{"id":230605,"date":"2026-02-19T21:00:38","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T02:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/?p=230605"},"modified":"2026-03-04T17:38:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-04T22:38:48","slug":"ivy-harrington-miss-new-jersey-usa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/ivy-harrington-miss-new-jersey-usa\/","title":{"rendered":"A Talk with Ivy Harrington, Neptune Native + Miss New Jersey USA 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"custom_featured_image\" style=\"display:none;\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-1-800x533.png\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-1-800x533.png 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-1-768x511.png 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-1-585x390.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-1-263x175.png 263w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-1.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/div><div id=\"custom_category\" style=\"display:none;\">people<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New Jerseyans are dreamers. Maybe it\u2019s our proximity to the Big Apple, the iconic Jersey Shore beaches, or the fact that we\u2019re the homeland of <a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/inside-the-bruce-springsteen-suite-at-the-asbury-hotel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bruce Springsteen<\/a>. Whatever the reason, residents here are known for thinking big and chasing what\u2019s possible. That\u2019s exactly what Ivy Harrington, a Neptune native and passionate advocate for women\u2019s empowerment and personal development, is doing with her hard-earned title as Miss New Jersey USA 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As a lifelong Jersey Shore resident and athlete, Ivy is now using her platform to make a meaningful impact statewide as a coach and founder of her mentorship program, MVP,&nbsp; Most Valuable Pivot. Her mission is simple yet powerful: to remind women that no dream is too big and that true identity can never be defined by just one label. <\/span><b>Read on to learn more about Ivy\u2019s journey from basketball courts to the Miss New Jersey USA crown and how she\u2019s empowering women across the Garden State to step confidently into their next chapter.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-231224 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/N.SQUARE-A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-e1770248814996.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"449\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/N.SQUARE-A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-e1770248814996.png 667w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/N.SQUARE-A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-e1770248814996-200x200.png 200w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/N.SQUARE-A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-e1770248814996-585x585.png 585w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/N.SQUARE-A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-e1770248814996-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/N.SQUARE-A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-e1770248814996-400x400.png 400w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/N.SQUARE-A-Talk-with-Ivy-Harrington-Neptune-Native-Miss-New-Jersey-USA-2025-e1770248814996-600x600.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><b>\u200bJersey Shore Roots<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy grew up with her family in Monmouth County, specifically in Neptune, and she still resides there today. \u201cI just feel like it&#8217;s such a great place. You\u2019re near the beach, you&#8217;re only an hour from the city, and then if you want to get to Philly or DC, you&#8217;re either on the train or in the car; it&#8217;s just a few hours away. So, I love it. There\u2019s no place like home.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She began immersing herself with local peers and families, outside of school, at a young age through Neptune Township Biddy Basketball, a recreational basketball league for girls and boys from 2nd to 9th grades.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>Read More:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/the-days-boutique-cape-may-nj\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Days: A Stylish + Sustainable Shop in Cape May<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This love of camaraderie and sport led the foundation from an elementary school to a middle school, and then to a high school athlete. Ivy went to Neptune High, where she played for the Neptune Scarlet Fliers, helping the squad to four B-North titles, two Shore Conference championships, two Group III New Jersey State championships, and a tournament title.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Never limiting herself to one area of interest, Ivy is a two-sport letterwinner in basketball <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> track at Neptune High. She also made sure to form relationships and build her character outside of school. Neptune Pop Warner is a community-based organization, where she was a cheerleader, and she also ran track with the Jersey Shore Track Club. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt really shaped my outlook on what it means to be a friend, a teammate, a support system, and a person who can pour into others.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Besides the bonds she was forming with local Jersey Shore community members, Ivy\u2019s experiences with sport shaped her work ethic and taught her \u201chow to be around different types of people, different walks of life, different interests. And that led me to ultimately getting a full scholarship to play basketball at Morgan State University.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy goes on to tell <em>JSG<\/em> how the foundations of sport shaped \u201cthe trajectory of every single goal I\u2019ve had [&#8230;] If I weren\u2019t an athlete, I wouldn\u2019t be Miss New Jersey, USA.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy shared a deep appreciation for the opportunities the title of Miss New Jersey has brought her, as well as for all the places she\u2019s visited as a result. Yet, she says there is no better feeling than being home. &#8220;It feels so amazing to go into your local grocery store, or if you\u2019re going to church, or anywhere you turn in the community, you\u2019re seeing somebody you refer to as an aunt, as an uncle, as a cousin. [Neptune] is such a heartwarming place to be from.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Present Day<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy\u2019s connection to the community continues to surface into her adulthood. At present, she works as a Social Media Manager at West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District, but she defines her role working with students as that of an educator, as she comes from a family of five generations of teachers. \u201cI get access to over 9000 students, telling their stories and celebrating their accolades,\u201d she explained.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy also gets to connect to her roots by coaching basketball and lacrosse at the middle school. This is a full-circle moment in which she, now as the coach, can be the person she needed when she was younger. She says, \u201cThe bus rides to and from games, the bonding\u2014those are the things the students get the most out of, and they are my favorite times too.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy went on to tell a story about how, at the end of the lacrosse season, she canceled practice and had the entire team meet in a classroom to chat, surrounded by snacks, while she set up beads and charms to make friendship bracelets. \u201cThey are going to remember this more than how many goals they had or what the stat sheet looked like.\u201d&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those are the moments she hopes inspire her students and players \u2014 instilling a sense of hope and reminding them that, one day, it may be their turn to take the reins and extend that same kindness to someone else.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes down to it, that\u2019s what Ivy\u2019s role in the school and as a coach is &#8211; to \u201cgive them a glimmer of not being confined to a box. You\u2019re more than just a student. You&#8217;re more than just whatever sport you play. You are somebody who has full agency over the way you want your life and future to go.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Journey to Miss New Jersey USA<\/b><\/h3>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DIeX43eNG35\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DIeX43eNG35\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Jessielyn Kennedy (@jessiepalumbo)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy\u2019s interest in pageants began in college; she recalls being in her dorm room at Morgan State University, flipping through the channels when she came across the end of the 2016 Miss USA pageant.&nbsp; \u201cIt was the Q and A section \u2026 and I remember seeing Deshauna Barber, who was Miss District of Columbia USA, and she was speaking about being an officer in the United States Army. And I just thought that was so interesting and unconventional.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When Ivy saw Dashauna, an African American woman, win, and saw how excited the people in her college community in Baltimore, which is close to DC, were, it gave her a feeling similar to the one she had as a teenager playing basketball and running track in her hometown of Neptune.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A year later, Ivy tuned into the pageant once more and watched as K\u00e1ra McCullough, a scientist from Washington, D.C., was crowned Miss USA 2017 \u2014 the second consecutive year a Black woman took home the title. The moment stood out to Ivy, who saw both winners as powerful examples of women who embraced ambition, versatility, and confidence beyond any one definition.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From there, the rest is history. Ivy competed for the first time for Miss New Jersey in 2020- the pageant was held at Resorts Casino in Atlantic City. She ended up placing in the top 20 out of 98 contestants &#8211; this is where she got the \u2018pageant bug,\u2019 realizing that if she did so well with barely any practice, there would be plenty of room for growth if she put her mind to it.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy competed again in 2022, after COVID, and placed in the top five for the first time. She realized then that if she could place fourth runner-up, then the crown was still a possibility. However, at the time, there was an age limit: pageant entries could not be over 28. So, Ivy was ineligible to compete.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A year after that, in 2023, the age restriction was lifted, and Ivy competed again for the 2024 title, placing third runner-up. At that point, she took a moment to reflect on whether she felt she should compete again, but the voice inside her head told her that the only way she wasn\u2019t winning was if she didn\u2019t show up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That\u2019s when she gave it another try. Ivy feels that what set her apart from the other years she competed was that she had a \u201cpeace that comes from confidence.\u201d She knew that whatever the result, the pageant wasn\u2019t her finish line.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On April 6th, 2025, Ivy was crowned Miss New Jersey &#8211; a journey embedded with both resilience and the message that betting on oneself is always needed.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>MVP: &#8220;Most Valuable Pivot&#8221;<\/b><\/h3>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DIAKQAyxc0s\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DIAKQAyxc0s\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Ivy Harrington (@allaboutivy)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy told <em>JSG<\/em> that there have been many tangible changes to her life since being crowned Miss New Jersey. But of all the changes, the most exciting to her is being able to take her mentorship program, Most Valuable Pivot, statewide. \u201cMy key objective is to just teach female student athletes how to be the architects of their identity when they\u2019re not wearing jerseys.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although a lover of sports, Ivy always felt it was important to have hobbies and interests that didn\u2019t revolve around athletics, so that if one day that last game comes around, her identity isn\u2019t solely wrapped up in being a basketball player, cheerleader, or runner. Her work with the MVP mentorship program focuses on helping young athletes understand that pursuing a wide variety of interests helps develop a well-rounded identity and purpose in life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy now visits school districts across the state and speaks to young women about the importance of not putting oneself in a box with a label, and how setting aside time to pursue a multitude of interests helps to develop important life skills. \u201cThese student athletes can take these tools and learn how to pivot into whatever facet of life they want to.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It excites Ivy that MVP will continue to have an impact on New Jersey, beyond her 2025 title. \u201cThe work that has gone into becoming Miss New Jersey USA, ultimately, I truly feel, is my life\u2019s work. And that\u2019s directly tied into MVP, and now the platform that I was as a title holder gives me such a larger reach and an array of opportunities to touch so many people.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Ivy&#8217;s Message<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When <em>JSG<\/em> asked Ivy what message she\u2019d like to send to young women across New Jersey, she said, \u201cIt always seems impossible until it&#8217;s done.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She continued, \u201cHaving the boldness and confidence and just the outright optimism that no matter what, you\u2019re in direct alignment with your path.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy\u2019s mission beyond the title is to continue to impact the community by crossing paths with locals and leaving each person a bit more uplifted to the possibility of life\u2019s dreams, no matter how small or large. \u201cIt only takes one person to say, I think you can do it, but first and foremost, you have to be the voice inside your own kind of vessel to say that to yourself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Her Support System<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although Ivy supports inner strength, she also told <em>JSG<\/em> that she has a support system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMy father fueled the confidence and belief I have in myself. And a lot of that has to do with him being my first coach.\u201d From learning how to drive to discovering how to scramble eggs and have the right form with a jump shot, \u201che is my anchor and foundation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy also told <em>JSG<\/em> her mother taught her \u201chow to be independent and ambitious.\u201d Ivy attributed the combination of life skills taught by her father and mother to who she is today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy also cited her first pageant coach, Ciera Nicole, and Gina Mellish, Miss New Jersey USA 2020, as well as college and childhood friends who have spoken life into her dream and goal.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt\u2019s nice to know that people always saw something in me and that they\u2019ve been encouraging every step of the way ever since I joked around about the goal.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>New Jersey Topics<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to staple New Jersey locations, Ivy expressed nostalgia for the <a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/new-businesses-jersey-shore-nj-2026\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Monmouth Mall<\/a>. \u201cThat was such a core memory for my upbringing\u2026 it was such a coming of age. I remember going to the Fridays after my 8th-grade dance.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similar to many Monmouth County residents, Ivy now drives past the redevelopment, transforming the once mall into Monmouth Square, and is reminded of how the space was the first taste of freedom she felt going to the mall with friends, a core memory of growing up in the area &#8211; the mall, served as a space a sense of communal excitement that she hopes teenagers in the area can still find today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As far as the present day, of course, we had to get Ivy\u2019s local recommendations. For this section, <em>JSG<\/em> hosted a list of rapid-fire New Jersey-related questions and answers for Miss New Jersey.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b>Rapid Fire Questions<\/b><\/h2>\n<h3><b>Q: Favorite Jersey Shore beach?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A:<\/strong> There\u2019s more than one answer because I grew up going to <a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/bradley-beach-nj-new-logo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bradley Beach<\/a> the most. And then the Asbury Park Boardwalk is my favorite boardwalk, because that\u2019s my backyard. But to date, I think Allenhurst Beach is my favorite. It\u2019s very calm, there\u2019s not a lot of traffic on that beach.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q: Jersey shore places you can frequent and never get tired of?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A:<\/strong> I love AP rooftop. When Miss Rhode Island USA came to town, I suggested she and her family go there, so we all had dinner there. I definitely also love Deal Lake Bar Co. and, of course Watermark, it&#8217;s just a vibe, and you know what you\u2019re going to get every time.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q: Best seafood?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A: <\/strong>Some of the best catfish or whiting sandwiches that you can ever ask for are at a restaurant in Neptune City called It Ain\u2019t Just Fish.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q: Favorite pizza?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A: <\/strong>I talked about this on the Miss USA stage. Pete and Elda\u2019s, Rizzo\u2019s in Ocean Township, and honorable mention Dominic\u2019s in Neptune City. When I won Miss New Jersey, they made me a pizza in the shape of a bouquet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q: Workout location of choice?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A:<\/strong> Rock Solid Training. That is my home gym. My trainer, Fred Hopson, has trained me since the 2022 Miss New Jersey USA pageant, and he was with me all the way up to the Miss USA stage. Partnering with someone from your area who shares your excitement for your goal is priceless.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q: Favorite nail salon?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A: <\/strong>Lucid Nails in Neptune &#8211; they are the most generous, the most professional, and the perfect place to sit back and relax.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q: Sunrise or sunset at the beach?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A: <\/strong>Sunrise because we\u2019re on the East Coast.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Q: Boardwalk food you can never say no to?<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>A: <\/strong>Funnel cake.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And lastly \u2014 and most importantly \u2014 when <em>JSG<\/em> asked Ivy to weigh in on New Jersey\u2019s most debated topic (Taylor ham or pork roll), her answer was immediate: \u201cPork roll, baby. No hesitation on that one.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>\u200bBeyond the Miss New Jersey Title<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy placed as first runner-up at the Miss USA 2025 pageant, held in Reno, Nevada, in late October 2025. She was the third woman in history to place as first runner-up in the Miss USA pageant, representing the Garden State. At 30, she\u2019s the oldest woman to ever be crowned, another message to be sent: <em>it\u2019s never too late.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Beyond those historic facts, Ivy\u2019s legacy is embedded in the work she continues to do in the community, from educator to workshop facilitator to coach and friend.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy recalled seeing one of her students recently, who she was no longer coaching, \u201cand she said to me, I saw your Miss New Jersey. I want to do a pageant [pause], and I kid you not, that moment just is so ingrained in my mind, because it made me realize I didn&#8217;t even understand what it meant to be the pillar of representation until I heard that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ivy is someone you might spot at your favorite local Jersey Shore spots, and that in itself serves as a constant reminder that inspiration often lives right in our own communities.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And for anyone chasing a dream of their own, her message rings clear: \u201cTaking a step in the right direction is a victory in itself.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>See More:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hobokengirl.com\/casalau-design-hoboken-nj\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">This Hoboken Local Brings Inspired Interior Design to the City<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Follow @thejerseyshoregirl_ on<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/thejerseyshoregirl_\/?hl=en\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Instagram<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for the latest Jersey Shore updates, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/twilight-lion-90332.myflodesk.com\/jrf4qhj7qk\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sign up for our weekly newsletter here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that shares everything you missed each week, and check out our <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/events\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">events calendar<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which has over 40+ events weekly to peruse.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/category\/people\/\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-230608 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/13.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/13.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/13-800x267.jpg 800w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/13-1024x341.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/13-768x256.jpg 768w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/13-1536x512.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/13-1170x390.jpg 1170w, https:\/\/thelocalgirl.com\/jerseyshore\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2026\/02\/13-585x195.jpg 585w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>peopleNew Jerseyans are dreamers. Maybe it\u2019s our proximity to the Big Apple, the iconic Jersey Shore beaches, or the fact that we\u2019re&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":391,"featured_media":231223,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[8833,9490,9643,7998,9640,9593],"tags":[9757,9755],"class_list":["post-230605","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-culture","category-fashion-beauty","category-neptune","category-people","category-jersey-shore-towns","category-local-girl-rss-feed","tag-people","tag-tlg"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.6 (Yoast SEO v27.6) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Talk with Ivy Harrington, Neptune Native + Miss New Jersey USA 2025 - 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