Students at Louis J. Schultz School had plenty of reasons to celebrate Friday: The seventh-grade students entered the library for a Renaissance assembly to the sounds of "Celebrate" by Kool and the Gang.

"It's unexpected, but you could be caught being good," Principal John Eck told the students.

Renaissance is a nationwide program that emphasizes excellence in education. It promotes attendance, citizenship, leadership and academic improvement and is funded through community support and sponsors.

The program is open to all students who do good things either in the classroom or just while at school, said co-sponsor Bonnie Matzat.

"We are looking for all the positive things they are doing and build on that," she said.

Students are rewarded for perfect attendance, promptness to classes, improving grades and good citizenship. Members of the high school Renaissance club gave out prizes like squeeze bottles, T-shirts, and key chains to the students who had already been doing good things.

"The goal is to encourage each student to achieve at their maximum," said Julia Jorgenson, high school Renaissance sponsor. The program is modeled after the incentive businesses give employees.

Students need to learn good citizenship and good working skills to be productive. "Right now their job is going to school," Jorgenson said.

Even the teachers were rewarded for doing their jobs. Four teachers were honored for their hard work in the classroom. Two of them earned free meals at a Cape Girardeau restaurant and two earned gold, lapel Tiger Paw pins.

The Parent-Teacher Association bought school shirts for every staff member for the new Renaissance program. Teachers and staff members wore the shirts during the assembly Friday morning.