NATCHEZ &045; It became pretty easy to draw some academic parallels Tuesday night at the Robert Lewis Middle School Honors Banquet.

Teachers and administrators presented 86 students with certificates and gifts for making As and Bs during the year. Of those 86, many were also rewarded for being outstanding readers and having perfect attendance.

&uot;There’s definitely a correlation between attendance and grades,&uot; teacher Monica King told the crowd of about 100. &uot;You have to be present to do a good job.&uot;

The same message came when 22 awards were given for the America’s Choice Outstanding Reader program.

&uot;Those people who are good students are also readers,&uot; America’s Choice Design Coach Pat West said.

RLMS participates in the reading program, which encourages the seventh- and eighth-graders to read as many chapter books as possible for rewards.

Seventh-grader Joshua McDonald led the pack and read 49 books.

&uot;I just stopped reading two weeks ago,&uot; McDonald said of his 49. &uot;I read science fiction and Harry Potter. I just like it.&uot;

James Reed, who read 37 books, made a turnaround once the year started.

&uot;At first I thought it wasn’t cool to read,&uot; Reed said. &uot;But I like Encyclopedia Brown and mysteries where they solve things.&uot;

Guest speaker Johnny Dale, a member of the Natchez-Adams School Board, told the students that academics would forever determine their success in life.

&uot;Knowledge is power,&uot; he said. &uot;But you need personal power, power over yourself and power to make yourself do things you have to do.&uot;

Dale told the students self-discipline would be one of the most important lessons they would ever learn, on top of math and language.

&uot;What you are learning now will give you a good start, you’ve made a good start,&uot; he said. &uot;Keep up the good fight.&uot;

Principal’s list scholar and outstanding reader Ashley Morrison said it took hard work to be academically successful.

&uot;You’ve got to read the books,&uot; Morrison said. &uot;And you have to respect your teachers.&uot;

Jerrica Jackson, a principal’s list scholar and the Student Council President, said RLMS made learning easy if you were willing.

&uot;You have to listen in class,&uot; she said. &uot;All you’ve got to do is pay attention in your classes and you will learn.&uot;

The school also recognized teachers and parents for their contributions.

&uot;We look forward to increasing this group,&uot; Principal Bettye Bell said. &uot;We want to triple our numbers next year. At athletic events the numbers are quadruple this, we want to do that with academics but it’s going to require parent participation.&uot;

Tiffany Dyess and Sharell Smith were rewarded for making all As all year long.

Eighteen students were honored for their perfect attendance.