Band Camp - Week 1
July 19th, 2026
Staying hydrated is THE BEST WAY to make sure that you have a great band camp experience!
Every student MUST have either a 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon insulated water jug for band camp.
Our best pick is from Walmart and is only $8! Click here to order in time for band camp!
Our marching band simply would not exist without our amazing volunteers!
This year we will be utilizing Sign Up Genius for our parent volunteer needs. All of the events for the fall season will be listed on the same sign up to make it easier to keep up with! We recommend bookmarking this link and checking it each week.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4CAFAB2EAAF8C34-64699535-volunteer
We encourage every family to take a look and find an area where you can help!
Two SPECIFIC areas we are looking for are for band camp are:
1. Parents to help with uniform fittings during BOTH band camp.
2. Parents to help with meals during the second week of band camp.
📅 Band Camp Schedule Change – Wednesday, July 29
Please note the following schedule changes for Wednesday, July 29:
- 12:30 p.m. – All marching band students should report directly to the Northwestern High School Band Room following our performance at the district pep rally.
- Performance Attire: Students should wear khaki shorts and a Rock Hill Band shirt.
- We will rehearse at Northwestern throughout the afternoon.
- At approximately 3:00 p.m., students will be transported by bus back to Rock Hill High School.
- Band camp will continue at RHHS and conclude at our normal dismissal time of 9:00 p.m..
For Student Drivers: Students who normally drive themselves may drive directly to Northwestern High School and, after the pep rally performance, may also drive themselves to Rock Hill High School instead of riding the bus. Students are expected to travel directly between the two campuses without making any stops along the way any may not transport other students.
Thank you for your flexibility as we adjust our schedule for this district event!
Make sure you have bookmarked the RHHS Band Google Calendar!
This is a live calendar that is updated frequently throughout the season. We recommend checking it at the beginning of each week!
Each year we co-host a marching band competition with the Northwestern HS Band called the Olde English Festival of Bands. This is one of our largest fundraisers of the year, bringing in close to $15k for the band program!
This year Olde English will be on October 17th at District 3 Stadium!
We need ALL parents to please keep this date open to be available to fill a volunteer shift! Our parent volunteer force is critical to making this a successful day!
Students should be dropped off at the RHHS Band Room each day. Follow the main drive around the school, through the gate to the faculty lot, and pass the softball field. You will see the band room from here.
Remember! To be early is to be on time and to be on time is to be late! Plan to arrive no later than 8:45am so that you have time to do everything you need so we can start at 9am! This includes bathroom, filing water jugs, getting equipment, walk to the field, and any other person needs.
Leadership Camp - July 14–16
Our student leadership team will return to prepare everything for the full band's arrival.
New Member Day - Friday, July 17 | 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
This day is for all new members and is designed to help them become comfortable with our program before the full band arrives.
BAND CAMP Week 1 - July 20–24 | 9:00 AM–6:00 PM
Students should:
- Bring their own lunch each day, water jug, sunscreen, and a hat.
- Plan to wear athletic clothing (shorts, t-shirt, tennis shoes)
- Bring plenty of water.
- Students will not be permitted to leave campus during the day.
- This first week will have a morning block from 9am-12pm, lunch and team building from 12pm-1:30pm, and then we spend the rest of the day in our afternoon block.
- This is a tentative schedule for each day. At times it does get adjusted to accommodate for things like rain, excess heat, or other factors.
- Our goals during this first week are to learn marching and movement fundamentals, learn how to set drill, build technique on our instruments, and begin memorizing the show music.
BAND CAMP Week 2 - July 27–31 | 9:00 AM–9:00 PM
Students should:
- Bring the same items as Week 1
- Dinner will be provided each evening.
- During the second week week will have a morning block outside from 9am-12pm, lunch/rest/team building from 12pm-1:30pm, indoor music rehearsal till 5pm, and then back out on the field from 6pm-9pm. This helps keep students inside during the hottest part of the day.
- This is a tentative schedule for each day. At times it does get adjusted to accommodate for things like rain, excess heat, or other factors.
- Our goals during the second week are to learn more advanced movement fundamentals, learn the drill for the Opener (Part 1) of the show, and continue memorizing the show music.
- Note the different schedule for Wednesday, July 29th at the top of the newsletter!
We will conclude band camp on Friday, July 31, with our Parent Preview & Cookout at 7:00 PM. This evening will also serve as one of our fundraising kickoffs and will be everyone's first opportunity to see the beginning of our 2026 production, In Frame. We hope all of our families will plan to attend!
Band camp is only about three weeks away, and now is the perfect time to begin preparing. Here are a few things we recommend:
- Spend a little time outside each day to begin acclimating to the summer heat.
- Start replacing sodas and energy drinks with water so your body is well hydrated before camp begins.
- Now is a great time to start making healthy eating choices! Fruits and vegetables will help fuel students throughout the day. Sugary snacks like chips, cookies, sodas, and energy drinks tend to work against them during the demands of band camp.
- ENERGY DRINKS ARE NOT HYDRATION!
- Purchase a water jug if you do not already have one. Students will need to provide their own water jug this season. We recommend an insulated ½-gallon or 1-gallon jug.
- Make sure you have appropriate athletic clothing including short, t-shirts, a hat, and supportive tennis shoes.
- Deodorant, Sunscreen, and Bug Spray are a must for band camp!
- A backpack or drawstring back is helpful for keeping up with personal items.
- Recommended Water Jug at Walmart.com (Click Here!)
The Rock Hill High School Band of Distinction is committed to providing students with an exceptional marching band experience. Student fees help cover expenses of each season, including show design (music, drill, and copyright), transportation, equipment, meals, props and uniforms, and much more. While RHHS and Rock Hill School District 3 provide tremendous support, participation fees ensure the program can continue to offer high-quality instruction, outstanding performances, and the resources students need, all while maintaining careful fiscal oversight and responsible budgeting.
We want to help unsure that no student is unable to participate for financial reasons!
We have three fundraisers planned for the marching band season that will be specifically geared towards helping student off-set their band fees. It is extremely important that we have all families participating to help provide the best experience for our students!
In addition there is a waiver available for families who believe they may qualify for a fee reduction through the school district. We will have this form available during the first week of band camp.
If you ever have questions about your band fees, please reach out to the RHHS Bookkeeper.
FIND YOUR ONE!
One of our biggest fundraisers of the year is our Mattress Fundraiser on August 15.
The most important thing for families to know right now is this:
We are not asking every family to buy a mattress. Instead, we're asking every student to "Find Your One."
Think of one friend, family member, coworker, neighbor, or acquaintance who may already be planning to purchase a mattress this year. Invite them to attend our fundraiser before they buy anywhere else.
For every mattress purchased under a student's name, that student receives $100 credited to their band account to help offset band fees.
Our Rock Hill High School Band Boosters play a vital role in making our program successful, and we'd love to have every band family involved!
Membership is completely FREE and is a great way to support our incredible students, connect with other band families, and help create an outstanding experience for everyone in our program. Whether you have a little time or a lot, there's a place for you.
Join today by completing our quick membership form: https://rock-hill.jotform.com/261164930750152.
Thank you for helping make the RHHS Band the best it can be!
Need to get in touch?
Mr. Holliday - Director of Bands - tholliday@rhmail.org
Mr. Guzewicz - Associate Band Director - pguzewic@rhmail.org
RHHS Band Office - 803-981-1179
Brice Mitchell - Booster President - rhbandpresident@gmail.com
TBD - Booster Vice President - rhbandvicepresident@gmail.com
Hilda Melendez - Senior Treasurer - rhbandtar@gmail.com
Alane Salazar - Junior Treasurer - rhbandtap@gmail.com
TBD - Secretary - rhbandsecretary@gmail.com
TBD - Ways and Means - rhbandwaysandmeans@gmail.com