Congratulations to Lyla Lenhardt, newly crowned Miss Atlantic Shores’ Teen!
The Saint Joseph Academy family is celebrating some exciting news! Lyla Lenhardt has been crowned Miss Atlantic Shores’ Teen and also earned the Evening Gown Preliminary Award! After an incredible weekend of competition, Lyla is now preparing to compete for the state title at Miss New Jersey’s Teen next June in Ocean City!
While we are incredibly proud of Lyla’s accomplishments on stage, what makes this achievement especially meaningful is the heart behind it. Lyla’s journey reflects the very spirit of servant leadership that we strive to cultivate at SJA.
Through her experiences in our Servant Leadership Institute and Key Club, Lyla has discovered that service is about more than completing a project or volunteering for a few hours. It is about recognizing the needs of others, showing compassion, building relationships, and being willing to step forward whenever there is an opportunity to make a difference.
As part of the Miss America Opportunity, each local titleholder develops a Community Service Initiative that will guide her advocacy throughout her year of service. Lyla chose “Listen to Lyla,” a literacy initiative that promotes the importance of reading aloud and inspires children to develop a lifelong love of reading.
Her inspiration came from a service experience that touched her heart: participating in a Read Across America event at Charles L. Spragg Elementary School in Egg Harbor City. Lyla and her fellow volunteers selected books from the school library and visited classrooms to read to students. That experience left a lasting impression on Lyla and inspired her to build an initiative around the joy and lifelong benefits of reading.
In her essay and interview, Lyla shared how the service opportunities she experienced through SJA’s Servant Leadership Institute and Key Club helped inspire her commitment to service. Hearing that these experiences have made such a meaningful impact on her is a wonderful reminder of why we do this work.
As someone who has had the privilege of working with Lyla, Mrs. Jennifer LaRosa, Director of Servant Leadership at Saint Joseph Academy, could not be prouder of the young woman she is becoming.
“Lyla is such a sweetheart, and I am incredibly proud of the young woman she is becoming. Her servant heart and willingness to always jump in and help are truly special. I am just as proud of the work she does as I am of the work she inspires others to do. Lyla embodies what it means to lead with kindness, compassion, and a genuine desire to make a difference!”
Mrs. LaRosa has watched Lyla embrace service opportunities with enthusiasm, kindness, and a genuine desire to help. Lyla reminds us that servant leadership is not about recognition, awards, or titles. It is about showing up, recognizing a need, and taking action to make a difference. Seeing her carry these values into her new role as Miss Atlantic Shores’ Teen is a beautiful example of servant leadership in action.
We also know that Lyla’s experiences in SJA Theatre helped her develop the confidence to step onto the pageant stage and share her voice with others. It is wonderful to see how the opportunities she has embraced at Saint Joseph Academy have helped shape her talents, confidence, and commitment to serving her community.
Lyla, we are incredibly proud of you! Thank you for reminding us that leadership begins with a willingness to serve and that even the simplest acts of kindness can have a lasting impact. We cannot wait to see where Listen to Lyla takes you and look forward to cheering you on as you represent Atlantic Shores at the state competition next June!
Congratulations on this well-deserved honor, Lyla! Keep leading with your heart, sharing your gifts, and inspiring others through service.
Once a member of the SJA family, always a member of the SJA family!
Shaping hearts. Inspiring action.
