A third grade teacher at Cunningham Elementary School was recognized by the Milton School Committee, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and is now a finalist to be recognized at the national level.

Tanya Walsh is a finalist in the Presidential Award for Excellence in Elementary Mathematics Teaching. She is one of just three Massachusetts finalists for the award that recognizes math and science educators.

Walsh will be invited to the State House in Boston for being a statewide winner. She also attended the Milton School Committee meeting on Wednesday.

“We wanted to bring you to the School Committee to tell you how proud we are,” said Superintendent Mary Gormley.

Winners of the award, which is noted as the highest honor for teachers in the country, will be notified in June 2013. Those winners are invited to Washington D.C. where they meet the President and become education advocates.

“We’re rooting for her and are confident she’ll be selected by the folks in D.C.,” said Dr. Karen Spaulding, who was Walsh’s Principal at Cunningham for the past two years before taking the principalship at Pierce Middle School this summer.

Spaulding and Holly Concannon, Elementary Math and K-8 Technology Coordinator, initially encouraged Walsh to seek the recognition and attended Wednesday’s meeting.

Walsh said she was very lucky and grateful for the award.

“I do what I can to maximize every student’s learning, year after year,” she said.

Spaulding pointed out that the application process was extensive and required work and reflection in the form of a video and between 12 and 20 pages of writing.

The effort is already paying off for the third grade teacher.

“This is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life,” said Walsh.