The Life Happens Outside® Challenge provides a way for a whole middle school to spend as much time as possible outside for one whole week.
Every minute outside counts — from sports practice to dog walking, camping in the yard, or doing homework in the park!
It’s best when the whole school takes part and the community supports them. And most importantly, the challenge provides an outlet for kids to be unplugged outside and engaged in real life.
Dates: May 9-16, 2025
Participants: Students, faculty, and staff at Maine Middle schools (grades 5-8)
The prize: The top 3 schools with the most outdoor minutes will win $1,000 to use towards outdoor activities for your school.
2025 Life Happens Outside® Challenge by the Numbers
30 Participating Schools
Middle schools from 12 Maine counties joined us for the 2025 Spring Challenge. All told, 6,454 students participated.
82,000+ Hours Spent Outside
If you do the math, students spent over 3,427 days outside in just one week. That’s the equivalent of 9.4 years!
765 Outdoor Minutes Per Student
Our 2025 Life Happens Outside Challenge students spent 9.8x the national average outdoors. To date, 12-18 year olds in the U.S. spend 78 minutes outside each day.
What Students Are Saying About
The Life Happens Outside® Challenge Experience
“Nature calms me and makes me feel free.”
— Grade 7 student, Skowhegan Area Middle School
“Can we just keep doing this?”
— Student from Ecology Learning Center Bridge Program
“I like Outside.”
— Oliver, Grade 6 student, Saco Middle School
“Physically and mentally, I feel way happier.”
— Grade 5 student, Main Street Middle School
Life Happens Outside® Challenge Hall of Fame
2025 Winners: Sipayik Elementary, Washburn District Elementary School, Edmunds Consolidated School, The Ecology Learning Center Bridge Program
2024 Winners: Edmunds Consolidated School, Dedham School, Sipayik Elementary, Pisquatiquis Community Elementary (MSAD 4), Athens Community School, Oxford Hills Middle School (MSAD 17), Hermon Middle School, Lamoine Consolidated School
2023 Winners: Wiscasset Middle School, Bucksport Middle School, Sipayik Elementary School
2022 Winners: Winthrop Middle School, Dedham School, Lamoine Consolidated School
