Pageant dream comes true for Front Royal native

Front Royal, Va., native Alexis Stiles receives the Miss Warren County crown on Aug. 11. Photo courtesy of Stiles family.

FRONT ROYAL — Local native Alexis Stiles, 21, recently received the Miss Warren County pageant title, just one more accomplishment for this home-grown gem.

“When I won, I was very excited,” Stiles told the Royal Examiner. “I had worked hard for this and was competing against some girls who have done pageants for so many years. I was ready; I wanted it more than ever that day.”

Readers may remember the two Royal Examiner profiles of Alexis Stiles, who at 19-years-old got hired as a fourth-grade teacher at A.S. Rhodes Elementary School in Front Royal for school year 2018-2019. She took a new job this year as a fourth-grade teacher at Greenwood Mill Elementary School in Winchester, Virginia.

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In addition to teaching and partaking in pageants, the high-achiever is an online graduate student working toward a master’s degree at Western Governors University. Stiles also coaches a competitive gymnastics team at Winchester-based East Coast Gymnastics and Cheer, and she owns her own home.

Stiles’ future includes owning and operating a gymnastics center while teaching and — and once her business is up and running successfully — Stiles wants to earn a doctorate degree in leadership administration with the long-term goal of becoming a principal.

And Stiles said last week that although she cannot hold any other major pageant titles while serving as Miss Warren County for the next year, “I foresee myself going for more after this year is up.”

She received the Miss Warren County title on Sunday, Aug. 11 at the Front Royal Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department, which sponsors the yearly pageant that serves as a major fundraiser for the department, according to pageant director Pattie Henry.

Miss Warren County Alexis Stiles will celebrate her 21st birthday on Aug. 26. Family photo.

“Not only does Miss Warren County represent the fire department, but she also represents the community,” said Henry, who has overseen the Miss Warren County pageant for about the last 15 years, “She also becomes a role model for younger girls.”

“I plan to hold the title of Miss Warren County with honor and really try to help out within the community as much as I can,” said Stiles.

A three-judge panel chose Stiles based on her poise, personality, speaking ability, pageant wear, introduction speech, and answer to a randomly drawn question, Henry explained.

Stiles recalled that her question regarded how she would simultaneously balance her everyday life and the duties associated with being crowned Miss Warren County.

“I don’t remember exactly what I said but I said something along the lines of, ‘I am able to do everything I do in my life because of balance. I make sure to prioritize the importance of everything I do in my life. I would make time for this because becoming Miss Warren County has always been a dream of mine,’” said Stiles.

Stiles got involved in the pageant with the hopes of positively impacting more lives in the community, which she said she’ll support through service work, fundraising for the Front Royal Fire Department, and by participating in local parades.

For instance, Henry said that Miss Warren County and Miss Honorary Fire Chief, another local pageant she directs and holds in June, will build their own floats for both the Christmas Parade and Festival of Leaves Parade in Front Royal, among other related activities.

As seems to be her nature, Stiles wants to do more.

“I would love to create a big fundraiser to help the lives of children in this area and I have some ideas for that,” she added. “I hope to be a role model to the children I will be able to impact.”

(Left to right) Catherine and Robert Stiles of Front Royal, Va., celebrate their daughter Alexis’ Miss Warren County trophy and title. Photo courtesy of family.