The Rolling Stones may have said it best with their 1970s lyric "It's only rock 'n' roll, but I like it." And for nearly two dozen teens in Lancaster this week, that lyric was prominent.

Harrisburg Area Community College in Lancaster hosted "School of Rock," a four-day program designed to teach children and teenagers how to play traditional rock 'n' roll instruments such as the guitar and drums.

"The kids are learning all the foundations of rock music," instructor Maria Wilson said Tuesday.

Students ages 12 to 15 learned how to read rock 'n' roll music and how to play guitar or drums.

"I've always been interested in music, and I wanted to learn this," Camp Hill resident Mary Kate Emmet, 15, said. "I'm still trying to learn how to read notes."

Mary Kate wasn't alone in her struggles to read music.

"I haven't done this before, reading notes," Danny Day, 14, of Lancaster, said. "It's a lot to handle once you first get started."

Wilson said the class followed a schedule each day.

"The first hour of class we learn how to read music, the tablature involved and notes," she said.

The class then transitioned into playing basic chords and popular riffs from songs such as AC/DC's "Back in Black," and The Beatles' "Day Tripper."

"We also learn how to play parts from more modern bands like Green Day and Daughtry," Wilson said. "We have basically been learning beginner notes. The first two days we learn guitar, and the remaining two days we learn how to play the drums."

The class also watched video clips of famous guitar players for 15 minutes at the beginning and end of each class.

Twelve-year-old Lynn Luckenbaugh of Palmyra said her dad first introduced her to playing a guitar years ago.

"I understand a lot of the music notes we've learned," Lynn said. "I'm looking forward to playing the drums. … I like to hit things."

School of Rock is one of many classes included in the third year of HACC's Kids' College Summer Enrichment Program offered at the Harrisburg and Lancaster campuses.

Students can explore more than a dozen different courses.

Lori Smith-Mitchell, coordinator of HACC's Community Education Center, said about 135 students have participated in courses offered at the Lancaster campus so far this year.

"The Kids' College program has expanded tremendously," Smith-Mitchell said. "The first year we even started this it was only a one-week program."

This is the first year the School of Rock curriculum is being offered.

Wilson, a professor at the college, said although some people may think the music program is based on the 2003 movie starring actor Jack Black, she has been teaching her School of Rock program to students since 2000.

"I've been teaching the concept at various recreation departments since that point," she said. "A lot of students today don't like the traditional music that is taught in their schools," Wilson said. "I'm not your typical school teacher. I feel like (actor) Jack Black in the (School of Rock) movie. The kids are really good with me."

For 12-year-old Ethan Cubbison of Lancaster, the music program helped him further the skills he has learned thus far.

"I've been playing for about four or five years," Ethan said.

When his great-grandfather passed away years ago, Ethan inherited a guitar.

"He had a lot of music stuff he kept," Ethan said of his great-grandfather. "And he had a guitar, so then I started playing. I really like this class. I know most of the notes we've learned. It's fun to learn how to play new songs."

For more information on the Kids' College classes, visit www.hacc.edu.

E-mail: jwalk@lnpnews.com