Cal Poly Pomona and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo will debut “Jungle Jumpstart” as their 77th Rose Parade float in 2026, featuring a 40-foot rainforest robot being restored by jungle animals. Designed and built entirely by student teams, the float ties into the parade theme “The Magic in Teamwork,” announced just a week after the Eaton and Palisades fires to honor community, resilience and collaboration. Highlights include moving elements weighing up to 2,000 pounds and a technicolor macaw perched 25 feet high on the robot’s hand. CPP Rose Float team president Amelia Atwell (‘26, architecture) is quoted. 

This article was originally published by Inland Valley Daily Bulletin on September 16, 2025.