GRANITE FALLS, Wash. -- Students here have been waiting six weeks to say welcome home to the National Teacher of the Year.

Last month local music teacher Andrea Peterson was honored by President Bush. Now she will travel the country teaching teachers how she connects with students.

But her first stop is back home to the kids she loves.

"So when you hear that I'm the National Teacher of the Year. I want you to forget about that a second. I want you to realize that you are national students of the year," said Peterson. "So today, May 10th is not Andrea Peterson National Teacher of the Year Day. It is national Granite Falls community day."

Peterson earned the top honor by mixing subjects like math and history into her music classes.

"She's really hands on," said student Tayla Hodges. "She has a lot of activities that get us involved they are really creative."

The principal who nominated Peterson for the state honor that led to the national award said he's worked with many outstanding teachers in his 22 years as an educator.

But of Peterson, Wayne Kettler said, "She's just that one step above anybody I've ever worked with before."

As national teacher of the year, Peterson will be paid to spend the next year outside of the classroom, as a national and international spokeswoman for education. The national honor is a project of the Council of Chief State School Officers, based in the nation's capital.

Peterson, 33, who was the state of Washington's first National Board Certificated Teacher in early and middle childhood music, has taught in Granite Falls her entire 10-year career.

"She makes sure we know as much as we can about music so we become great students and eventually go to college," said student Jadon Hickenbottom.

To help her travels, the local Ford dealer is surprising her with a new car.

But before the car and honors, come the kids.

Today that's all the National Teacher of the year was thinking about. Getting back, face to face with the reason she's a teacher.