‘More than beauty, hair and makeup’

Olivia Pocius will vie for Miss New Jersey Teen as Miss Cinnaminson later this month as a fresh high-school graduate.

She is a senior at Cinnaminson High School, which will hold its graduation on Tuesday, June 18. A few days later, Pocius will compete for Miss New Jersey Teen at the Hilton Hotel in Parsippany from June 21 to June 23.

Whoever wins Miss New Jersey Teen will go on to represent New Jersey at the Miss Teen USA pageant in August. Each finalist has a pageant platform representing a community focus. Pocius’ platform is Palettes of Positivity, an art therapy program that she designed to help those with depression and anxiety. 

“My decision to make art therapy my pageant platform stemmed from a profound personal loss that I experienced,” she explained. “What’s important is that healing became a priority, and I found that by pouring myself into art, I could start to heal, change my focus and work toward something positive.”

Not long after her loss, pageantry, art, and community service evolved into one, and Pocius then formed Palettes of Positivity.  

” … What I hope to share through Palettes of Positivity is not just my own story, but to express that – whatever one’s story, one’s hurt or pain – you can lift your spirits and move on with your life and regain positivity,” she said.

“Creating through art had the power to lift my mood and inspire positivity, so being able to teach and bring that outlet to others is an amazing feeling.”  

For her community service, Pocius decided to take the proceeds of her program and donate them to the Ronald McDonald House in Camden.

“Ronald McDonald House has always been my family’s most loved charity, so I thought why not continue this through my pageant platform?” she noted.

Like art therapy, Pocius found an outlet with the Miss New Jersey Teen USA Pageant during her challenging times.

“It was another outlet where I could change my focus and challenge myself to do something different,” she recalled. “Although it made me nervous initially, meeting other young women and seeing what they were doing in their communities made me feel I could offer something to my community in the form of service.

“I discovered through the pageant that pageantry was more than beauty, hair and makeup,” Pocius added. “These inspiring young women are just like me, trying to find our niche and be of service. We’re each building the future by focusing on bringing good to our communities. And I could see that, like myself, what built each of these ladies individually over the years prepared them for what they are doing now.  

“We are all trying to be of service and are shaping the future.”

This is Pocius’ second run for Miss New Jersey Teen; she was a finalist in 2023. During her journey into pageantry, one of the challenges she’s faced is social media bullying.

“… I believe it has led me to where I am today,” she offered. “I won’t say that I don’t still stumble or have challenges, but I’m trying to work through them positively. And that’s the key message I wish to bring; to remain positive through challenges. There is value in challenges, because they ultimately ask us to look inside ourselves.

“Challenges propel each of us to change for the better.”

Pocius plans to attend Rowan College at Burlington County in the fall, then transfer to Rowan University.

“My primary focus is math education, along with advanced art,” she said. “I have a great love for engineering, so I’m hoping this route also opens doors for the future.”

And depending on her workload, Pocius cannot say whether or not she will continue to compete in pageants after this year.

“I still plan to keep community service in my sights,” she promised. “And it would be an honor to continue competing in Miss New Jersey in the future, as I’ve made a lot of new friends and community connections.

“Miss New Jersey Teen has been a wonderful experience for me and I look forward to this year’s pageant.”