Stepping Into Adventure

5/5/2025

UNWIRED Outdoor Experience

This past weekend, Chatham Hall students laced up their shoes, unplugged from their devices, and reconnected with the world around them during the inaugural UNWIRED Outdoor Experience.

Created and led by Sophia H. ’25, UNWIRED offered a three-day immersive journey into nature, challenging participants to step outside their comfort zones, build new skills, and strengthen their leadership abilities. This vision was a part of her Entrepreneurial Class project. Addy A. ’27, one of the student participants, shared, “Being in nature was fulfilling - waking up and not having the pressure to go, go, go. I got the chance to live life as it happened, and this is hard to do nowadays.”

What Was UNWIRED?

UNWIRED was about more than just camping. It was a chance to disconnect from the digital world and fully immerse in nature, while learning practical skills, building resilience, and cultivating a more profound sense of personal leadership.

Throughout the weekend, students mastered navigation techniques using a map and compass, practiced safety around campfires and shelters, participated in wilderness first aid lessons, and reflected on their growth through mindfulness exercises.

A Weekend Full of Learning and Growth

Day 1: Setting the Stage
Students gathered for dinner in Yardley Hall before hiking out to the campsite to set up camp. After a safety discussion, they reviewed the agenda, chores, hygiene practices, and personal goals for the weekend. As the stars came out, they enjoyed snacks before turning in for the night.

Day 2: Skill Building and Community
Saturday was packed with activities:

Learning to navigate using maps and compasses during the morning session
A fun scavenger hunt through the woods
Personal "mini solo" reflection time
Wilderness first aid lessons
A spirited round of games
Lessons in fire safety before enjoying a group meditation and community bonding time around the campfire

Day 3: Bringing It Home
On Sunday, students focused on building shelters during Shelter 101. After breaking down camp, everyone gathered back on campus for a group lunch and a heartfelt debrief to reflect on the experience.

The weekend was guided and supported by an amazing team of Chatham Hall faculty:

Beth Barksdale
Odette Kugler
Frankie Beyer

Why UNWIRED Matters

Leadership Development: Students gained valuable leadership and teamwork skills.
Outdoor Proficiency: They left with new confidence in wilderness safety and navigation.
Mindfulness Practice: Daily meditation helped foster inner peace and reflection.
Personal Growth: Participants stepped out of their comfort zones and grew in ways that will impact them well beyond the weekend.

"This semester has taught me a lot about the process of entrepreneurship and the development of an idea into an actual reality. Gaining hands-on experience and working with 'real-world' problems has led me to appreciate my project even more. UNWIRED is a program that focuses on getting outside of your comfort zone, so it is fitting that through the development of this project, I stepped outside of my comfort zone and learned a lot while doing so. I am excited to incorporate my passion for the outdoors and pursuit of education into a program that can be shared with my community at Chatham Hall. I hope students, faculty, parents, and others can appreciate the program and its values and want to be a part of its success as an entrepreneurial business. UNWIRED aims to bring a unique perspective to Chatham Hall by highlighting the core principles of outdoor education, affordability, leadership, girls' education, and empowerment."
- Sophia H. '25, Global Entrepreneurship: Year Two

Congratulations to Sophia H. ’25 and all the students who took the leap to step into nature, community, and leadership this past weekend!

Back