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2013-14 Fine Art Award Winners: Renee Kiah and Madeline Wood

The motivated duo of music teachers who earned the Fine Art recognition awards -- the Distinguished Service Award and the Class Act Award -- are two educators that continually demonstrate remarkable commitment to their craft.

This is the fifth year for the presentation of these awards. The criteria for the two awards are similar. The recipients must be actively involved in IESA Music. The recipients must demonstrate the ability to develop and promote standards of good performance practices, integrity and life skills within their students. The contributions of both award winners must have positively impacted students and the school community.

The individuals are nominated by their school peers, and the winners are voted upon by the IESA's Music Advisory Committee.

For the Distinguished Service Award winner, the contributions must be significant and/or long term for someone involved with Music for over eight years of teaching and directing. For the Class Act Award winner, the contributions are from someone involved with Music for at least 3 and not more than 8 years of teaching and directing.

Renee Kiah, who has served as both a music teacher and director most recently at Southeastern JHS in Augusta, has dedicated 20 years to music education on her way to winning the 2014 Distinguished Service Award. One of the many venues that Renee has developed over the years at Augusta Southeastern is a strong school musical. Each year, the community buzzes with anticipation in regards to the school musical, with each performance turning in impressive attendance numbers. Renee has also hosted several talent shows that not only include her students, but many community members that also share a deep passion for music. Renee Kiah has earned the respect of not only her students but her peers, as she continues to enrich the lives of those within her community through music.

Madeline Wood, a music director at United Junior High School in Monmouth for the past three years, is the 2014 Class Act Award Winner. Madeline cherishes each opportunity to teach music, as her classes are packed “bell to bell” with students eager to learn. Additionally, Madeline schedules Jazz Band as well as chamber groups such as the Clarinet Club. On top of her many duties, Madeline also helped Monmouth United host its first IESA music contest in recent memory. Madeline plans on reaching more students come the 2014-15 school year, as she begins a new music survey course designed for the eighth grade. Madeline Wood has taken it upon herself to cause change for the betterment of her program as well as her school.

Congratulations to both recipients.