Girls Rock! Des Moines, the local branch of an international nonprofit organization empowering young women through songwriting and music education, plans to open in 2019 a women-operated educational recording facility, the second of its kind in the country at Franklin Junior High, 48th and Franklin, Des Moines, Iowa.

The Des Moines studio plans to provide opportunity for middle and high school-aged girls to learn the science behind record production, DJing, sound design and podcasting, organizers said, combating gender imbalance in audio engineering and exposing young adults to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) career opportunities.

In its sixth year, Girls Rock! Des Moines offers two annual local summer camps that teach girls ages 10 to 16 on how to write, rehearse and perform original music. Each camp culminates with a showcase at a local music club.