The Ripon High school farm will officially be known as the “David Luis Agricultural and Educational Facility.”

On Monday, the Ripon Unified school board unanimously approved the recommendation from the Naming Committee, honoring Luis for his contribution to the former Clinton School Farm located at 21033 N. Ripon Road.

He’s been long remembered for his life in agriculture, from serving as a member of the Ripon High School Agricultural Advisory Committee to working on his family’s farm growing almonds and swine production.

Luis passed away in 2016. Many in the community found it only fitting to re-name the school farm in his memory, including Ripon Consolidated Fire Chief Dennis Bitters.

“Dave was a graduate of Ripon High and spent his life in agriculture,” said he said in a letter to the school board about a year ago.

Ripon Consolidated District Fire Chief Dennis Bitters in his letter to the school board.

Trustees, in accordance to their policy, had the process go before an advisory committee.

The group led by Superintendent Siegrid ‘Ziggy’ Robeson met last month, recommending, to no surprise, David Luis’ name.

Luis spent 26 years with the Ripon Fire District as a firefighter, captain, and chief officer. 

As a volunteer, Luis coached football in Ripon for 23 years and devoted more than 20 years to supporting 4-H and FFA members and their swine projects. Luis’ work with the Ripon 4-H swine program was a source of great joy and he always felt honored to work with the kids and help them reach their goals.