Students get behind-the-scenes look at Rose Parade float construction

More than 100 middle and high school students from Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley learned the science and engineering behind building a float for the Rose Parade in a lab experience June 24 and 25.

Participants 12 to 17 years-old were led by the student teams from Cal Poly Pomona and San Luis Obispo campuses, and were taught the techniques used in float construction, from mechanical design and animation to structural engineering.

“Our Rose Float students, who some are just a couple years out of high school, can really connect with the young students to drive home the importance of both a college education, but how STEAM touches every aspect of our lives,” said Cary Khatab, director of the Cal Poly Rose Float. “I see the genuine excitement and gratification from my students as they make lasting positive impressions of the students of the future.”

Since 1949, Cal Poly universities have brought student-built floats to the New Year’s Day parade, pioneering milestones like the first hydraulically animated float in 1968 and the debut of computer-controlled animation in 1978.

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses partnered with Cal Poly Rose Float to present the educational program, called RoseSTEM. Nonprofit STEAM:CODERS, which provides students with opportunities to learn the fundamentals of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math, also supported the event.

“By combining innovation with imagination, RoseSTEM empowers students to think critically, build confidently, and envision futures shaped by their own potential,” Raymond Ealy, president and CEO of STEAM:CODERS, said. “The program reflects a shared commitment to education, equity, and opportunity—showing students that STEAM isn’t just a series of subjects, it is also a pathway for future opportunities.”