April 29, 2024
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JCA announces its November 2021 Students of the Month

Students recognized by 3 Joliet area service clubs for leadership in the classroom and in the community

By Denise M. Baran-Unland
Joliet Catholic Academy recently announced its Students of the Month for November. These are Abigail Weiss (left), Xander Allgood (top) and Andrew Birsa (bottom).

Joliet Catholic Academy recently announced its Students of the Month for November. These are Abigail Weiss (left), Xander Allgood (top) and Andrew Birsa (bottom). (Photo provided)

Joliet Catholic Academy’s November Students of the Month are Andrew Birsa (Kiwanis Club), Abigail Weiss (Rotary Club), and Xander Allgood (Lions Club).

“JCA is proud of the success these students have exhibited both in the classroom and out in the community,” according to a news release from JCA.

Andrew Birsa

Andrew is the son of Andrew and Molly Birsa of Plainfield. He currently has a 4.23 GPA in JCA Honors and AP classes.

Joliet Catholic Academy named Andrew Birsa as a Student of the Month for November 2021.

Joliet Catholic Academy named Andrew Birsa as a Student of the Month for November 2021. (Photo provided)

He is a member of National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. He is also a Kazma Family Scholarship recipient and JCA Heritage Award scholarship recipient.

Andrew is also a member of the varsity volleyball program at JCA.

He plans to study criminology or criminal justice in college with the goal of working for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Abigail Weiss

Abigail is the daughter of Jeffrey and Danielle Weiss of Plainfield. She currently has a 4.71 GPA in JCA Honors and AP classes.

Joliet Catholic Academy named Abigail Weiss as a Student of the Month for November 2021.

Joliet Catholic Academy named Abigail Weiss as a Student of the Month for November 2021. (Photo provided)

She is a member of National Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society and National English Honor Society. Anigail is also a JCA Heritage Award scholarship recipient. She also received the Pat Quigley Memorial Scholarship at JCA.

Abigail is on the JCA student council executive board, and she is a member of the drama club, American Sign Language Club, JCA student ambassadors and Spanish club.

She is also a member of La Danse Academi and King Music Studios. Abigail volunteers with the Miracle League of Joliet.

Xander Allgood

Xander is the son of Scott and Donna Allgood of Plainfield. He currently has a 4.55 GPA in JCA Honors and AP classes.

Joliet Catholic Academy named Xander Allgood as a Student of the Month for November 2021.

Joliet Catholic Academy named Xander Allgood as a Student of the Month for November 2021. (Photo provided)

He is a member of National Honor Society, National English Honor Society and National Spanish Honor Society. He is also a member of JCA Student Ambassadors.

Xander is a member of the boys varsity tennis team and served as a team manager for the girls program.

He is volunteers for Feed My Starving Children and works at Kohl’s.

He plans to major in education and become a teacher one day.

About Joliet Catholic Academy

The roots of Joliet Catholic Academy, a Roman Catholic college preparatory high school for boys and girls, goes back to 1869 when the Joliet Franciscan sisters opened the former St. Francis Academy, an all-girls school, according to the JCA website.

Fifty years later, the Christian Brothers opened De La Salle High School for boys. The Carmelites of the Most Pure Order of the Heart of Mary assumed leadership of De La Salle High School in 1933. The schools name was then changed to Joliet Catholic High School, the website said.

The two schools merged in 1990 to become Joliet Catholic Academy.

For more information, visit jca-online.org.