October 10, 2025
People seem really different in a good way at the end.
High school counselor Leslie Trundy, regarding her detention hikes. Students assigned detention in a Maine high school are given the choice to either spend it indoors or join Trundy on a nature hike.
Why It Matters: Research shows that spending time outdoors can lower stress and improve mental health. With that in mind, Trundy pitched the idea of “detention hikes” to the Morse High School administration and got approval. The hikes began last fall and have continued since. Some students even choose to participate voluntarily – with one saying, “Hiking is now something that I would say that I like.”
Learn More:
- School offers hikes instead of detention. Teachers are seeing results. (Washington Post)
Image Credit: Angelo Pantazis on Unsplash
by Stephanie Wagner, based in Florida
