Senior Clydarious Parks was honored on April 9th at the 2026 STAR Student-Teacher Achievement Recognition Program held at the Clyde Muse Center in Pearl, Mississippi. The Mississippi Economic Council (MEC) M. B. Swayze Foundation is the sponsor of the Student/Teacher Recognition (STAR) program. Established by the Economic Council in 1965, the purpose of the STAR program is to recognize outstanding students and teachers in Mississippi through its Education celebration.
Parks is a native of Goodman, and is the son of Laquandrea Gypson and Larry Parks.
STAR Students are selected on the basis of Academic excellence. Both the American College Test (ACT) scores and Scholastic averages are compared to determine the school’s Star student. Parks was among 320 high school seniors across the state recognized for achieving one of the highest ACT scores while maintaining a minimum academic average of 93. He earned an impressive ACT score of 29.
After graduation, Parks plans to pursue a degree in electrical engineering and is considering attending Jackson State University or Mississippi State University.
As part of the STAR program, each student selects a classroom teacher who has made the greatest impact on their academic journey. Parks selected Marissa Butler as the STAR Teacher. Butler, a native of Holmes County, is a 2008 graduate of Williams-Sullivan High School. She has taught middle school science at Williams-Sullivan Elementary and biology at Holmes County Central High School. She currently serves as a Lead Teacher and Interventionist at Holmes County Central High School.
Over 320 STAR Students were recognized for their exceptional achievement by MEC’s M.B. Swayze Foundation with medallions, certificates and lapel pins. The top 20 STAR Students – The ALL-STAR Scholars – will receive scholarships and their STAR Teacher will receive awards provided by the Kelly Gene Cook, Sr. Charitable Foundation.
The highlight of the STAR program is the naming of the Mississippi ALL-STAR Scholar for 2025-2026 school year and the coveted $24,000 Cook Foundation Scholarship.
