Rebecca Manzi At Morse High School in Maine, a unique discipline method allows students to choose between traditional detention or a calming walk through nature, with surprising effects on their mental well-being.
@Kamaji Ogino/Pexels
At Morse High School in Maine, discipline isn’t always confined within the walls of a classroom. When school counselor Leslie Trundy introduced an unconventional idea, students found themselves serving their punishments… by walking through the woods.
This concept emerged after Trundy attended a conference on outdoor education. Since then, she has offered students a choice: traditional detention or a walk through the trails near Bath. Surprisingly, most students opt for the latter.
During one such excursion, observed by a local reporter, a group of freshmen and sophomores shared the reasons behind their punishments. Some had been caught playing with their phones in class, others raised their voices at a teacher, and a few skipped a lesson. Nothing extraordinary, but the educational response was far from conventional.
A controversial yet promising initiative
Not everyone has been on board with this new approach. Some parents, concerned that a walk in nature isn’t a “real” punishment, have forbidden their children from participating. However, Trundy doesn’t pitch her idea as a groundbreaking revolution; instead, she prefers to observe the results and let the students draw their own conclusions.
Some students admitted that the physical movement, deep breathing, and connection with nature had a calming and grounding effect. A few, without explicitly saying it, acknowledged that the experience had positively impacted their mental well-being.
A chance for self-discovery
Interestingly, not all participants were there because of a punishment. One student joined the hike voluntarily, seeking to “find herself.” Raised in a family of immigrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo, she explained that “finding yourself in a forest is easier than doing it in the city.”
Looking ahead, Trundy expressed her intention to continue the project into the next school year, hoping that some of the current students could become positive role models for the newcomers. A small step for school discipline, but a giant leap for mindful education.
