A Scottsdale English teacher will visit the White House and meet President Obama after being named Arizona’s 2016 Teacher of the Year.

Christine Marsh teaches Advanced Placement English at Chaparral High School and was honored by the Arizona Educational Foundation at a luncheon on Thursday. She’s now in competition with the Teachers of the Year from other states for the national title.

Marsh said she thinks she was chosen because of her application’s emphasis on enhancing students’ experiences in the real world.

“I try very hard to make sure that every single student feels valued,” she said. “Outstanding teaching is more a factor of the teacher’s relationship with students. Knowing your content is important, but the most important thing is that relationship that a teacher has with each individual student,” Marsh said.

Along with the April trip to Washington, D.C., she’ll receive $15,000, technology equipment for the classroom and full scholarship for an advanced degree from Argosy University.