“Moo! Bahhh! Snip!” Paso Robles Highschool’s FFA Sophomore Madelyn Gardner cuts the ribbon, opening a new barn! Paso Robles High school officially welcomed the new addition to the AG department on Apr. 24 with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 3:30 pm.
The new facility has features including more space, allowing FFA showmanship easier for animals that live on campus. They have been planning for this barn to be built for years with talks prior to 2020. The barn started construction in the fall of 2025 and they finished it a few weeks leading up to the opening. PRHS students along with PRHS’s school district have worked hard with the AG department to make this possible. Prior to the new barn, students did have the old AG barn available but it didn’t provide as much space, making crowded areas. They also have space to do their showmanship clinic now.
“Learning to do, doing to learn. Earning to live. Living to serve. Are the most precious things that we do. And nowhere will you see those things work than in our AG department” Principle Susank said at the opening of Paso Robles’s AG Barn.
“We outgrew our current facility, and so we’re very excited about this addition, because it will actually help us continue clinics and even improve them a little bit.” PRHS Agriculture and Department Head Theresa Clark stated.
Clark explained that prior to 2020’s Covid Pandemic, PRHS held showmanship clinics for local young showmen. At these clinics, young showmen practice what showmanship with an animal would look like in a ring. Clark explained that the new barn brings in more than just additional space, it hopes to bring eyes to the facility and the department.
Clark hopes that kids find mentors within FFA students with eyes on the FFA department. “I’m hoping that they’ll be excited to be a part of something that’s really growing and thriving. So I think it’ll help, draw that connection, and I think the barn is something to be proud of. We have a great facility, and I do believe that, you know, when you see a great facility, you want to be a part of that.’’
Clark explained that in the hot summers here in Paso Robles having a climate controlled facility will assist in the care of the animals.
Sophomore Historian Hannah Needleman for Paso Robles High School’s AG department added, “ I have an animal up there and there is no space. Having the new barn to be able to keep extra stuff and have other animals and as well as the temperature regulation when it gets really hot in summer.”
The new barn is huge and is completely made of aluminum providing space for still projects, animals and space for showmanship. While the new barn has been installed, it has been prefaced that the barn is not a replacement of the current barn.
The Ribbon cutting event held in front of the grand new barn brought many to the site. There was a great turn up with parents, local community members, and FFA students.
PRHS gained support from our school district financially, following support from other funding opportunities. PRHS FFA Boosters had held events along with parents and family members as well.
Madelynn Gardner Sophomore Vice President whom cut the Ribbon of Friday stated, “A lot of our fundraising comes from our boosters dinner that we held in March. Some years we make up to $80,000. We have a parent boosters committee every year that kind of helps with the funding, getting together.”
The opening of the new barn marks a new chapter for Agriculture education at Paso Robles Highschool.
Speeches from Principle Susank, Theresa Clark, and PRHS FFA Vice President, Madelynn Gardner
