An all-girls rock camp is back for a fifth summer in Lethbridge, and it’s once again proving to make the attendees feel empowered and bold.
Lethbridge Girls Rock Camp is a week-long day camp during the month of July. It focuses on music, self-esteem and teamwork skills.
“Music is a really big part of my life, I don’t really tell people that a lot,” McKinnon said. It’s the 13-year-old’s first time participating.
“It speaks to me in a different way.”
McKinnon said she isn’t the type to be caught singing in public, but on her first day of camp on Monday, she was doing just that.
“I feel like everyone here came to get better, so I don’t really have much to be afraid of because everyone’s striding to be better,” she said.
McKinnon spent the morning in the vocal class next to third-year rocker Jidyn Ashbee. She too admits to a bit of stage fright, but says the group setting can build confidence.
“There’s other people just like you who don’t have experience doing some stuff, so you can connect with them and talk about it,” Ashbee said.
The camp is for girls between eight and 17. They come for the music lessons, but program director Silvana Campus says they’re learning much more; building self-esteem, confidence as well as leadership and teamwork skills.
“Putting an instrument in someone’s hands… a lot of us who volunteer are musicians so we kind of know the strength that has given us, so we pass that on to the campers,” Campus said.
The girls participate in various musical workshops and at the end of the five-day program will be part of a big performance in front of a crowd of family and friends.