By Jennifer Mauro | Associate Editor

Teens going into ninth grade this year will have something uplifting to talk about when asked, “What did you do over the summer?”

Six teens from Precious Blood Parish, Monmouth Beach, traveled to Pittsburgh, Pa., to lend a helping hand July 10-15 at Catholic Heart Workcamp – an organization that brings youth groups, teens and ministry leaders together from across the nation for service projects such as restoring homes, feeding the hungry and helping the elderly.

“Everybody jumped right in and did what they were asked,” said parish religious education teacher Sharon Trotta, who accompanied the teens on the trip.

The mission gave the youth a chance to reach their potential – both spiritually and physically, she said. During the day, the groups performed service projects such as visiting nursing homes, landscaping and cleaning houses and historical sites in 90-plus degree heat.

“No one could complain, because we were all in the same boat,” Trotta said.

In the evening, there were opportunities to hear witness talks and take part in prayer, fellowship and teambuilding activities.

Because the Precious Blood teens all worked different worksites in order to meet new people and get different faith-sharing experiences, “everybody has their own little story about what they experienced,” Trotta said.

For example, Trotta’s team helped a woman in her 80s who lives alone and doesn’t have any help. Her group filled two rental trucks with brush from the woman’s yard, which was so overgrown, the woman couldn’t get to her mailbox. Afterward, they helped to clean the inside of her house.

 “Every morning, she would say a Rosary and take part in prayer with us,” Trotta said, adding that the woman would also join in on their spiritual discussions. At the end of the four days they worked, the woman, deeply moved and appreciative, told them, “You treated me like a queen.”

Though youth from the parish have gone on this mission before, this was the first time for this particular group. Trotta said it made her think, “Why haven’t I been doing this all my life?”

Trotta said she and the teens plan to reunite in August to share photos, talk more about their experiences and discuss ways they can share what they learned with fellow parishioners.

“We want to let the community know that there are great teens doing great things,” she said.