The volume of a high school marching band could stand as a metaphor for the amount of fun students have each year at the Band at the Beach (BATB) Music Camp. The camp will kick off its 24th year in August, and with that comes even more drums and fun. Although the camp runs from Aug. 6-10, registration is now open. The cost is $195. BATB started in the Point Loma area back in 1988, and has continued to grow ever since. Each year, the music camp is held the first week of August. And each year, it ends with a bang in the form of a free concert showcasing each young musician’s talent. The purpose of the camp is to not only advocate quality music in Peninsula schools, but also to provide a fun environment for kids to learn more about the music that drives their passion, according to organizers. Young musicians from more than 27 schools around San Diego County now participate in the program and are all in good company. “I try to keep up with the kids who come and go here,” said Dell Schroeder, one of the co-founders of Peninsula Bands in Concert, “because I’m very interested in what they become.” Alumni of the program include USC and Pepperdine graduates, medical school graduates, a man who taught English as a second language in Korea, and even someone who will be sailing in this year’s Olympics. “One year, about six of the BATB alumni came to camp and played a concert with us,” said Schroeder.  “That really was a joyful time.” The lessons learned at the weeklong camp clearly go beyond the realm of music. Alumni and current students praise the faculty’s knowledge and helpfulness. In fact, the BATB faculty comes from esteemed schools across the country, like San Diego State University, Florida State University, Juilliard, Syracuse, Columbia, Northern Arizona and Point Loma Nazarene University. BATB is a nonprofit organization that depends entirely on tuitions and donations to orchestrate its mission of keeping quality music in schools. BATB also offers extracurricular instruction and coaching assistance to local schools, as well as the annual August summer camp. For more information, to register your student, or make a donation to the program visit www.bandatthebeach.org.