New ag facilities will provide Delhi High students training for future careers

Delhi Unified School District recently held a small grand opening of their agricultural facilities on Delhi High’s campus.

The agricultural facilities include a building to support meat rabbits, a chicken coop for laying hens and meat chickens, plus an expanded layout for sheep and goat pens and a horticulture area with row crops.

The idea for the facilities came from talks with teachers, parents and the community, said Delhi High Principal Cristian Miley.

“We really wanted to think about our programs and how we could really bolster our programs,” Miley said. “So in an immediate sense our ag biology and our veterinary science students are going to get real hands on (experience) with animals real fast.”

Students will be able to use the facilities in the fall. Thanks to COVID relief funding, the district has been able to cover the costs of the $49,500 project.

In addition, Miley said the spaces will allow students to expand their social and emotional learning.

“There’s a lot of positive psychological impacts when the kids are able to have not just those interactions but also those small responsibilities that creates an additional fun structure for them in what they get to do and interact with their world,” Miley said.

The Delhi People’s Fridge, which provides fresh produce to those in need, will go hand-in-hand with the latest facilities, providing more benefits to the community as a whole.

“We were able to donate produce directly to the People’s Fridge, and the first high school (in the county) to support something like that on their site for their community. Now this, ag expansion is going to further support that idea of providing for needs and opportunities in the community,” Miley said.

“That is really the blessing about being a community this size is that we can constantly tie-in the existing community, the existing economy and get them to help us make things better for our kids, but also give our kids pathways that are genuine, real and profitable.”

Adolfo Melara, the Delhi Unified School District superintendent, is glad the facilities have come to fruition, and looks forward to students being able to expand their agricultural knowledge and take that with them into the workforce.

“We are extremely proud of the work that has been done since 2016-17 around Ag. education in our District,” Melara wrote in an email to the Sun-Star.

“Every year since, we have made improvements to the program that have enhanced our students’ education. As always, I am grateful to the staff and our board of education for their hard work and support of this incredible program.”