CARNIVAL BOOKLET2-426

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
Erie Mathias, VI Carnival Queen
Erie Matthias-Morales-1973 Carnival Queen-is a retired
school counselor who enjoys spending time with family and
friends, traveling, swimming, and walking. She is married
to Angel “Chico” Morales and was blessed with two wonderful
children, Abriel Matthias (Cox)-Proctor and Moshe
Matthias-Cox. To this day, many people in the community
and supporters still recognize her and call her “Queen Erie”.
She sincerely appreciates their support and continuous
encouragement.
Her experiences, while vying for St. Thomas Carnival
Queen and during her reign as 1973 Carnival Queen,
contributed to the development of her sense of “self”. She
discovered and recognized her strengths and weaknesses;
that she was strong and didn’t have to be afraid of, or shy
away from life’s challenges.
Since then, Erie Matthias earned a Bachelor of Science in
Fashion Merchandising with a minor in art at Florida A
& M. University; and later earned a Masters in Education
with a concentration in Counseling from The University of
the Virgin Islands. With the aid of her educational background,
she has diligently worked at passing the baton to
her students and others. While teaching Home Economics at
the Charlotte Amalie High School, she created, developed,
and taught the course, “Charm & Poise, for Business and
Social Success”. Erie Matthias Modeling School was also
developed to afford youths the opportunity to broaden their
horizon through good self image. Students were able to
travel abroad to audition in the International Modeling and
Talent Association (IMTA) and performed for over 100
scouts, in New York City.
She also taught and counseled at the Ivanna Eudora Kean
High School and retired in 2009, after working at the Edith
Williams Alternative Academy, as an Intervention Specialist.
An artisan, Erie owns and operates ERIE JEWELRY AND
ACCESSORIES pop-up boutique. She handcrafts classic
collections of women vintage clutch bags-from a variety of
fabrics purchased on her travels around the world- bags suitable
for casual wear, weddings and formal wear; and jewelry
from locally foraged seeds, precious stones and other
artifacts. This artist has been named “Culture Bearer” by
the Department of Education’s Cultural Education Division
and was selected by the Department of Tourism to exhibit
her jewelry in Miami at the Seafarer’s Convention.
Erie will tell any young lady, who wants to enter into such
a competition, to prepare, years in advance. Hone your
talent, through coaching and training. Focus on an area
that you like, and one that “suits you”. Your talent, not what
someone else thinks is your talent. Ms. Matthias believes
that talent is innate and that everyone has a talent.
The reigning queen should be an ambassador for our
islands. Through Tourism, she should be featured on television
commercials (on-islands and abroad), print commercials
and radio programs; for example, channel 4 “Island
Showcase”, island magazines and brochures. In addition,
the queen should be encouraged, educated and coached on
the mentoring program processes, so that she may develop
programs such as entrepreneurship, environmental
programs and educational endeavors for the youths in our
community.
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A Centennial Commemoration for our 65th Celebration 33