Amped for camp 

Stella James, a junior at Cedar Shoals High School, was given the opportunity to create a band through her participation with Camp Amped. After Cedar Shoals science department chair Matthew Baker’s Grateful Dead cover band, Dire Wolf, wanted an opener for a show at the Blind Pig, James created a band named Wisteria with three friends that she met through the camp. 

At first James messaged a few people and asked if they were interested in getting together. The band has now performed at Athfest and will continue to have opportunities to play at other local music events like the Wild Rumpus and Porchfest.

“After being in Wisteria and Camp Amped I have a lot more confidence being up in front of people and talking to them as well,” James said. 

Hosted by Nuci’s Space, Camp Amped is a creative and communicative opportunity for middle and high school aged students that lasts for two weeks, with one session in June and one in July. The camp invites kids grades 6-12 to focus on developing their musical ability and teamwork skills. 

Participants split up into bands and create a setlist with original or cover songs for their performances at the end of the camp. The bands consist of one drummer, one bassist, and three other people, with five people in each band. Bands are led by an instructor, but as time goes by the instructors become part of a background support system. 

“Once you pass the first or second day, the guides really lay off. A lot of it is put on you to communicate as a band, because the point of the camp is to form young musicians,” James said.

The camps offer a place to make friends with other young musicians from different schools and backgrounds. After taking a guitar class in school, James fell in love with playing the instrument and wanted to evolve her interest. After joining Camp Amped, she connected with more people who shared her interests and expanded her own. 

“After being around people who are way better than you, you’re going to get better really fast because you kind of have to,” James said.

Although the camp’s focus is music, there is a conscious effort to create a safe space for the young musicians through communication and openness. Because of the mental health resources Nuci’s Space is connected with, help is offered if needed during the camp days. 

“Besides musical activities we have a social-emotional side to our curriculum that incorporates communication and talking about depression and suicide,” Alex Dillon, Nuci’s Space Youth Program Manager, said. 

Every day, the camp starts with a stretching routine to focus and center themselves and share a good and bad thing from the day. On the first day, they open up about their goals or dreams and fears for the week.

“When we talk about how we all have those fears, we talk about how we get through those and how we’re going to be there to support each other,” Dillon said.

Nuci’s Space also hosts a number of different camps including after school sessions in the fall and spring. In addition to those camps, there is a half-day program that occurs during the summer, Soundcheck for slightly younger kids, Pre-Amped for kids from 4th and 5th grade and Camp Amplify. 

“The camps are meant for mental health support and to give kids a space to just be creative and create with people who understand them,” James said. 

Because Nuci’s Space is an organization focused on musicians’ mental health and suicide prevention, the camps also share this aim. The story of Nuci Phillips, a musician whose suicide led to his family creating the organization, is shared with campers during the camp. For the participants this story allows them to learn mental health or coping skills to help themselves or others.

“They use the story to teach you social skills, but they also use it to teach you how to help with your own and other people’s mental health,” Cy Perkins, a Hilsman 8th grader, said. 

After hearing about his sister’s experience at Camp Amped, Perkins first joined Soundcheck at age 11, and participated in Camp Amped at age 12. At Soundcheck Perkins started on the drums, and at Camp Amped he practiced on the bass after hearing it was easier than guitar. 

“I never really thought I could play a stringed instrument because seeing my sister play guitar, I could never really wrap my head around it,” Perkins said.

This first session you attend can be stressful, especially if you don’t know people. Perkins was unsure of the schedule, what to expect, or what to really do and relied on the instructors for the bands or older and more experienced student musicians. 

Through the camp, Perkins says he learned to work with others and gained confidence in creating and performing music. When he performs he has a chance to put aside his stage fright and have fun.

“They teach you about setting up the instruments, how to get gigs, but also a lot of social aspects like learning how to deal with and help others with anxiety,” Perkins said. 

Camp Amped, along with many other camps at Nuci’s Space, welcome students to develop their musical abilities and make new connections with others in their community. Young musicians have the chance to expand their interests and create new opportunities for themselves, all while learning to work with others and learn how to take care of their mental health. 

“What better way than to equip the young people of today, the future adults, with the tools and resources to understand their brains better, to talk about their emotions, to feel the things that they’re feeling, develop coping skills and use music as a conduit to do all those things,” Dillion said.

Stella James, a junior at Cedar Shoals High School, was given the opportunity to create a band through her participation with Camp Amped. After Cedar Shoals science department chair Matthew Baker’s Grateful Dead cover band, Dire Wolf, wanted an opener for a show at the Blind Pig, James created a band named Wisteria with three friends that she met through the camp. 

At first James messaged a few people and asked if they were interested in getting together. The band has now performed at Athfest and will continue to have opportunities to play at other local music events like the Wild Rumpus and Porchfest.

“After being in Wisteria and Camp Amped I have a lot more confidence being up in front of people and talking to them as well,” James said. 

Hosted by Nuci’s Space, Camp Amped is a creative and communicative opportunity for middle and high school aged students that lasts for two weeks, with one session in June and one in July. The camp invites kids grades 6-12 to focus on developing their musical ability and teamwork skills. 

Participants split up into bands and create a setlist with original or cover songs for their performances at the end of the camp. The bands consist of one drummer, one bassist, and three other people, with five people in each band. Bands are led by an instructor, but as time goes by the instructors become part of a background support system. 

“Once you pass the first or second day, the guides really lay off. A lot of it is put on you to communicate as a band, because the point of the camp is to form young musicians,” James said.

The camps offer a place to make friends with other young musicians from different schools and backgrounds. After taking a guitar class in school, James fell in love with playing the instrument and wanted to evolve her interest. After joining Camp Amped, she connected with more people who shared her interests and expanded her own. 

“After being around people who are way better than you, you’re going to get better really fast because you kind of have to,” James said.

Although the camp’s focus is music, there is a conscious effort to create a safe space for the young musicians through communication and openness. Because of the mental health resources Nuci’s Space is connected with, help is offered if needed during the camp days. 

“Besides musical activities we have a social-emotional side to our curriculum that incorporates communication and talking about depression and suicide,” Alex Dillon, Nuci’s Space Youth Program Manager, said. 

Every day, the camp starts with a stretching routine to focus and center themselves and share a good and bad thing from the day. On the first day, they open up about their goals or dreams and fears for the week.

“When we talk about how we all have those fears, we talk about how we get through those and how we’re going to be there to support each other,” Dillon said.

Nuci’s Space also hosts a number of different camps including after school sessions in the fall and spring. In addition to those camps, there is a half-day program that occurs during the summer, Soundcheck for slightly younger kids, Pre-Amped for kids from 4th and 5th grade and Camp Amplify. 

“The camps are meant for mental health support and to give kids a space to just be creative and create with people who understand them,” James said. 

Because Nuci’s Space is an organization focused on musicians’ mental health and suicide prevention, the camps also share this aim. The story of Nuci Phillips, a musician whose suicide led to his family creating the organization, is shared with campers during the camp. For the participants this story allows them to learn mental health or coping skills to help themselves or others.

“They use the story to teach you social skills, but they also use it to teach you how to help with your own and other people’s mental health,” Cy Perkins, a Hilsman 8th grader, said. 

After hearing about his sister’s experience at Camp Amped, Perkins first joined Soundcheck at age 11, and participated in Camp Amped at age 12. At Soundcheck Perkins started on the drums, and at Camp Amped he practiced on the bass after hearing it was easier than guitar. 

“I never really thought I could play a stringed instrument because seeing my sister play guitar, I could never really wrap my head around it,” Perkins said.

This first session you attend can be stressful, especially if you don’t know people. Perkins was unsure of the schedule, what to expect, or what to really do and relied on the instructors for the bands or older and more experienced student musicians. 

Through the camp, Perkins says he learned to work with others and gained confidence in creating and performing music. When he performs he has a chance to put aside his stage fright and have fun.

“They teach you about setting up the instruments, how to get gigs, but also a lot of social aspects like learning how to deal with and help others with anxiety,” Perkins said. 

Camp Amped, along with many other camps at Nuci’s Space, welcome students to develop their musical abilities and make new connections with others in their community. Young musicians have the chance to expand their interests and create new opportunities for themselves, all while learning to work with others and learn how to take care of their mental health. 

“What better way than to equip the young people of today, the future adults, with the tools and resources to understand their brains better, to talk about their emotions, to feel the things that they’re feeling, develop coping skills and use music as a conduit to do all those things,” Dillion said.