Kidz Rock Summer Jam Camp

by Terry Trahan, Jr.

It’s mid-July and school supplies are hitting the shelves in anticipation of the dreaded return to school. The bold reminder haunts kids and teens as they make their way through department stores to the entertainment aisles. That’s where they really want to be as the early trip to homeroom creeps closer.

Kidz Rock Summer Jam Camp gives kids and teens a final chance to enjoy the freedom of summer before hitting the books again in August.

Joe and Dave Stark of the band Sons of William started the 5-day camp a year ago to work with young people ages 5 to 15 that have an interest in music but may lack experience. The camp culminates in a concert at Peppers Pizzeria in Houma on July 24.

“Everyone has some kind of musical ability inside them,” Joe says.

And that’s exactly what he, Dave and other guest instructors hope to demonstrate to the 40 kids signed up for the weeklong camp. The focus is on learning fundamentals in music and appreciating the importance of teamwork for a band.

“If you’re going to play in a band, everyone’s got a part to play to make the grand picture look good,” Joe says. “There always has to be a goal.”

The goal is to perform together at the end of the week, but like any other goal, it takes practice and determination to get there.

Children ages 5 to 13 will attend the Kidz Camp, which will introduce them to instruments and allow them to learn through music-themed activities, focusing on various genres of music. On reggae day, for example, the kids will make rain sticks, while blues day incorporates a lesson on how to play the harmonica.

For campers with prior musical experience, the Jam Camp provides more hands-on instruction for improving their skills. They will have the chance to jam with professionals and experience the thrill of performing live.

“The first time I was able to play on stage,” Joe says, “it set the course for what I was going to do with my life.”

He doesn’t intend to start a program that prepares students for the Berklee College of Music, but he hopes they will walk away with an appreciation for the craft. At the end of last year’s camp, Joe says he noticed an improvement in several campers who took their drumming seriously.

While the camp divides the kids by age and skill level, the groups will work together to achieve that one goal. Their finale concert, the live show at Peppers, will be open to the public for $2 per ticket or a donation.

But that gig will not be the group’s farewell performance.

In October, the campers will present a check in the amount of their show’s earnings to the Voice of the Wetlands Festival. There, they will perform together again in the spirit of having a final fun, positive musical experience.

Not every child who participates will want to be a rock star when they grow up­­­—they just want to end summer on a high note. Joe and Dave aim to make that wish come true.