Lebanon’s own Maddie Marchant has been crowned Miss Virginia.
The Miss Virginia Pageant was held on June 26 at the Berglund Center in Roanoke.
Marchant is the first Miss Virginia from this region in nearly 30 years. Pounding Mill’s Kelli Quick was crowned Miss Virginia in 1997.
Wearing the crown of Miss Virginia is a lifelong dream of Marchant’s. “I entered my first pageant when I was eight-months old,” she said. “I even dressed as Miss America for career day in school.”
The Lebanon News talked to Marchant just a few days after her dream became a reality. When asked if it has set in yet, she replied with a laugh, “I’ll be so honest, no, it has not. I feel like I’m living with imposter’s syndrome, like I’m living as someone else. But it has been so awesome.”
Marchant’s platform is helping those with invisible disabilities and diseases feel seen through InvisABILITY. Her goal of helping such individuals is based on her personal experiences while growing up.
She lives with celiac disease and a thyroid disorder. Marchant is also deaf in her right ear. “I was bullied in school because of my hearing aid,” she said.
Marchant said she hopes she can be a role model to children who are currently being bullied.
“You are not defined by your disabilities,” she said. “You are so much more than that. God made you exactly the way you are for a purpose. Let that be your passion.”
Marchant has created the Buddy Bunch Club for those with disabilities to gather and make new friends.
Her fight with celiac disease has also led her to work with Senator Todd Pillion in an effort to have schools offer gluten-free meals and staff training to prevent cross-contamination of food.
Marchant has competed in pageants her entire life. In the past several years, she has used her experience to help others chase their dreams.
“My first pageant was the Miss Russell County Fair,” she said. “It was a full circle experience. For the past three years I’ve been the Executive Director of the Miss Russell County Fair Pageant.”
During her tenure, the pageant made history. The Miss Russell County Fair Pageant is the only pageant to have back-to-back winners of the Virginia Association of Fairs Pageant. Natalie White won the state pageant in 2025 and Izzy Horn was crowned in January 2026.
“I am thankful to be able to pour into these young women and help them succeed to their fullest potential,” Marchant said.
A graduate of Lebanon High School, Marchant now attends East Tennessee State University, where she is majoring in Media and Communications, while pursuing a minor in Political Science.
She said her goal is to be a broadcast news anchor and help bring live news to areas that do not have local access.
Another dream of Marchant’s is to see the heavy metal band Metallica with her dad. “My favorite song is ‘One’,” she said. “My dad used to play that in the car all the time. And some of the softer rock bands like Nickleback, Creed, and 3 Doors Down. To this day that is still my favorite genre of music. But I have to see Metallica with my dad. That is a must.”
Marchant can be scheduled for school bookings or other appearances by contacting her at maddiemarchant.com, on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheMaddieMarchant, or on Instagram @TheMaddieMarchant.
Marchant will compete for the Miss America crown on September 6 in West Palm Beach, Florida.
