"I learned how to write music and I gained more confidence."
"I learned that you can do anything you put your mind to."
"I learned how to believe in myself."
These are just some of the things campers have said about attending Girls Rock Camp in Roanoke. Surprised a summer camp could be so inspirational? Read on.
Girls Rock Roanoke is a local non-profit whose mission is to empower girls and women through music, creative expression, and collaboration. We believe in valuing girls and women as changemakers in their own lives and communities.
Through our week long summer camps we provide girls with opportunities to develop critical life skills in fun and creative ways that help them to navigate the challenges of adolescence. The social messaging girls receive in our society often tells them that how they look, what they wear, who they are friends with, or what devices they own are more important than what they think or what they do in the world. At Girls Rock we counter such messaging through the medium of music. Our camp activities and volunteers create a nurturing and safe space that fosters creativity, communication, inclusivity, healthy risk-taking, and self-care, thereby deepening girls’ self-esteem and sense of personal power.
So what exactly happens at camp? In just five days, girls get to choose an instrument, form a band, write an original song with fellow campers, and on the final day, perform live, on stage! And the best thing is, girls don’t need any previous music experience to participate. During camp, girls receive basic instruction on their instrument and are mentored in an empowering, all-female environment. Between band practices, girls participate in workshops on a range of topics including women's history, do-it-yourself clothing, ‘zines, body confidence, self-defense, media-literacy, stage performance, teamwork, tech talk and more.
This summer we are offering two weeks of Girls Rock Camp. Week One will be held July 6-10 for girls ages 8-11, and Week Two will be held July 13-17 for girls ages 12-16. Camp runs from 9:00 to 4:00 and is held at Community School on Williamson Road.
Interested in registering for Girls Rock Camp? Girls ages 8-16 can sign up by submitting an application available on our website: www.girlsrockroanoke.com. We believe that all girls in our community, regardless of their family’s ability to pay, should have the opportunity to attend Girls Rock Camp. Therefore, we provide both full and partial scholarships and are constantly fundraising to support our scholarship fund. Applications for Financial Aid are due May 20, 2015. As you might guess, our Girls Rock camps are very popular. They regularly fill up and have a waiting list, so interested campers should apply early for full consideration!
Are you a woman who wishes Girls Rock existed when you were young? Then please consider joining us as a Girls Rock Volunteer! Girls Rock Roanoke is run by an awesome team of volunteers and we are always looking for new folks to join us. Choose a role (band manager, instrument instructor, workshop leader, gear coordinator, and more!) and time commitment (part / full) that fits your schedule. We also invite teens ages 16-18 to apply to be Teen Mentors for our younger campers. Volunteer applications are due May 15, 2015, and are downloadable at: http://girlsrockroanoke.com/volunteer/
Are you inspired by what we do? Then please consider making a donation via the Paypal link on our website. For more information visit us at our website, on Facebook and on Twitter. ROCK ON!!
