Teens to Trails has brought back its annual statewide challenge for a week of outdoor time in May, with cash prizes for top-participating schools. Last spring, 6,454 Maine middle school students logged nearly 5 million minutes outdoors in a single week. The idea is simple: Time outside is good for kids.
The annual Life Happens Outside® Challenge, organized by Brunswick-based nonprofit Teens to Trails, is scheduled for May 8-15, 2026, and is open to all Maine middle schools serving grades 5 through 8. Participation is free. Schools simply register on the Teens to Trails website and spend as much time outside as possible during the challenge week. Every minute counts, from sports practice and recess to outdoor classes, biking to school, or even doing homework at a picnic table.
A Week Outside, with Real Results
In 2025, 30 schools from 12 Maine counties and one Maine Indian Education school took part in the challenge, collectively recording more than 82,000 hours of outdoor time in just seven days. Students averaged 109 minutes per day outside, up nearly 30 percent from the previous year. Teachers reported that students came back from outdoor time calmer, more focused, and more engaged.
A Falmouth Middle School teacher noted that students and staff were “generally happier after having time outside” and that the challenge “raised awareness of the opportunity to get outside, especially on their own and with their families.”
Students were equally enthusiastic.
“Stepping away from screens and routines gives my brain a reset,” an eighth-grader from Marshwood Middle School in Eliot said.
Another student from Boothbay Region Elementary School, reflected: “I now know that even short moments outdoors make a big difference in how I handle stress and stay focused.”
Cash Prizes for Top Schools
Schools that log the most outdoor minutes per student have a chance to win cash prizes to put toward future outdoor programming. Six schools will be recognized based on school size. In each of three categories (small, medium, and large), first place receives $1,000, and second place receives $500. Winners are announced in late May. Prize funds can be used to support outdoor clubs, purchase gear, and expand nature-based programming.
Why Outdoor Time Matters in Schools
Research consistently shows that time in nature supports children’s mental health, reduces stress, and improves focus and academic engagement. Even short periods outside during the school day can have measurable benefits. The Life Happens Outside® Challenge is designed to make outdoor time a whole-school habit, not just an individual one. When teachers, staff, and students step outside together, it shifts the culture.
“Being outside makes me feel like a better person on the inside,” a student from Bucksport Middle School said.
A teacher echoed the sentiment: “I’ve learned that just 10-15 minutes outside can reset my mood. Small, intentional outdoor breaks make a big difference in how I feel and show up for students and colleagues”.
How to Register
Registration for the 2026 Life Happens Outside® Challenge is free and open to all Maine middle schools. Schools can find the rules, posters, and resources at Teens to Trails | Life Happens Outside® Challenge. The challenge kicks off at noon on Friday, May 8, 2026, and continues through Friday, May 15, 2026, at noon. For more information, please contact Connor Huggins at Teens to Trails at connor@teenstotrails.org or 207-725-0800.
Teens to Trails is a Brunswick-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to connecting Maine youth to the outdoors through outdoor clubs, programming, and statewide initiatives. Learn more at Teens to Trails.
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