Middletown Teacher Stuns in Mrs. America Pageant

Middletown teacher finishes second in Mrs. America pageant

After a 10-day stay at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Middletown teacher Heidi Stephens, 37, of Washington, returned home with an exciting story to share.

Stephens, a 1991 Middletown High School and Miami University graduate, recently finished first runner-up in the Mrs. America pageant.

As a young girl, Stephens always watched Miss America and Mrs. America pageants on TV with her grandmother, Mary Alice Johnson. She envisioned that one day she'd be standing on the stage.

Stephens wore a purple gown to represent the Middletown school district and the students, she said. That gave her a platform to address some of her major issues, including diversity, equality, and inclusion within student voices, giving them the opportunity to have mental health resources and initiatives, and addressing drug and alcohol abuse before they become addicted.

Stephens competed against an elite class of women throughout the pageant that included lengthy interviews with the judges. Amazing, she said. Being named first runner-up was a huge accomplishment, said Stephens, who competed 13 years ago in her first Mrs. America pageant.

Her goal was to finish in the Top 15, but by the end of the competition, the field was whittled to two contestants. She had an opportunity to be the second woman from Middletown to win a national pageant.

Stephens and her husband, Brandon, have five children, Aunjanna, 30, AuLauren, 24, AuBraylen, 22, AuLaila, 20, and AuBrillen, 16, two granddaughters, and one grandson.

You can always chase your dreams because they have no expiration date, she said.