Local youth have been rocking out at Camp Rock this past week.

Fifteen kids have been totally entrenched in performing arts at the camp’s inaugural week, held at the Girl Guide Camp on the shores of Charlie Lake.

Camp founder Deb Bartok, a professional singer/songwriter from Vancouver, has always wanted to open up a performing arts school, and thought a one-week summer camp would be a good place to start.

Each camper came prepared with a solo number to perform at the end of week showcase. They all get one-on-one vocal training from Bartok.

“We’ve just had some wonderful experience with that, with just discovering things about them,” she said. “Like one girl, beautiful voice, singing a very safe song…I wanted to put her in a different register of her voice, this little girl with a big voice. It’s ended up that she’s singing ‘At Last’…big voice out of that little girl, it’s just makes me shiver.”

Christine Nelson came to Camp Rock to improve her singing skills, but has discovered much more at the camp.

“The acting is harder than I thought it would be. There’s so much more emotion to acting that I thought it was,” she said

Chelsey Farquhar said she is looking forward to Friday’s performance, though she didn’t think she really would.

“I kind of have stage fright, I’m trying to work on that through this camp. [I’m] getting better.”

The students won’t be performing their solo and group numbers, which include songs from Phantom of the Opera and the Sound of Music, in lavish costumes – they’ll be on stage in garbage bags.

“I know it sounds horrible, but we’ve got orange, white, green and black garbage bags…they’re very creative," said Bartok. "They make their pattern and instead of sewing, they use orange, lime green, pink, white duct tape and just make these really fancy [costumes]….it’s not just throwing a garbage bag together, they’re encouraged to make really nice costumes with garbage bags and tape.”

Paige Miedema has really found her niche in this element.

“My favourite part is making costumes…I was running around [helping with] garbage bags,” she said, pointing to all the costumes she helped design.

Bartok hopes that the kids will find out what they like about the performing arts through this camp. She said she was surprised by the dancing.

“I can’t believe how well they’re doing,” she said of the Mamma Mia dance number.

“They’re just so cute and they just picked it up so fast.”

Bartok is not only giving the campers performing arts skills, but life skills.

“I base it on a body, mind and soul approach, if you’re well in all those areas you’re going to be a better performer in life and in theatre and music,” said Bartok.

Every morning they go on a nature walk and then have journaling time and inspirational readings. In the evenings, they perform skits around the campfire.

Overall, it was a great reaction from the campers, who said they’ll come back next year. Bartok said she’ll hold auditions and have junior, intermediate and advance divisions.

“I hope that it runs for a long time,” said camper Sam Dunne.

The Camp Rock students will showcase their talents with a performance at the Girl Guide Camp Aug. 27 at 6 p.m.