In Bath, students choose a hike over detention

https://www.mainepublic.org/education-news/2025-06-18/in-bath-students-choose-a-hike-over-detention

In Bath, students choose a hike over detention

Maine Public | By Madi Smith
Published June 18, 2025 at 2:32 PM EDT
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And instead of sitting in class, these three chose to spend their detention hiking after school. Trundy, a counselor at Morse, began the program after she attended an outdoor education conference this past fall. She wondered whether spending time outdoors might encourage the kids to open up about the problems they might be experiencing.

"My hope was that time in the woods like I could sort of take the skills that I have on the road with them or on the trail, and be a listener for them, and pay back the time to the school and sort of serve their consequence. But also receive more care and attention," said Trundy.

Trundy said she's fielded some criticism from those who don't believe that a walk in the woods is enough punishment for making poor choices, and said some parents have refused to let their kids take part.

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Kipoy is a Sophomore at Morse High School and a new Mainer, she was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and she said the hikes — she's been on 10 this year— have helped her "find herself."

"So you can just find yourself, yeah, I guess finding yourself in a forest is easier than in the city," Kipoy said.

Halfway through the hike, the group takes a snack break and Trundy reads a poem.

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It makes me have to, like, walk. It makes it makes you breathe heavily, obviously, and it feels like an accomplishment, almost," said Tanguay. "I think that maybe it's also good for people's mental health. I mean, in general, nature and hikes are just really good for people's mentality. So when you maybe you've had, if you maybe you've had a bad day, the option to do this after knowing you have a detention means you have to dread it less."

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