(CNN) National Teacher of the Year award winner Mandy Manning came to the White House with one goal in mind: to elevate the profile of her refugee and immigrant students with President Donald Trump.

In a phone interview with CNN, Manning said she had done just that, delivering handwritten letters from her students directly to the President when meeting with him one on one Wednesday.

Trump told Manning he was excited to read the letters, so much so that he asked an aide to put them directly on his desk, according to Manning.

Manning's students are all refugees and immigrants enrolled in the "Newcomer Center" program at Joel E. Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington.

"My goal is to share my student's stories," Manning said. "But to send a message -- to not only my immigrant and refugee students but the LGBT community -- that they are wanted, they are loved, they are enough and they matter."

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