ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Children are rocking out in St. Pete, at a camp designed to uplift kids who may not typically feel supported. Girls Rock St. Pete offers them a safe space to openly express themselves.
About 50 girls and non-binary kids ages 8 to 17 come into camp, and are assigned a role in a band. Members are given an instrument they’ve never used to write a song together and prepare to perform it at the end of the week at Jannus Live.
“I just think it’s the epitome of community,” one camper said. “You are so welcome here.”
The founder of the camp, Rachael Sibilia, says this isn’t just about music. She says they want to give campers the opportunity to be their authentic selves.
“Their voices are really valuable, and they have a lot to say,” Sibilia said. “And it takes spaces like this to let them know that they can feel safe to do so, and that they have a right to do so.”
With a performance in front of hundreds on the horizon, campers say this place is about much more than the big show.
“It’s just so inclusive, everybody is so kind to each other, it’s perfect,” one camper said.
Right now, folks who run the camp say their biggest hurdle is capacity. They say hopefuls are currently filling up a waitlist to get a spot at the camp, and interest is growing each year. They are hoping to continue working with more community partners to expand the camp to more kids.
The big show for this year’s camp, will be Saturday at Jannus Live, and it’s open to the public. You can find ticket information by clicking here.