Templeton FFA dedicates new swine barn at high school farm

By Camille DeVaul · Fri Jun 26 2026

Facility funded by AgWest grant honors longtime ag educator Jerry Clark

TEMPLETON — The Templeton FFA chapter marked a major milestone in its agricultural education program on Saturday, June 20, with a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony for its newly completed swine barn at the Templeton High School Agriculture Farm.

The new facility, funded through a $100,000 AgWest Farm Credit grant, is designed to expand hands-on learning opportunities for students enrolled in Templeton High School’s agricultural education pathway. Officials said the barn will strengthen the school’s livestock program and provide students with modernized space to raise, care for, and study swine projects that are central to FFA participation.

Community members, alumni, students, and agricultural partners gathered for the celebration, which also served as a tribute to longtime agricultural educator Jerry Clark, whose decades of teaching and mentorship left a lasting imprint on Templeton’s FFA program.

Superintendent Dr. Edd Bond said the project represents both an investment in student opportunity and a reflection of community partnership.

"We are grateful to AgWest Farm Credit for investing in the future of agricultural education and helping create opportunities for our students," Bond said. "This facility will serve Templeton FFA members for years to come, while honoring the legacy of Jerry Clark and his commitment to student success."

Templeton agriculture teacher Brandi Bognuda said naming the facility after Clark was a meaningful decision rooted in his decades of influence on students and educators.

“Jerry Clark was an instrumental and past ag teacher at Templeton High School,” Bognuda said. “He was a mentor to so many THS students and young educators. Templeton FFA is proud to honor his legacy by naming the swine barn in his honor.”

Clark, who spent much of his career teaching at Templeton High School and later mentoring future agricultural educators at Cal Poly, was widely recognized for his hands-on approach to student learning and his lifelong commitment to agricultural education. He passed away in June 2025.

The timing of the grant, organizers noted, added an unexpected layer of meaning to the project.

“It was awarded to us in June of last year, so it’s been about a year to pull the whole project together,” Bognuda said. “We were awarded the grant right after Jerry’s passing, and it just fit perfectly.”

Newly elected Templeton FFA president Delaney John also expressed gratitude during the ceremony, recognizing the wide network of support that made the project possible.

John thanked Torgys Excavation, MGE, United Rentals, ABI, Nunno Steel, John Wright Construction, Cal Portland, Tracy Hearn, Miller Drilling, the Templeton Education Foundation, the Templeton Unified School District Board of Trustees, and AgWest Farm Credit for its $100,000 grant.

School officials noted that completing the project required coordination across district staff, community partners, and local contractors.

The swine barn adds a significant new resource to Templeton High School’s agriculture program, which continues to play a central role in student involvement in FFA, livestock production, and agricultural science education. Educators say the facility will allow students to gain practical, real-world experience that prepares them for careers in agriculture and related industries.