WESTFIELD – The first week of band camp for grades 5 to 10 culminated in a performance under the tent outside the Boys & Girls Club, in front of a delighted gathering of family and friends.

Campers performed a total of nine songs, as a whole and divided into age groups, with band directors Ryan Emken of the Middle School, Will Choe of the Intermediate School, Jessica Pietrosanti of the elementary schools and high school director Patrick Kennedy switching off.

Music teacher Emily Baker also led a group of Boys & Girls Club campers, who she had been working with all week, in two bucket-drum percussion songs.

The free band camp is something that Kennedy has been wanting to start for a long time.

“We finally have a team of teachers willing to put in the time in the summer,” he said, adding that he is thankful for the support of the Boys & Girls Club and the district to make it happen.

During the performance, Choe, who was leading fifth, sixth and seventh graders in a song, acknowledged Kennedy’s effort to get it started, to applause from the crowd.

Kennedy said two-thirds of the students that signed up for the band camp did so for both weeks. He planned a second performance at the end of the second week.