The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Five to be inducted into Wall of Distinction
The Oneida City School District Foundation’s annual awards banquet will be held Sept. 29.
ONEIDA, N.Y. » The Oneida City School District Foundation has released the 2018 Wall of Distinction roster of honorees to be honored Saturday, Sept. 29.
Roger LaLonde, OHS graduate 1961, ( posthumously awarded); Ralph Shortell, OHS graduate (1962); Suzanne Miller, retired OHS teacher and advisor; Thomas Rasely, OHS graduate (1968); and Frank Melena, OHS graduate (1949) and retired teacher, coach, and guidance counselor ( posthumously awarded).
Honorees’ plaques will be added to the Wall of Distinction at Oneida High School.
LaLonde graduated in the OHS Class of 1961. Following graduation, he took a job as a journalist with the Oneida Dispatch. LaLonde continued his journalism career for the Joliet Herald News in Illinois. In the 1970s, he was the press secretary for Illinois House of Representatives member George O’Brien. Following that, he began working in the health care field.
From September 1979 to October 1989, LaLonde served as vice president of Silver Cross Hospital in Joliet, Ill. He oversaw communications, physician recruitment, the Silver Cross Development Foundation, and worked on Illinois Hospital legislation. He also helped start free health care in Illinois for indigent citizens. From October 1989 to June 1998, he directed the Ingalls Development Foundation associated with the Ingalls Hospital in Harvey, Ill., where he raised millions of dollars for the foundation.
By late 1988, LaLonde and his wife lived in Florida. There he returned to his first love, news reporting, and became a senior writer for the Marco Eagle newspaper, where he worked until 2014. He covered the 9/11 tragedy, as well as sports events, especially those at the local public schools. For two years, he was the newspaper’s interim editor. His association with the students and their families in the school districts allowed him to communicate with many of them about their lives, to learn what was happening beyond the sports in which they participated, and to encourage them to work hard. He helped instill in them a sense of values and respect. In private he helped some financially, making yet another positive difference in their lives.
LaLonde died in 2016, and is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, their six married children, and 14 grandchildren.
Shortell attended St. Patrick’s School and graduated from Oneida High School in 1962. An involved student, he served as class president for three years and attended the Boys State student leader and citizenship program. He excelled as a three-sport athlete. Shortell earned nine varsity letters in football, wrestling and track. In 1961, he was a football co-captain and named to the Tri-Valley All Star Team. In 1962, he placed second in the Central New York Section Wrestling Tournament. He was also active in a variety of clubs and performing arts groups.
While a student at SUNY Cortland, Shortell majored in Physical Education/Recreation Management and served as a class leader, house president of Delta Kappa Beta Fraternity and community volunteer. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from SUNY Cortland in 1966 and a Master of Science Degree from SUNY Brockport in 1971.
His career in higher ed- ucation as a member of the administration at Ithaca College, SUNY Brockport and Tompkins Cortland Community College spanned 40 years. Working directly with students, he stressed the importance of knowing and understanding one’s role and responsibility as a community member. Shortell was a proponent of and mentor in the areas of student development, civic engagement and leadership education.
He was recognized for his service and commitment to students and the community by his peers and professional organizations. He received the State University of New York Chancellor’s Award for Professional Service, the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association Outstanding Volunteer Award, the Tompkins Cortland Community College Trustees’ Citation for Professional Service, the National Association for Campus Activities East
Coast Region Founders and Leadership Awards and the Dryden Recreation Commission Recognition for Service to the Community.
After retirement in 2010, he continued his community service through volunteering with the town of Dryden Recreation Department, the Oneida City School District Foundation and the SUNY Cortland Alumni Association.
Miller and husband, Ed Miller, were married five days after she graduated from Skidmore College. Although her BA in Art History and English did not prepare her for her first job as coordinator and teacher of 60 preschool children at Ladd Air Force Base in Fairbanks, Alaska, Miller developed other important teaching skills: organization, motivation, nurturing, and compassion, while persistently advocating for her students to receive the best education possible.
Five moves and three kids later, the Millers settled in Oneida, where Miller taught Literacy Volunteers of America workshops in the community and authored a teaching training manual for LVA, which they published and sold to all their US chapters. In 1972, LVA honored her as the New York State Volunteer of the Year.
In 1971, Miller was hired as a reading teacher at Oneida High School, where she initiated a new type of support program. Instead of teaching reading skills separately, she used the classroom teacher’s curriculum with adjustments built in for students having difficulty reading, and the two teachers worked as a teamwithin the classroom. The successful programexpanded to include students in English 9-12, Science 9, and Social Studies 9.
Miller was awarded a New York State Department of Education grant and conducted several workshops in BOCES districts explaining her innovative team approach to teaching reading skills. During this time, she also completed her master’s degree from Syracuse University and coauthored a book, “Strategies for Success,” published by Columbia University Press.
Those skills learned early on in Alaska served Miller well throughout her career: organization and keeping students focused while she served as class advisor to eight senior classes and two yearbook staffs; as well as motivation and the development of innovative curricula for her Sophomore Study Skills, SAT/ACT Prep and College Skills classes. Through her teaching, Miller endeavored to boost her stu- dents’ self-esteem so they were open to learning and new challenges. She retired from OHS in 1991.
Her love of her community is exemplified through her dedicated volunteerism and leadership. She has served on the Oneida Library Board of Directors, the OPL Foundation Board, and the Oneida Healthcare Auxillary Board, which helped earn her the Oneida Rotary Club’s “Roses to the Living” Award.
Rasely started writing music at age 7 in Pennsylvania, and began playing the guitar at age 14, in Oneida. His early musical influences, including his father, Charles Rasely (OCSD music teacher 1962-1980), and the foundation laid in theory classes at OHS, helped to determine his career path. Upon graduation from OHS in 1968, Rasely studied music at Onondaga Community College (class of ‘71) and SUNY Fredonia (class of ‘ 73). In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Rasely taught private guitar lessons in his downtown Oneida studio. He also was the creator of the annual Guitar Day Festival (1976-1980).
Over the years, Rasely has written more than 700 pieces of music, ranging from guitar solos to a symphony. He has recorded more than 80 albums of original music, traditional tunes, favorite hymns, pop tunes and Christmas carols. He has also taught at the National Guitar Workshop, the NPM Guitar Schools, and given concerts and workshops all across the country.
Having lived in upstate New York for several years, and also in North Carolina, Hawaii, Indiana and Michigan, Rasely now resides with his wife Cindy in Fulton, N.Y. Their daughter’s family, including three grandchildren, lives in Elgin, Ill.
Rasely continues to record, perform and compose, to explore new possibilities on the guitar, and to share his gift and love of music with audiences and other players at all levels.
Melena graduated from Oneida High School in 1949. While a student there, he distinguished himself as a scholar/athlete in several sports. After graduating from college, Melena began his career in his home district as an American History teacher at Oneida Junior High, later serving as a guidance counselor at OHS. Most of his 30-plus years were spent at Oneida High School, and he retired in 1987.
Melena coached OHS varsity football for 20 years. He served as president of the Oneida Teachers Association and vice president of the Madison County Guidance Association. He was also the first president of the Umbrella Guidance Association, rep- resenting nine Central New York district guidance groups. He was dedicated to his profession, earning a master’s degree in Education from Colgate, while working full time and helping to raise a family.
Melena was also active in local politics and served on the Oneida City Council andMadison County Board of Supervisors. He was also house chairman of Oneida Area Arts Council, working to bring well known performers to Oneida to enrich the cultural experience of the community.
Although Melena had several professional accomplishments, he was most proud of the work he did with the students at OHS. He especially enjoyed mentoring seniors, making sure they stayed on track to graduate and assisting with their post high school plans. Hemade a point of visiting colleges and getting to know the admissions people so he could better assist his students. Those who knew him remember his smile and positive attitude. His family used to tease him about being “Mr. Hi, How Are You?”, but he was genuine in his interest. It wasn’t until he passed away in 2013 that his family fully realized the lasting impact he had on his students over the years.
At the time of his passing, his family members were touched by the kind words from his former students and co-workers. Several mentioned that Melena was a role model.
The ceremony will take place at the annual OCSD FoundationWall of Distinction Dinner event Saturday, Sept. 29, at Theodore’s Restaurant on Route 5, Canastota. The evening will begin with a social hour from 6-7 p.m., featuring acoustic guitar music by local musician John Kelsey. Dinner and presentations will follow. Allen Eye Associates is the event’s major sponsor.
Community members who wish to join in honoring the 2018 induction class may purchase tickets to the event for $30. Tables of eight may be reserved as well. Tickets are available through Lori Cimpi, OCSD Foundation, 1136 Freedom Drive, Oneida, N.Y. 13421, or by calling 315-363-6072.
The OCSD Foundation is a not-for-profit organization, whose fundraising efforts provide monetary support for the district’s educational efforts requiring funding beyond the capabilities of the district budget. The main purpose is to annually award student scholarships and innovative classroom grants for teachers. Additionally, the Foundation is working to build an endowment fund, while preserving and promoting school spirit within the Oneida City School District and those associated with it.