School detention was never meant to be fun - and for those at a school in North Denver, they're getting an education in defecation using lazy dog owners to teach a lesson in responsibility.
For a few boys at Annunciation Catholic School, detention was downright... well, disgusting.
Principal Deb Roberts says the boys are in trouble because they made some bad choices in class, but sitting outside her office wasn't quite cutting it.
So the boys are being disciplined in a different way.
"It's better than a detention," Roberts says. "We are going to use this time - let's use it productively."
They had to pick up dog poo. While on scooping duty, Anthony got an idea. He tells 9NEWS he noticed it was a problem in his neighborhood.
He convinced his classmates to study the effects of dog waste and, just like that, their punishment became their project.
And they learned a lot: you could get worms from the feces, it could get in your water supply - it's not biodegradable - and you might end up drinking it. In just a one block radius, the students said they picked up a whole pound.
Their school in North Denver is changing by the day and many of the newest residents in the Cole neighborhood have four paws.
"Our neighborhood has changed, and six, seven years ago, you didn't see a lot of dog walkers," Roberts explained. "And it really wasn't a problem. And as the neighborhood changes, we're seeing a lot more neighbors out walking their dogs, which is wonderful - but we still want them to be responsible neighbors."
The boys would like their two-legged neighbors to pay attention and pick up - because their project is now a passion.
The kids at Annunciation hope to continue raising money to put up more poles with dog bags around their schools for all the waste.
