Mini Rose Floats -- and Maximum Teamwork
Beginning engineering students put their creativity and determination to the test at the third annual Mini Rose Float Competition on March 10. The student teams had just five weeks to create a float that could run without the use of remote control. The floats had to navigate a 40-foot parade route on the walking path between buildings 9 and 17, which included a speed bump and a bridge. The floats also had to run at a speed of at least 4 feet per minute.
The overarching theme was "Just Imagine." Instead of decorating their entries with roses, students used Ferris wheels, pirate ships and a smoking volcano, among other features.
The winner was "A Knight's Tale," which included a dragon battling a knight. Second place went to "Candyland," and "Daydream Adventures" received an honorable mention.
Jody Hamabata, a chemical and materials engineering professor, says the gears on the floats posed the biggest challenge. Students relied on teamwork to overcome numerous challenges.
"This competition gives students a greater sense of team building and problem-solving skills," Hamabata says.
Andrew Russo and his "Imagine World Peace" float team experienced these challenges first-hand.
"The gearing kept slipping" during early morning testing, Russo says. "We almost gave up, but we finally rebuilt the gearbox. When it worked we screamed and jumped. It was definitely a bonding moment."
View a gallery of photos from the event on the Cal Poly Pomona Facebook page.
