Delano High School auditorium renamed in honor of longtime educator and community supporter on his 90th birthday.

Delano Joint Union High School District celebrated the lasting legacy of longtime educator Gary Girard on September 21, 2026 with the official dedication of the Gary Girard Auditorium at Delano High School. The unveiling took place in front of the auditorium on a particularly fitting occasion, Girard’s 90th birthday.

The dedication recognizes decades of service to Delano High School students and the greater Delano community. Girard’s connection to local schools began as a student. He graduated from Cecil Avenue School in 1950 and Delano High School in 1954 before continuing his education at Bakersfield College and Fresno State.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Girard returned to Delano and began teaching English at Delano High School in the fall of 1962. He remained at DHS until his retirement in June 2001, completing 39 years of service to the school.

During those years, Girard’s influence extended well beyond the classroom. For all 39 years, he advised the school’s Press Club and the Live Wire student newspaper. He also served 16 years as yearbook adviser and spent many years advising the school’s Quill and Scroll journalism chapter. His involvement in student life included 19 years as cheerleading adviser and establishing the Rally Club.

Girard’s dedication to Delano continued after his retirement. He wrote sports and “Delano Ramblings” columns for the Delano Record until the newspaper closed in 2017. He also devoted years to fundraising efforts supporting Delano High School cheerleaders and athletics and has helped sustain the Delano High Athletic Hall of Fame since its establishment in 2009.

His support for Delano High School has continued through the years, including attending Tiger athletic events and remaining connected to the school and community he has served for much of his life.

The naming of the Gary Girard Auditorium ensures that his legacy will remain part of Delano High School for generations to come. The auditorium, a place where students gather, perform, celebrate and create memories, now bears the name of an educator whose decades of service have touched generations of students.

DJUHSD congratulates Gary Girard on his 90th birthday and celebrates this special recognition of his extraordinary commitment to Delano High School and the Delano community.