Now in its fifth year, the Southern Girl Rock and Roll Camp, brought to you by local cultural powerhouse Youth Empowerment Through Arts & Humanities (YEAH), is still going strong.

The camp, founded in 2003, is a weeklong summer camp for female musicians between the ages of 10 and 18. All week the girls expand their musical horizons, take music lessons, and learn about recording, song writing, music journalism and more. They also form all-girl groups with their fellow campers and perform at a special camper showcase the last day of camp.

It’s been a big year for the program, which started as a project of feminist student organization Women for Women and MTSU’s June Anderson Women’s Center.

There are now two annual camps, one here in Murfreesboro and another in Memphis. Additional projects include an after school program and a Ladies Rock Camp.

The force behind each year’s SGRRC is YEAH, an organization headed by the camp’s three directors, Kelley Anderson, Courtney Sharpe and Anna Fitzgerald. YEAH promotes additional local art programs all year, and recently opened a new facility, an all ages venue and community resource center, where the staff is creating a positive atmosphere where young people are encouraged to participate in the arts and make connections with fellow artists.

It’s too late to sign up for this year’s Southern Girls Rock and Roll Camp, but it’s not too late to help. Currently SGRRC needs equipment for this summer’s camp, July 14-19. They are looking for PA systems, drums, small guitar amps, bass amps, microphones, stands, and cables.

To lend your items to young artists at this year’s SGRRC, call (615) 849-8140, or e-mail sgrrc05@gmail.com. For information on the Memphis camp, registration, donating, or volunteering, visit sgrrc.org.