Humble and soft-spoken, a Susquehanna Township girl is quietly capturing the world through a lens – and changing it in the process.
Olivia Stokes, a junior at Susquehanna Township High School, is not your average teenager. She’s an award-winning photographer, a gifted writer, a community leader and the founder of her own nonprofit entity.
And, at age 16, she’s just getting started.
Olivia’s artistic journey is deeply rooted in her family.
Her father, Floyd Stokes, is a prolific children’s book author with more than 30 titles to his name and the founder American Literacy Corporation, which has promoted youth reading efforts for decades.
Her older sister, Madison, paved the way through the NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO), winning gold regionally and nationally for her scientific research project several years ago. Olivia followed suit in recent years, but with a focus on the arts: photography, poetry and essay writing. In fact, the Stokes girls have won gold in all seven years consecutively on the regional level.
“I’ve always loved photography,” Olivia says. “But I really started getting into it about four years ago. ACT-SO gave me an outlet to express that passion.”
In 2023 and 2024, Olivia’s work earned her multiple ACT-SO medals, including gold for photography and original essay, and silver for poetry. Her winning photography portfolio included six images, each one evocative in its visual storytelling. Her portfolio and essay will compete for gold in the national contest in July.
One standout is a hummingbird in mid-flight, taken after days of persistence.
One standout is a hummingbird in mid-flight, taken after days of persistence.
“It was a really tedious process. It was really a waiting game, and it took a lot of patience,” she said. “It took around three days to capture. They were drinking nectar from where it was hanging on the ledge, and I managed to get the shot.”
“It was a really tedious process. It was really a waiting game, and it took a lot of patience,” she said. “It took around three days to capture. They were drinking nectar from where it was hanging on the ledge, and I managed to get the shot.”
Another is a portrait of 96-year-old Herman Johnson, a Korean War veteran and longtime NAACP member, whose face tells a story of his resilience and experience.
Another is a portrait of 96-year-old Herman Johnson, a Korean War veteran and longtime NAACP member, whose face tells a story of his resilience and experience.
There’s also a sunrise shot of the Pennsylvania Capitol, taken while she got low to the ground to get the perfect angle.
“The light was shining perfectly on the Capitol. I loved how the gold was illuminated, and the blue in the Capitol was shining,” Olivia says. “So, I had to lay on the ground and snap that picture. As you see, the grass is kind of level with the camera at the bottom.”
There’s also a sunrise shot of the Pennsylvania Capitol, taken while she got low to the ground to get the perfect angle.
“The light was shining perfectly on the Capitol. I loved how the gold was illuminated, and the blue in the Capitol was shining,” Olivia says. “So, I had to lay on the ground and snap that picture. As you see, the grass is kind of level with the camera at the bottom.”
She’s particularly happy with a macro photo she took of a kiwi fruit slice titled “Smile,” which playfully turns a fruit into a symbol of joy.
“I find inspiration everywhere,” Olivia says. “It’s funny, because usually when I set out to capture something – if there’s like a park that I want to take certain pictures of or buildings – I usually find something greater than what I was taking a picture of.”
One image that stands out in her mind was captured just like that: A homeless woman draped in blankets as she sat along an ice-covered Susquehanna River on a bitterly cold morning.
“I wanted to take pictures of the ice formation, but what we saw was a homeless lady in about negative- 20 degrees. She had blankets. She had a lot of blankets on her, and it was just devastating to see the state that she was in,” says Olivia. “But she was so happy-go-lucky when we talked to her. It just really put things into perspective.”
Olivia’s passion for photography isn’t just about aesthetics and powerful storytelling; it’s about access. She founded Liv’s Lens, a nonprofit that provides professional-quality photos to people who can’t afford them. From prom portraits to retirement home keepsakes, Olivia is using her talent to give others lasting memories.
“Everyone deserves to feel seen and celebrated,” she says. “Photography can do that. I have a photo shoot next weekend for prom photos, and this individual can’t afford them. I just thought it would be great to do that. Everybody deserves to be happy and get photos like that.”
Her sister, Madison, serves as the board chairwoman of the charity, and the organization is already making an impact. Olivia plans to expand her reach in the coming years.
Olivia credits her success to a strong support system: her parents (Floyd and Lashana), siblings (Madison, Tressimee, Devin and Dwayne), and mentors like Dr. Eliseo Rosario. Rosario is a retired Carlisle-area pediatrician who became a professional-caliber bird photographer. He taught her the intricacies of framing the perfect shot and mastering the camera – in her case a Sony A-77. For photo editing, she taught herself on a laptop dedicated mainly to her photography work.
She also praises her broader sphere of influence for helping her on her creative journey.
“I’m really grateful to have such a supportive community, such a group of people that inspire me and keep me going and encourage me to push forward. No matter what. No matter what,” she says.
For Floyd, his pride in daughter Olivia’s accomplishments is obvious. “People ask me what my hobby is,” he says. “My hobby is taking her around to take pictures. We spend a lot of time together. She doesn’t have her license, so between her mother and I, we take her around. I love it.”
Her parents instilled in her a love for the written word at a very early age, she says.
“I’ve always had a passion for writing and reading. In the womb, really, is when I was introduced to books and I was read to, and still to this day, we read every single night. It’s really grown my appreciation for reading and writing. With my dad being a writer and having children’s books, it’s really encouraged me to pursue reading and writing.”
A chaplain in the Archonettes, a youth auxiliary of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority that empowers black girls, Olivia’s faith is central to her life. “My relationship with God keeps me grounded,” she says. “It helps me stay humble and focused.”
She’s also a member of the Rho Kappa Honor Society, Key Club and student government. And while she hasn’t settled on a college yet, she’s considering a major in business or photography, with dreams of studying abroad. Experiencing France through her camera lens is high on her list.
In July, Olivia will compete at the national ACT-SO competition in Charlotte, N.C., in the photography and essay writing categories. And from Aug. 1 to Sept. 30, her photography will be on display at the Capital Blue Cross Connect in Enola, with a public reception on Aug. 7 from 5 to 6:30 p.m., presented by the Art Association of Harrisburg.
“I want to keep growing. Not just as an artist, but as a person. I think for me, it’s really about knowing where I come from and knowing that even with the competitions and the awards, it’s not about the awards,” she says. “It’s about getting better, and really, this journey is with myself and knowing that staying humble can really get you far.”
When asked what advice she’d give to other young creatives, Olivia doesn’t hesitate: “Find what you love, stick to it and don’t ever give up.”
In a world often overwhelmed by noise, Olivia Stokes is a quiet force of beauty, purpose and hope, taking in life through her lens – one frame at a time.
Check out more photos by Olivia here.
