DADE CITY- A Pasco County student has made academic history. Tavarion Parks III, an outstanding pupil at Moore Mickens Education Center, just received confirmation that he will be the first Moore Mickens student to attend Harvard University.
Tavarion will attend Harvard to attain a degree in Poultry Science with a concentration in Restaurant Management.
"This is just incredible. God has given me an amazing opportunity and I’m just blessed,” said Parks. “My dream is to attain my degree and take over Chester’s Fried Chicken inside R&J’s in Dade City. The frying of succulent poultry has been my passion ever since I was a young boy. Whenever I earned a perfect report card my grandmother would take me down to R&J's where I would devour their savory chicken gizzards. I can’t explain it, but something magical happens in my palette whenever I eat their gizzards."
Parks accepted a full academic scholarship from the Ivy League university, but said he nearly turned it down for other opportunities.
“When I heard that PHCC was now a state college I had to reconsider my options. Harvard University is a very prestigious institution but the opportunity to continue my education at Pasco Hernando State College was still tough to turn down. God has just blessed me with so many opportunities. I’m just truly blessed,” said Parks.
Pasco Superintendent of Schools recently decided to close Pasco County’s first school for black children, but the academic success of Tavarion Parks III could help Moore Mickens Education Center convince the superintendent to keep the school open.
Parks will attend Harvard University in the fall semester.