Miss Virginia visits Yates Elementary School
Posted: January 30, 2026
Miss Virginia Madison Whitbeck visited Yates Elementary School on January 29 as part of her Miss Virginia School Tour.
In two assemblies for different grade levels, she talked with students about health, wellness and making positive choices.
"Being healthy to me means doing things that are good and safe for our mind, our heart and our body," Whitbeck said.
Whitbeck is from Leesburg and was Miss Arlington when she won the Miss Virginia pageant. She is a commercial voice major at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and aspires to be a recording artist and Broadway actress.
Her favorite part of being Miss Virginia is doing community service, she explained to students.
Taking lots of suggestions from the student audience and adding some of her own, Whitbeck discussed what healthy means, what positive choices are, how to say "no" to unhealthy choices, what is a trusted adult and what it means to be a leader. She wove in tips and information about avoiding unhealthy substances to stay healthy and strong.
Whitbeck will speak at more than 70 Virginia schools during the tour that's part of her year-long reign. She described a leader to students as a good helper, a good listener, a kind friend and someone who makes good choices.
"A leader sets a good example and helps others make good choices," Whitbeck said.
