In the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences (CAFES), traditions aren’t just upheld, they’re handed down from one generation to the next. As the university celebrates its 125th anniversary, those cherished traditions stand as a testament to more than a century of students doing what they do best: learning by doing.

One of the most enduring symbols of tradition is the university’s Cal Poly Rose Float. Moving down the streets of Pasadena each New Year’s Day, it represents student dedication, countless hours of hard work and nearly eight decades of enduring pride. This year, that legacy reached new heights as the float earned the prestigious Sweepstakes Award at the 137th Rose Parade®, recognizing it as the most beautiful float overall.

Three students from CAFES served on the float committee this year — second-year agricultural business major Brittany Andes-McCullough, second-year plant sciences major Afton Phillips and fourth-year plant sciences major Haley Kost. The Rose Float leadership team is comprised of about 60 students, equally split from Cal Poly and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Kost, who led the decoration team, played an integral role in the creation of the 2026 Cal Poly universities’ “Jungle Jumpstart” rainforest float.

Kost, who has volunteered with the Rose Float program throughout her four years at Cal Poly, said student involvement goes far beyond building the float. Both universities grow the flowers used in its design, and students work closely with local communities to ensure the float reflects the regions they represent. “This made winning this year’s Sweepstakes Award incredibly meaningful,” she said. “It was our goal to use as many local products and materials as possible, and we tried to work with local communities to make that happen.” In total, 85 percent of the materials used were grown or produced in California.

The Rose Parade features dozens of elaborately designed floats, some funded by multi-million-dollar companies and organizations and built by professional teams. Yet it was Cal Poly’s locally grown, handmade and student-created float that judges deemed the most outstanding this year.

“There’s no better way to reflect on the experience than watching your float go down the parade route,” Kost said. “It’s a relief because it proves it was all worth it. All of the late nights, long hours and meetings – it meant something to other people.”

Seventy-seven years after Cal Poly’s first Rose Float debuted, this year’s achievement honors every hand that has helped build the tradition since 1949. “One of my friends said it best: winning the Sweepstakes Award fulfills almost 80 years of student and alumni dreams,” Kost said. “This win reflects all of them.”

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