Guitars bursting with powerful chords through buzzing amps. Students screaming into mics and banging their heads. Drums beating the rhythm through the loud riffs. Rock and roll are not your typical after school club activities, but that’s just a typical Thursday during the Akins Screamin’ Eagles Rock Club meetings.

Every Thursday after school, students meet up in the choir room where they can jam out to their favorite songs and hang out together. Directed by choir director, Francis Nieves, the club has already got a setlist going that includes a wide variety of songs featuring Iron Maiden, Rage Against the Machines, Deftones, Willow Smith, Childish Gambino, and The Smashing Pumpkins. With rehearsals already underway, It’s only a couple months until the big rock concert at the end of the semester.

During an interview with choir director Francis Nieves, he stated that he was inspired by his personal experience where his school never had a way for rockers to express themselves and hang out. He was also inspired by his time at School of Rock at Austin where he taught lessons for the youth. He wanted to bring the experience and fun of the School of Rock to Akins without having to pay for it. Nieves said he wanted to provide the kind of lessons provided at the private rock band teaching schools in Austin in a public school environment. “I was like, you know, ‘it would just be really cool if we just brought it to public school. Why have somebody pay hundreds of dollars to like, do a session when you can just sign up here. And so, yeah, I drew inspiration from Jack Black.”

Nieves said he was into rock music when he was in high school and hoped to share his love for the music with fellow students. “I was already into rock and knew everybody who was into rock (at my high school), but there wasn’t really an outlet for us to fully express ourselves in that way,” he said.

Sophomore Gabriel Walker, who plays bass guitar, said joining the club has been a good way to form new friendships with people with similar interests. “I made a lot of new friends from that experience that are now some of my best friends,” he said. “So, yeah, it’s helped me a lot.”

Freshman Dutch Underwood said the club is a great way to start thinking about becoming a professional rock musician with a band. “I’ve been thinking for a little bit about getting the band started and going on tour and having fun producing albums,” he said. Underwood said that the club helps improve musicians’ social skills in addition to musical skills. “It actually improved my talent through getting to know people and to showcase certain things. So I think it showcases certain risks. It helps so much that someone helps me by getting to write original stuff.”

Sophomore Vincent Walker said the club is a great way to meet people with similar interests and encouraged other people to join. “If you want to play music with other people and get to meet other people, and just play any kind of genre or anything you want, then yes, of course.”

The Akins Screamin’ Eagles Rock Club was started by Francis Nieves to allow students to share their talents and grow as a musician. Although the club has only been around for a month, It has already allowed students to make friends and grow.