one or more of the following criteria to be considered for inclusion:
An OHS graduate (10 or more years ago) who has made significant contributions to society through his/her life work
An OCSD retired teacher or staff member (5 or more years ago) who has/had a positive impact on the lives of others through dedicated and exemplary service
A community member who has enthusiastically volunteered his/her time and talent to support the goals and initiatives of the OCSD
Hailing from Endwell, NY, Mary Jeanne (Knapik) Bialas joined Oneida High School's English Department in 1973 with her BA in English from SUNY Potsdam. She taught English 9-11, created three innovative elective courses and redesigned curriculum combining costume design, storytelling, history and theater to bring literature to life.
She was recognized with the OTA's Distinguished Service Award (1977) and the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award (1978) and selected for Who's Who Among America's Teachers.
An active member in her school community, Mary Jeanne co-authored a student workbook, mentored college student teachers and was the advisor for the OHS literary magazine, Living History Club and Freshman Class.
Mary Jeanne earned her MS in Education/Educational Administration and CAS/ SED from SUNY Oswego becoming skilled in grant writing and curriculum development. She secured grant funding for professional actors, Living History performers, and drama workshops at OHS, including her signature "Victorian Dinner" event that linked local history to English 9 curriculum.
As a program coordinator, living history tour guide and storyteller, Mary Jeanne partnered with Cottage Lawn Museum, Oneida Community Mansion House Elderhostel, and local libraries offering history, reading programs, and Victorian craft programs for public enjoyment (1988-2023). She was a Brownie and Girl Scout Leader. She served on boards for the Madison County Historical Society, Sherrill-Kenwood Library and the Oneida Area Arts Council. She was a Zonta member and active in St. Helena's Church. In retirement, she volunteered at the Sherrill Food Pantry and Willard Prior Elementary School.
After retiring in 2007, Mary Jeanne became a speaker for the NY State Council for the Humanities traveling throughout NYS presenting "Victorian Whispers" educational programs.
Mary Jeanne raised her daughter, Lynne, in the Sherrill/Oneida area and now shares a blended family of five children and 15 grandchildren with her husband, Sterling Oddo.
Gail Sforza Krebs, OHS 1963, posthumously
Gail Brewer Krebs was born and raised in Oneida, New York, and graduated from Oneida High School in 1963. She began her college studies at Wells College and earned her B.S. from Syracuse University. Gail went on to complete a M.A. in Communications from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Health Administration from Cornell University's Sloan Program in Health Services Administration. She also held certification as a childbirth educator in the Bradley Method. A passionate advocate for maternal health, Gail co-authored What Every Pregnant Woman Should Know and The Brewer Medical Diet, groundbreaking books focused on prenatal nutrition and care. Her collaboration with Dr. Tom Brewer helped transform understanding of the vital role nutrition plays in pregnancy, benefiting generations of mothers and infants. Gail's pioneering research included leading the first national study of managed maternity care, which she presented at conferences and published as a white paper. She later served as a research professor at the University of New Hampshire's Department of Health Management and Policy, mentoring students and colleagues alike. Gail and her husband, Alfred Eugen "Gene" Krebs, later owned and operated bed and breakfasts before retiring to Switzerland. Known for her intellectual curiosity and zest for life, Gail lived in Westchester County and Cazenovia, NY; San Francisco, CA; Rye Beach, NH; and Switzerland. She was devoted to her family, encouraging rich educational and cultural experiences. Gail loved opera, theatre, PBS and BBC dramas, and lively music -- often belting out tunes with her children on family car trips. She was a gifted home cook and author of An Italian Family Reunion Cookbook, a heartfelt collection of family recipes and stories. Gail is survived by her beloved husband, six children, two stepchildren, sixteen grandchildren, and three sisters. Her legacy is one of compassion, brilliance, and boundless love
Richard MacAlpine, OHS Retired 2001
Richard S. MacAlpine was born in Geneva, NY in October of 1945. He grew up in Linden, New Jersey, where he graduated from Linden High School in 1963. In summers he loved coming up to the Finger Lakes region of New York with his family. His grandparents had a cottage on Keuka Lake and his parents had family in the Penn Yan and Geneva areas.
He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in history and pre-law at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, graduating in 1967. In college he developed his leadership skills as the President of his fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi. For several summers early in his time in Oneida, he took graduate courses at Colgate University.
After a year of teaching English at a rural school in eastern Indiana, he was hired to teach Social Studies in Oneida in the fall of 1968. He taught 10th and 11th grades for 33 years, retiring in 2001. In the early 1980s, he started the Advance Placement course in American History and taught that until his retirement. Also in the 1980s he resurrected Oneida High School's participation in the Colgate Seminar Program and accompanied students down to the campus in Hamilton for sixteen years. During that time, he also served as the Treasurer and Tax Collector for the Village of Oneida Castle for 23 years.
After retirement, Rich sold his house in Oneida Castle and he and his wife, Jeanie, moved to a house on Keuka Lake just outside Penn Yan. In Penn Yan he volunteered a few years helping build houses for Habitat For Humanity and served on the Board of Directors for the Manor Crest Foundation that runs an assisted living facility and a nursing home in Penn Yan. He also volunteered with the Yates County History Center and served as the Editor of their publication, Yates Past. In that capacity he researched and wrote over 150 articles on local history. He also published seven books on local history, the most significant of which were Steamboats On Keuka Lake and a book on Admiral Frank Schofield, the son of a Yates County tenant farmer who saw combat in the Spanish-American War, served as a naval advisor to President Wilson at the Versailles Conference the ended World War I, and ended his Navy career as a Four-Star Admiral and Commander in Chief of the Fleet in the early 1930s.
In 2020, Rich and Jeanie sold their home on Keuka Lake and moved to Sherrill. Jeanie was diagnosed with a brain tumor and died in August of 2021. Rich and Jeanie have three children. Dan and Carrie live locally and Andy lives in Maryland. They have nine grandchildren.
Leo F. Maloney, OHS Retired 2001
Leo Maloney graduated from Camden High School in 1961. He was involved in Student Council, class president, and Salutatorian. His life ambitions were to either play left field for the Brooklyn Dodgers or become a bobsledder. Since those proved impractical, he attended college, graduating from S.U.N.Y. Albany with a B.A. in history and political science and graduate work at Syracuse University and Cornell University.
He taught World History and Advanced Placement European History for 36 years at Oneida High. He also coached J.V. baseball, taught hunter safety classes, and served as president of the Oneida Teacher's Association.
Meanwhile the Oneida Dispatch was looking for an outdoor sports editor and offered him a job which lasted for 50 years. He covered Lake Ontario for "Great Lakes Fisherman." A major break came when he was offered the job with "New York Sportsman" and worked at the job for 25 years until the magazine was sold.
Leo has been editor and writer for "Empire Outdoor Journal" and "Lake Ontario Outdoors" and started the magazine "Adirondack Outdoors."
Leo worked with youth, including Hunter Safety, scholarship program of NYS Outdoor Writers Association, Keesler Scholarships, and Future Anglers Association. Leo had his own TV show for 12 years, and was advisor for the Central NY Sportsman Show, receiving its Silver Service Award. He received NYSOWA's Pass It On Award for promoting interest in the outdoors.
Leo has been a member of NYSOWA for 45 years and served as president, and other offices and received the Hans Paller Award and Life Membership. He received the Paul Keesler Award for publicizing and promoting the resources of NY State. Leo is a member of the NYS Outdoorsmen Hall of Fame, served as president, and helped make it a statewide organization, honoring individuals who promoted conservation and outdoor sports.
Robert J. "Bob" Sayles, OHS 1990. posthumously
Bob Sayles, the son of Ralph and Maria Sayles, was a lifelong resident of Oneida. A top ten graduate of Oneida High School's Class of 1990, Bob was a standout basketball and baseball player and president of the National Honor Society. He received his BA in accountancy from the University of Notre Dame in 1994 and his MBA from Regis University in 2001.
Bob was the Director of Management Information Services for Evidence Based Associates where he took great pride in the mission of the company. He was previously employed as an auditor at Ernst and Young, worked in the Internal Audit, Finance, and Distribution Management department of Oneida Limited, and was the former director of IT and Accounting of Liberty Resources.
He was a member of Spirit of Hope Parish attending St. Patrick's and St. Joseph's where he served on the finance committee. He was a member of the Oneida City School District Board of Education from 2007-2012 and served as President from 2010 to 2012. He was a former coach and board member of Oneida Little League. He coached the St. Patrick's Crusaders basketball team, was a volunteer for Oneida Pop Warner and a den leader for Oneida Cub Scouts. He was a former assistant modified football coach for Christian Brother's Academy. He was the Chairperson of the CBA/Syracuse Lasallian Dinner and Auction and was a proud supporter of the Oneida City School Music and Drama Programs.
Bob and his wife, Angie, raised their three sons in Oneida. All Bob ever wanted was to return to his hometown after Notre Dame and give back all that he received. Watching his sons Steve, Andy, and Joey grow up in Oneida and receive the benefits of this community was his greatest pride.
Rev. Dr. Thomas Sheffield, OHS 1965
Since 1973 Rev. Dr. Thomas C. Sheffield has served in the Presbyterian ministry as pastor and presbytery executive. A 1965 graduate of OHS, Sheffield continued education at The College of Wooster (BA), Princeton Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity) and Drew University (Doctor of Ministry). Ordained by the Presbytery of Cayuga-Syracuse at Canastota's United Church, he became assistant pastor at the Presbyterian Church in Morristown, New Jersey. In 1980 he was called to serve as Pastor of the 1500-member Morristown Church and he remained in that position until 2001 when he became the Presbytery of Denver's first Presbytery Pastor, which oversaw both administrative and pastoral work with presbytery leadership, congregations and ministers.
His ministry-long priority to create community and partnerships led to the Morristown Church becoming the first emergency shelter for unhoused people in its County. Sheffield supported a partnership between his Presbytery and a Presbytery in Kenya. In the community he helped found a counseling service for persons in debt, develop an multi-cultural youth employment program and a reading program for at-risk children. His community engagement resulted in his receiving the Equal Opportunity Award from the Urban League.
In Denver he ministered with a variety of congregations of diverse cultures and languages. A partnership between Denver and the Presbytery of Zimbabwe was formed, leading to numerous missions for education and health. Denominational service included being invited by Presbyterian Publishing Corporation, during a time of conflict within the Presbyterian Church (USA) to co-author Peace, Unity and Purity?
Most important at Oneida High school Kathleen Thall and he began to date. Married in 1969 they now have "three amazing daughters, three great sons-in-law and seven perfect grandchildren." Retired and living in Toms River, New Jersey, he serves as co-convener of the Zambia-Zimbabwe-Mozambique-U.S.A. Network which seeks to build links among Presbyterians working for partnership.