Rose Bowl Launches New Program, Gives Students the Chance to Explore Pasadena’s Most Famous Structure

160 seventh grade Pasadena Unified students flocked to Pasadena’s famed Rose Bowl Tuesday morning to experience an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of the landmark in the launch of the first ever Rose Bowl Stadium educational program.

The event was organized in conjunction with the Rose Bowl, PUSD and Honda to provide a guaranteed opportunity for students to set foot in the stadium, beyond the gridiron and into future prospects that the stadium has to offer.

“It’s a great way to open up the Rose Bowl for the youth who are our future stakeholders. It’s good for everybody and we want this to be something for PUSD students to look forward to every year,” said Rosebowl Stadium CEO Darryl Dunn.

The goal of the program, which is named ‘Field Trip to the Field,’ is to eventually ensure every student within Pasadena Unified has a chance to visit the stadium and learn about its history, according to the press release.

The Rose Bowl is one of four stadiums in the country that is a national historic landmark, according to Dunn.

“There are multiple reasons for people to come to Pasadena, but at the end of the day, people know the Rose Bowl. We all came together after realizing that a large number of kids in the area have never set foot into the stadium. Its a perfect way to experience something new right here in their backyard,” said District 1 Councilmember and Pasadena Unified alum Tyron Hampton.

Students were lead by professional guides and featured exciting tour stops that are typically unseen by visitors including the original locker room from 1922, the new locker rooms, the press box, the Court of Champions and the 100 yards of gridiron.

“We want to send the message to the kids that there more opportunities at the Rose Bowl that goes further than being able to play on the field. There’s opportunity to be the next CEO, camera person or anchor. We’re giving the children access and opportunity to what this stadium can offer,” said Hampton.

The Rose Bowl kicked off a monthly ticketed tour opportunity to the public in 2014, but aims to guarantee Pasadena Unified students the chance to experience it first hand year after year.

“The idea is that every seventh grader in the area will be able to tour the Rose Bowl. It’s a really special place. I hope is that this will go on forever,” said Dunn.

Dunn plans to continue the annual tours for the seventh grade Pasadena Unified class for at least another five years.

“The Rose Bowl’s centennial is just six years away so our goal is to continue to improve and take care of it and make it younger,” said Dunn.