This summer, She Rock She Rock returns for its ninth year of educating teen girls in the art of rock and roll.

The local nonprofit organization She Rock She Rock aims to close the gender gap in the music industry and offers year-round classes and summer camps for girls, led by professional artists. This summer, roughly 150 girls will attend their programs. The organization is housed at the Main Street School of Performing Arts in Hopkins.

She Rock She Rock began as a summer camp titled the Girls Rock and Roll Retreat (G.R.R.R.) in 2007. The camp offers girls aged 8 to 16 a place to learn more about singing or playing electric bass, guitar, drums or keyboards. She Rock She Rock encourages girls of any experience level, including beginners, to register.

Since their start, the program has expanded to include other classes and camps. In their Women's Jamshop, participants meet once a week to form a band and put on a show at the end of the session. Class topics range from beginning acoustic guitar to music theory to Taylor Swift sing-a-longs.

This year, She Rock She Rock launches the Sisters of Sound Initiative, a week-long day camp from August 3-8 for girls aged 14 to 18. This more intensive camp is designed for girls with prior music experience who want to learn skills such as stage presence, audio recording, self-marketing and media literacy. Over the course of five days, the girls form a band, write music and record.

For more information or to register for classes, visit the She Rock She Rock website.

Jackie Renzetti is a student at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities and is an A&E reporter at the Minnesota Daily.