Students, parents, faculty, and alumni of Bishop Canevin High School participate in an annual week-long Mission Trip to serve individuals in need in the Washington County area. The trip is typically scheduled for the last week of June/first week of July each summer.
Students who participate in the school Mission Trip work side-by-side with those being served through agencies such as Washington County Habitat for Humanity, the Washington City Mission, and the Highland Ridge Community Development Agency. Students have helped build houses, renovate and repair homes, restore a community garden, and prepare and serve food to homeless individuals.
Each year BC students spend a week in service and reflection during their summer break. They give their time and energy to work to help various organizations in Southwest PA. They have worked with Habitat for Humanity, the Greater Washington Food Bank, and the Washington City Mission. They are hosted by Immaculate Conception Parish, JFK Catholic School, and Washington & Jefferson College in Washington, PA.
Mission Trip participants stay on-site during the week, using the dorms at Washington & Jefferson College and the facilities at the W&J Catholic Newman Center. Evening spiritual development includes prayer, group discussion, reflection on the day’s work, Eucharistic adoration, and the celebration of mass, all of which strengthen the participants’ faith life as well. 
The Mission Trip participants return with a strong sense of community and camaraderie formed by working together during the week-long experience. It provides the opportunity for all members of the Bishop Canevin school community – students, faculty, parents, and alumni – to bond together in service to those in need and to share their Catholic faith with each other.
The 2023 Bishop Canevin Mission Trip was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who participated on this incredible trip. What a wonderful week we had volunteering at Salvation Army, City Mission, Food Helpers, Highland Ridge Community Garden, Pathways, and Immaculate Conception Church.
Our volunteers consisted of students, teachers, parents, and alumni. We cleaned and organized the Salvation Army, and packed food boxes at Food Helpers. At Highland Ridge Community Garden, the Crusaders mulched, weeded, planted flowers, and installed a bridge, trellises, and river rock as an invitational feature to the community garden. We served lunches to City Mission’s residents, as well as assisted in a setup for the City Mission’s annual barbecue honoring veterans. We also painted the entire youth ministry area at Immaculate Conception Church, along with many more volunteer activities!
During our volunteers’ free time, they played various outdoor games such as spikeball and volleyball. In the evenings the group bonded over sing-along music and group discussions led by the team leaders. These discussions focused on our theme of showing mercy and forgiving/ accepting others. The week concluded with a Washington Wild Things Game and fireworks.
2019
During a week-long mission trip, BC students worked with various programs in Washington, PA.
On Sunday…
The first day of the mission trip included mass in the cafeteria, lunch, and then the trip to Washington County. The students moved into their dorms at W&J and then went to the Newman Center for a pizza dinner. The evening program led by Mr. Shorthouse consisted of sing-alongs and funny videos.
On Monday…
Students worked at the Habitat for Humanity office and a rehab house, sorted donations at City Mission Donation center, served lunch to residents at the Washington City Mission, did various projects at Immaculate Conception, and got drenched at the Highland Ridge Community Garden.
On Tuesday…
Mission trip participants painted sheds and picnic tables at the Highland Ridge community garden. Other groups sorted donations at the Washington City Mission donation center. Those same groups served lunch to residents at the Mission. Some students worked at JFK school and Immaculate Conception where they did various painting and landscaping jobs. The groups at the Greater Washington County Food Bank sorted donations that will be distributed to the homeless, the needy, and the elderly. Students at the Habitat for Humanity office stripped off old paint from the decking with plans to repaint this week. The evening activities included playing ultimate Frisbee outside the Newman Center and playing a game where teams of students had to break apart 3 frozen T-shirts and wear them.
On Wednesday…
Students today did multiple painting projects at Immaculate Conception and JFK Middle and Elementary School. Other groups entirely finished up all of the work that needed to be done at the Habitat for Humanity rehab house. When their jobs were finished, those teams moved on to the community garden where they joined two other groups that were doing some painting and spreading the gravel. The Habitat for Humanity office is coming along nicely with people fixing up the deck and cleaning up the area. Groups at the City Mission Donation Center sorted paintings and toys. At the Food Bank, students worked on the farm and cut weeds on the property. Then, students attended a Washington Wild Things game where they got to be the high-five tunnel for the team.
On Thursday…
Today, students continued painting the bulkheads of JFK school. Other groups mulched and then power washed the deck at the Habitat for Humanity office. Some teams were at the Highland Ridge Community Garden where they painted benches, a shed, and a pergola. One group painted the basement of the Habitat for Humanity rehab house. Once again, a few groups sorted donations at the Washington City Mission Donation Center and helped serve lunch to residents at the mission.
On Friday…
Today, students finished up their projects at all of the worksites and celebrated the end of the mission trip. Groups sorted donations at the food bank and City Mission. Others worked at the Community Garden. Lunch was again served by students at the City Mission. The last groups finished up their work at the Habitat for Humanity office and rehab house. Then, students enjoyed a pasta dinner with the supervisors that were encountered at the worksites throughout the week. Participants played capture the flag with water balloons. The boys pulled out an impressive win against the girls! Finally, students joined for a singalong and a final game of balloon shirts.
