ATLANTIC CITY – The Miss New Jersey’s Outstanding Teen Organization is an official preliminary to the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen Program (MAOTeen) and a little sister to the Miss America Organization which is based out of Atlantic City, New Jersey. MAOTeen was organized to promote scholastic achievement, creative accomplishment, healthy living, and community involvement for America’s teens. It is a scholarship based program offering teens the opportunity to be awarded scholarship money for college. This year’s state pageant will be held Jan. 27, 2018, at the state of the art Clayton High School Performing Arts Center, 55 Pop Kramer Blvd., Clayton, NJ. Twenty of the most talented, intelligent, and community-minded young women will be vying for the prestigious title of Miss New Jersey’s Outstanding Teen. Each contestant has already won a local title and will be representing that title at the state pageant. The new Miss New Jersey’s Outstanding Teen will be competing in Orlando, Florida this summer for the title of Miss America’s Outstanding Teen.
On January 21, 2017, Augostina Mallous of Cape May Court House, NJ was crowned Miss New Jersey’s Outstanding Teen 2017. She has had a full and exciting year making appearances throughout the state supporting her platform Get Ahead of the Game: Concussion Awareness and the national platform, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
This year’s state contestants are:
Contestant Name/Hometown/Local Title/Platform/Talent
Isabella Freund/Seaville/Miss South Shore’s Outstanding Teen/Make-A-Wish – Kids For Wish Kids/Piano
Brynn McKinney/Sewell/Miss South Jersey’s Outstanding Teen/You and Me, Worry Free…Fighting Anxiety/Vocal
Taylor Swanger/Williamstown/Miss Tri-County’s Outstanding Teen/The Wellness Project/Jazz Dance
Molly Marie Pugliese/Egg Harbor Township/Miss Seashore Line’s Outstanding Teen/B.A.S.E.-The Bullying Project/Vocal
Alyssa Lego/Toms River/Miss Northern Lakes’ Outstanding Teen/Inspired by the Difference/Tap Dance
Gabriela Collins/Woolwich/Miss Gloucester County’s Outstanding Teen/Special needs – Celebrating Intellectual Differences/Jazz Dance
Samantha McConaghy/Mays Landing/Miss Cape Shores’ Outstanding Teen/Ignite Imagination: S.T.E.M. Education/Hard Shoe Irish Dance
Julianna Cauterucci/East Brunswick/Miss Bergen County’s Outstanding Teen/Bullying – BFF (Be a Friend First/Tap Dance
Madelyn Hays/Cape May/Miss Stars and Stripes’ Outstanding Teen/Living Heart Healthy/Dance-Acro
Jessica Wong/Manalapan/Miss Monmouth County’s Outstanding Teen/ACT Against Bullying/Piano
Maggie DePhillips/Summit/Miss Central Coast’s Outstanding Teen/Cause for the Paws/Lyrical Dance
Emily Janet Cooney/Clayton/Miss Camden County’s Outstanding Teen/See The Ability Not The Disability/Point Dance
Meadow Paliotta/Ridgewood/Miss Ramapo Valley’s Outstanding Teen/Body Positivity/Musical Theatre Dance
Shelby Ritterson/Mantua/Miss Veterans Day’s Outstanding Teen/Stand Up and Stand Out/Tap Dance
Hailey Ferry/Clarksboro/Miss Eastern Shore’s Outstanding Teen/The Power of Peer Mentoring/Broadway Vocal
Alexandra Nicole Hughes/Smithville/Miss Gateway’s Outstanding Teen/What Size Is Your Digital Footprint?/Irish Fusion Dance
Emily Cooney/Mantua Township/Miss Coastal Shore’s Outstanding Teen/Serving Those Who Serve/Tap Dance
Paige Catherine Andersen/Magnolia/Miss Ocean County’s Outstanding Teen/Crowns for Kindness/Vocal
Marina Elizabeth Clifford/Alloway/Miss Salem County’s Outstanding Teen/Operation Our Time to Serve/Vocal
Alaina Marie Murphy/Carney’s Point/Miss Atlantic Shores’ Outstanding Teen/Hold Yourself Accountable/Vocal
