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Charlotte Amalie
Thursday, March 28, 2024
HomeCommentaryOpen forumThank You, Claire Roker

Thank You, Claire Roker

Dear Source:
There is no denying the remarkable work that Claire Roker has done with numerous young ladies in the field of pageantry in the US Virgin Islands. After many, many years, she is hanging up her “Pageant Shield” and her expertise will be missed.
Her involvement in several organizations for young women is highly commendable. She has spent 40 years with the Hal Jackson’s Virgin Islands and International Talented Teens, 27 years with the Haynes Smith Caribbean Talented Teens and 11 years with the Virgin Islands Outstanding Teens, in partnership with the Miss America’s Outstanding Teens National Organization.
Her success in these organizations is remarkable and unmatched in Virgin Islands history. No other group that sends young ladies to Caribbean, National and International Pageants has reached her level of success. Her hard work and dedication has given the US Virgin Islands five Hal Jackson International Talented Teen Winners over the years, namely Kristel Henderson in 1982, Rosa Sanchez 1993, Amanda Stanley 1994, Quianie Schuster 1997, all from St. Croix, and the last one being Esonica Veira in 2005, the only International winner from St. Thomas. She has also been successful in the Haynes Smith Caribbean Talented Teen Pageant, where the US Virgin Islands has won this title seven times, Dehlia Thomas 1982, Lisa Lendhart 1984, Regina Rivera 1986, Essi Gaston 1998, Cubie- Aye George 2000, Kmisha Counts 2003 and Rafalio Corneiro 2005. In both organizations, her talented teens have also been awarded numerous runner ups positions and Best Talent awards. Her involvement in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teens has also resulted in success. In 2006, Esonica Veira was awarded Outstanding Talent and in 2014, Cereyna Jade Bougouneau from St. Croix, won the America’s Choice Award and placed in the Top 12 in the finals in Orlando, Florida.
Claire Roker also has the honor of being one of the 100 exclusive members of the Miss America’s Outstanding Teens Century Club Scholarship.
Many of the young women who have passed through her organizations have moved on to success in other local pageants such as St. Croix Festival and Virgin Islands Carnival Queens, and some also have gone on to achieve success in international pageants, the most recent being Kmisha Counts and Esonica Veira, both reaching the semi-finals of the Miss World Competition.
As she prepares to hang up her shield, Mrs. Roker states “It has been a pleasure and rewarding to me, and I hope that someone younger will continue the legacy”. Before retiring, she had one last delegate in the 2015 Miss America’s Outstanding Teens Pageant in Orlando, Florida in August.
Claire reminds us that the Miss America’s Outstanding Teens Organization continues to afford and encourage positive achievements, nurtures and builds scholastic success, creative accomplishments and healthy living in the community of our nation’s youths.
The record of success of this amazing lady, Claire Roker, speaks for itself. She is quite willing to offer advice to any local organization that is involved in sending young ladies to various Caribbean, National and International Pageants.
As Claire Roker retires, we wish to thank her for her outstanding work and for her dedication to the youth of the US Virgin Islands. We offer congratulations on her amazing success and we extend best wishes to her for the rest of her remarkable life.
Carlene Woods
 

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