2022 Scholarship Recipient
Matthew Theodore Mattis
My Famiy History on Kythera
My name is Matthew Theodore Mattis and I am 18 years old. I currently live in Redwood City with my parents Tim and Cynthia Mattis. This past June I graduated from Woodside High School and will be continuing my education at California State University in Chico. At my previous school I was mainly known for my Greek heritage and my terrible sense of humor which made me well known around school. I hope to continue these actions at Chico. I’ve always been proud of my Greek heritage and have played for the church basketball and church volleyball teams, helped with many dinners, danced in the folk dance festival, was a member of Goya, and helped in many sponsored events for my church.
My Yiayia and Papou, Ted and Cathy Zamenes, have been members of the Kytherian Society for years. They have always been the biggest part of my life and I make time to visit them multiple times a week to repay their kindness. My grandfather Ted has told me many stories of Kythera and how my great-great grandfather John G. Alfieris traveled from Kythera to America. My great-great-grandfather was born in Potamos in 1883 and his wife Marigo Chlentzos was born in Christoforianika in 1882. As young adults they moved to Egypt, got married and had two children, Gus and Spirithoula, my great grandmother. Three years later John set out to America leaving his wife and children behind. When he arrived in America and once he settled in Oakland, his wife and children joined him. They later had five more children. They got through all their hardships by keeping their faith and their heritage, and creating the family that I am a part of today.
I am so lucky that I was able to go to the beautiful island of Kythera, Greece and visit the houses where my great-great-grandmother used to live and where my great-great-grandfather used to live. Although the houses were difficult to get to and worn down it was an important piece of my family history and amazing to see. Having been to a couple of island of Greece made me delve deeper into my heritage and become more interested in my history, which pushed me to be more involved with the Church.
