A ceremony was held recently for Richmond Hill High School band director, Dr. Daniel Kiene.

Mayor Russ Carpenter, on May 13, presented Kiene with a proclamation recognizing his "contributions and excellence in teaching music for nearly three decades."

The proclamation states:

Kiene has been the band director at the high school since 2007 and has taught at various levels from elementary school to college in South Georgia for nearly 30 years.

Under his direction, the Richmond Hill High School band program has grown from approximately 100 students to well over 200, offering a highly competitive marching band, three concert bands, jazz band and a guitar program.

During his tenure, the bands under Kiene have consistently scored superior ratings in both marching and concert settings and the Marching Wildcats have won more than 14 Grand Championships in the last 10 years.

His sphere of influence has extended outside the Greater Richmond Hill area, as the band places numerous students in GMEA district honor bands, the Georgia All State band and orchestra, and college honor bands throughout the Southeast.

Kiene's excellence in teaching has been recognized with multiple honors and awards including being named Teacher of the Year for Richmond Hill High School and Bryan County School System for the 2010-2011 year, receiving the National Band Association Citation of Excellence in 2013, and being named as a quarter-finalist in the Grammy Foundation's 2015 Music Educator Grammy Award program.