2013 Girls Camp Info
2013 Camps are Coming!
Girls Rock! Chicago is excited to be offering two week-long sessions of Girls Camp in this, our 8th year! During camp, girls ages 8-16 will learn an instrument, form a band, write and record an original song. This summer’s camps will take place at Suder Montessori (2022 W. Washington Blvd).
Summer Camp 2013
Session One: Monday, July 8 - Sunday, July 14
Session Two: Monday, August 5 - Sunday, August 11
A TYPICAL DAY AT CAMP
A session of Girls Rock! Chicago summer camp is seven days, and campers must be available to attend all seven days to participate. The Monday-Friday portion of camp runs from 9:00am-5:00pm. Girls Rock! Chicago offers before and after camp care at no additional cost. Campers may arrive as early as 8:00am and be picked up as late as 6:00pm. Please take a look at our 2010 camp schedule to see an example of what a session’s programming entails.
The first thirty minutes of each day is designated to a series of ice-beaker activities and skits to allow the campers to get to know one another and the camp staff. On the first day of camp, we facilitate a series of activities to assist campers in forming the bands they will work with throughout the week.
During the last thirty minutes of each day, Girls Rock! Chicago invites a local band to perform. Performances are often followed by a question and answer session.
INSTRUMENT LESSONS
Campers receive two hours of lessons per day in their assigned instrument. Instrument classes average a 4 to 1 student to instructor ratio. Campers may choose guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, or DJ track. Instruments are assigned on a first come-first serve basis. While we do all we can to assign campers their first choice instrument, we cannot guarantee a campers will play their first or even second choice instruments. There is NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY to participate in our camp, and we encourage campers to try new instruments. GR!C will provide campers with an instrument to play at camp throughout the week for no additional charge. Campers are also welcome to bring their own instruments if they prefer.
BAND PRACTICE
For two hours each afternoon, campers get to put the skills learned in instrument lessons into action. Throughout the course of the week, with the assistance of a band coach, bands work together to create an original song. Bands are formed on the first day of camp by GR!C’s staff, and spend the remainder of the week teamed up with a counselor. Each band is also a camper’s counselor group, who attend all workshops together, and participate in various team building activities throughout the week.
WORKSHOPS
Each day campers participate in two, one hour long workshops. The workshops are intended to focus on topics related to playing in a band, writing music, and encouraging positive self-esteem and teamwork. Past workshops have included, song-writing, vocals, performance and stage presence, effect pedals, DIY recording, instruments under $30, button making with Busy Beaver Buttons, and t-shirt crafts with Threadless.
END OF CAMP EXTRAVAGANZA & RECORDING SESSION
On the weekend, campers are given the opportunity to perform and record the music they wrote and played throughout the week at the End-of-Camp Extravaganza, which is open to the public. Campers also record their song in a professional recording studio. The recordings are compiled and released both as a digital album and on CD. Each camper receives a copy of the CD and a link download her session’s recordings. You can stream past recordings and purchase mp3s here.
TUITION & FINANCIAL AID
Full tuition for one week of camp is $425. Girls Rock! Chicago is committed to ensuring our summer camp is accessible to all applicants, regardless of socio-economic background, race, ethnicity, or neighborhood. Camp tuition is based on a sliding scale. No camper will ever be turned away due to lack of funding, and we ask that families pay what they can afford. We have determined suggested tuition amounts based on guidelines set by the federal government, and use these in awarding financial aid on a first come, first served basis.
Financial Aid applications will be available March 1st.
