JCA students successful at school and in the community

Joliet Catholic Academy President/Principal Jeffrey Budz recently announced the school’s January Students of the Month.

These students are Grace Buss (Kiwanis Club), John Ehrsam (Rotary Club) and Cameron Batis (Lions Club).

The students were honored for their successes “both in the classroom and out in the community,” according to a news release from JCA.

Grace Buss, daughter of Bryan and Jennifer Buss, currently has a 4.20 GPA in JCA honors and AP classes.

Buss is a member of National English Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, National Honor Society (where she serves as social media director and historian) and JCA student ambassadors.

She served as captain of the JCA varsity cross country team this past fall. She also serves as secretary of the JCA Senior Student Council and president of the JCA Respect Life Club. She also is a varsity cheerleader, member of JCA’s Habitat for Humanity Club, member of the JCA varsity soccer team, and a member of the JCA Freshmen Mentor program.

Buss has not decided on a collage, but she hopes to study business and marketing wtih a focus on fashion and eco-sustainability.

John Ehrsam, son of Matt and Sarah Ehrsam, currently has a 4.60 GPA in JCA honors classes.

Ehrsam is a member of National English Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, National Honor Society and Math National Honor Society. He’s received high honors in physical education and JCA broadcasting, and he’s earned the JCA Spirit of Broadcasting Award. He is also leader in the JCA HillZone student cheering section as well as JCA student ambassadors.

In 2020 Ehrsam was named to the ESCC All-Conference Honor Mention and the Joliet Herald-News All Area honorable mention teams in basketball, where he serves as the Hilltoppers’ captain. Ehrsam is also a three-year member of the varsity football team.

Like Buss, Ehrsam has not yet decided on a college, although he’s had offers to play college football. But wherever Ehrsam attends college, he plans to study study civil engineering.

Cameron Batis, daughter of Mike and Jamie Batis, currently has a 4.24 GPA in JCA hjonors and AP classes.

Batis is a member of National Honor Society and National English Honor Society. She has also received high honors in her general business class.

She is the president of Key and Leo club, vice president of National Honor Society and vice president of National English Honor Society. She is a member of the JCA’s campus mnistry, Habit for Humanity and Respect Life Club.

Batis also has served as a leader on JCA’s capstone senior retreat, Kairos.

She was a member of the JCA state runner-up varsity volleyball team in 2019 and also plays club volleyball for UNO Volleball 18 Elite.

Batis is signed to continue her academic and athletic career at Carson-Newman University. She plans to study business management/pre-med.

For more information, visit jca-online.org.