Jim and Barbara Parks
Jim and Barbara Parks settled in Temple where they both spent their professional careers helping young people. Jim was a psychologist with the VA and Barbara was a guidance counselor at Temple High. They established the Parks Key to Success scholarship because they loved the idea that students who worked hard and earned their grades would be rewarded with a scholarship. They have also established a scholarship in honor of their son, Wade who spent his short life trying to overcome his physical difficulties and lead an increasingly independent life.
Impact
Growing up female in Pakistan, my father did not allow me to finish high school. It wasn’t until I married my husband, that I was encouraged to get a degree and a job. He wanted me to do that because he believed I was capable and thought it would be good for me. But I did not want my husband to pay for my college. I wanted to do this for myself. Earning scholarships is very gratifying and gives me the encouragement to believe that I can do this.