The Parina, Reynolds and Randall Families

This scholarship is offered in memory of Mr. Richard A. Parina II.

Richard Parina was an incredibly engaging teacher for over twenty years who taught at various schools in Clark County, Nevada as well as overseas in Dubai. He passionately believed anyone could learn math with the right teacher. He impacted so many students throughout the years with his unique teaching style of relatable examples, patience, and humor. Mr. P, as his students affectionately called him, always made a point to make his students laugh even if they were having a bad day. He would hand out “Parina Packs” of fun and entertaining items to students that excelled in his classes. His students described him as “genuine,” “funny,” “patient,” and “made school fun.”

He loved playing various sports throughout his life: baseball, basketball, and golf. He coached girls basketball for several years and brought the same passion he had for teaching in the classroom to the court. He always strived to excel at whatever he was doing – whether it was teaching, coaching, playing golf, studying political landscapes, or spending time with his friends.

His former students would return to his classroom several years later and share how he impacted their lives and contributed to their academic success and subsequent careers. Richard loved to support his students’ growth into the next chapter of their lives. For this reason, his family knew he would want to help students achieve their educational goals through the creation of this memorial scholarship.