Video: Part of Andrews’ job for the project was documenting the camping trips with pictures and videos. She planned to do this with a GoPro, but left it at home by accident for the first camping trip. Andrews filmed this footage of plants the friends found during the trip and their adventures in setting up camp using her iPhone.

In Decatur woods, the final remnants of a campfire are put out by rain. A blue tarp stretches across a patch of muddy land while three girls, blinded by night, work to put up a tent. They are alone in the woods, reliant on themselves for food, water, fire and shelter.

Sophomores Ayston Scully, Ivey Andrews and Madison Stevens chose to go on three camping trips free of parental supervision to experience being alone in the wilderness for their required Personal Project. To complete the project, the girls will camp during the autumnal (fall) equinox, winter solstice and vernal (spring) equinox.

In November, Scully, Andrews and Madison went on their first camping trip of the three to for a late celebration of the autumnal equinox. For their first attempt at independence in nature, the girls set up camp in the woods of Stevens’ backyard.

“Our parents didn’t want us going far away alone until we knew what we were doing,” Andrews said. “We weren’t allowed to go inside and we had to set up by ourselves, but our parents didn’t want us to be far in case something went wrong.”

The girls were thankful for this rule when they ran into trouble with setting up camp in pouring rain after sunset. Camping in Stevens’ backyard gave the three room for error, which they think will help them in the future.

“It went well, but there’s a lot of room for improvement,” Andrews said. “We were just taking our time, and we didn’t realize that the sun sets pretty fast. It ended up getting dark, and we had to set all our stuff up in the dark. That’s something that trial and error will help you out with, and now we’ll know how.”

In addition to making dinner and setting up camp, each girl had a duty for the trip. To make sure each of them was learning, the girls each took on a part of the responsibility of the camping trips. Andrews worked on taking pictures and videos of the camping experience, Scully found the best campsites for the trips and Stevens was in charge of getting food and a tent for the trip.

Because the Personal Project is designed to help students learn more about themselves, Scully saw it as the perfect opportunity to explore her nature-loving side.

“I always thought that I would love to go camping and hiking, so this has been a good experience for me to see if I actually want to do that,” Scully said. “Especially in the next couple times we go, I’m really excited to explore that side of me that wants to explore nature.”

Scully originally wanted to camp alone for her Personal Project, but her parents were concerned about her being far away from home alone. Instead, Scully recruited Andrews and Stevens to go with her.

Even though it wasn’t her ideal plan to go with friends, Scully thinks that camping with her friends could actually help each of the friends learn more about nature and herself.

“When I wanted to do it alone, I wanted to go out and have it just be silent because I thought that I was affected by others around me and television,” Scully said. “So, although we’ll still affect each other, I hope that we’ll become more self-aware.”

Andrews and Stevens didn’t plan to camp with each other for the Personal Project either. Andrews thought about learning to play the piano or work on an art project, but she, like Scully, thought that working with Scully and Stevens would each of them succeed in the project.

“We’ll grow not only as individual people but as friends because we have to help each other out,” Andrews said.

Deciding to camp during astronomical events was another adjustment the girls made to their original project plan. Rather than just learning how to be self-sufficient in nature, the girls wanted to tune in with the changing of the seasons and be able to celebrate the solstices and equinoxes in the future.

“Other than just having it circled on my calendar, I never really acknowledged [the equinox] until we ended up doing this project,” Andrews said. “I think that’s another step in my personal growth: that I can recognize nature and the equinox.”

None of the three knew a lot about the events, but they employed the dates as weather landmarks. The girls figured if they camped on each of the solstices and equinoxes, they’d be able to see ecosystems change with the seasons and learn about unfamiliar holidays.

Just after planning their project, the three became enthusiastic about the value of the solstices and equinoxes. To Scully, they are not just cultural events and season markers, but natural symbols.

“I’m excited about the spring equinox,” Scully said. “Spring to me is life regrowing. With the flowers blooming, it’s so happy and positive and loving.”

Andrews, Stevens and Scully will continue building camping skills, learning more about the importance of solstices and equinoxes and discovering their own love for nature on Jan. 25 on their belated winter solstice camping trip. As the project goes on, the friends hope to spread their new knowledge.

“You just become more cultured in recognizing this as a special day for many people,” Scully said. “Those who live in urban areas and just kind of celebrate Hallmark holidays could add this to their holiday regimen, and it would be cool and help them expand.”

Featured image courtesy of Creative Commons, labeled for noncommercial reuse.
Photos and videos courtesy of Ivey Andrews.

The next camping trip Andrews, Stevens and Scully have planned will be near the time of the winter solstice. Look through Instagram posts of people around the world, including Decatur High School sophomore BeBe Rodi, celebrate the solstice below.