State finalist in the Healthy Kids School Canteen Association's volunteers awards, Mel Fenton, with her fruit cups and kebabs.
CANTEEN supervisor Mel Fenton is leading the way to help Blackalls Park Public School change its students' eating habits.
Mrs Fenton works in the school canteen four days a week and has applied her own initiatives in an effort to entice the students to make healthier choices.
Incorporated into these initiatives are the Healthy Kids School Canteen red, amber and green menu guidelines.
Each term, Mrs Fenton's 'Go Green' lucky draw gives students who purchase food from the green menu the chance to win a prize.
Mrs Fenton said she was overwhelmed by the the positive response from the students.
Last December, Mrs Fenton qualified as one of the Healthy Kids School Canteen Association's volunteers awards.
Modestly surprised by the nomination, Mrs Fenton said even if she did not win the award, her focus would remain on the students of Blackalls Park Public School.
"What we have at this school, a lot of parents don't have time for at home," Mrs Fenton said.
"If I can get the children to eat healthily at school, then that's at least one healthy meal a day for them."
Each day, Mrs Fenton arrives at the canteen at 5.30am to prepare fruit cups, skewers and salads, before she returns home to get her five children ready for school and back to the canteen again to start her day's work.