The sound of children’s voices could be heard in unison praying as they sat outside of Ave Maria Academy in Bethel Park on Oct. 6 while a rosary made of balloons floated in the air.

“This is a great opportunity for the students to pray together,” said Mark Grgurich, co-principal with Lynne Lynch at the Bethel Park and Mt. Lebanon campuses of Ave Maria Academy.

Ave Maria Academy encompasses students from more than 10 school districts and collaborates with St. Anthony program for students with Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder and other intellectual disabilities. It’s part of the South Regional Catholic Elementary Schools within the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

The balloon rosary was created out of blue and white balloons and made by the Parent Teacher Group. The 550 students in pre-K through 8th grade from both campuses gathered outside at each location.

Katie O’Keefe of Upper St Clair, who teaches math at the Mt. Lebanon campus, has four students at the Bethel Park campus, including her twins, who are in the eighth grade.

“They have been praying the rosary since they were in pre-school,” said a teary-eyed O’Keefe. “It is special. It touches your heart to see this.”

One of her twins, eighth grader Kelly O’Keefe said, “It is a way as a Catholic school to gather and pray the rosary in a unique way.”

Her classmate Scarlett Sibbet of Peters said, “It is super cool that we can make a balloon rosary and we can all be out here praying together.”

The girls said they like to honor the tradition and know they are setting an example for the younger students.

“The rosary will continue to be a part of our lives,” said Kelly O’Keefe.

Kindergarten teacher Mary Lou Dressman-Conroy said students learn about the rosary at a young age and pray the rosary throughout the year.

“It is a dedication to Mary and a visual representation of the rosary,” Dressman-Conroy said. “It’s sacramental and it’s not a necklace or a toy. We are praying for protection and peace in the world.”

Some children have their own rosary. If they don’t, the school provides one for them.

“This is a cool tradition,” said Bethel Park mom Natalie Podkul, who helped stabilize the balloon that was connected to a string so it wouldn’t fly away. “It brings the rosary to life for the children.”

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