Berkeley County School District’s marching bands all have a great fan base, but Finley Rhode might just be the biggest supporter there ever was for the Hanahan Marching Pride.
At 4 years old, Finley’s love of marching bands (and his overall cuteness) is winning over hearts of everybody across Hanahan – and beyond.
Finley is the son of Jade and Michael Rhode, Hanahan High alumni who still cheer for the Hawks to this day. Jade played piccolo in the school’s band and was classmates with Andre North, the director of Hanahan Middle’s band program as well as the assistant director of bands at for the high school.
The couple’s love for the Hanahan Marching Pride has been passed down to Finley, whose passion for marching bands has only grown ever since he was 2.
Finley enjoys “conducting” the Ohio State Marching Band from his living room with YouTube videos pulled up on the television. He also has assorted play instruments that he performs with as he watches the videos.
Fostering that love for music, his parents recently made contact with North, asking if Finley could meet the high school’s marching band. Finley attended a Hanahan football game in September dressed in full conductor garb; at that game, North invited Finley to help conduct the marching band students as they performed (see video below).
Finley has also watched after-school practices, with North joining him on the sidelines to help him perfect his conducting skills.
North said his students have fallen in love with Finley.
“The wonderful thing about the bands at Hanahan, is that we get the opportunity to perform all throughout the community,” North said, adding, “Throughout those performances, they realize just how important they are to the Hanahan community and the people who make up the community.”
The Hanahan bands also have student leadership teams at both the middle and high school level, and those students make sure their classmates remember that they are role models for children like Finley.
“When Finley conducted the band, you could see a kid getting to realize his dream,” North said, “and it really makes me think about the children that watch our bands at different events and think to themselves, ‘I want to do this.’”
