Mountain Middle School seventh-graders, from left, Andrew Papineau, Gus Kidd and Joe Thomson help Thursday afternoon with maintenance on the Animas Mountain Trail in northwest Durango. The school partnered with Trails 2000 to get 36 students, three teachers and four crew leaders out to clear debris, dig water trenches, build retaining walls and help with other trail improvements. “It’s better than being in school,” said Gus, the son of Dave and Genna Kidd. Andrew is the son of Lenny Papineau and Joe is the son of Mack and Sandy Thomson.