There are nicknames and handles and pet names. Bonnie Eberly wears hers like a badge of honor.

Eberly is a lunch lady. Personally, and professionally, she embodies everything that is positive and pure about the scholastic term of endearment.

"I am proud to be a lunch lady," said Eberly. "I'm proud of what I do because I know there is value in what I do. In my mind, the lunch lady is the person in school you can count on, who is loving and compassionate. If you have a problem, you go to the lunch lady."

At Smoketown Elementary School, Eberly's official title is child nutrition manager. She's been a lunch lady for 35 years, ever since her youngest child first went off to school. The first 13 years were dedicated to the Manheim Township School District, and the last 22 years she has spent in the Conestoga Valley School District.

As the head lunch lady at Smoketown Elementary, Eberly oversees a kitchen staff of five. In addition to preparing and serving breakfast and lunch almost every day, Eberly and her staff order, receive, and store food and adhere to government nutrition guidelines.

They also perform duties that can't be found in a job description.

"Our duties are pretty much across the board. We do everything - sweeping, mopping, wiping noses," said Eberly, a resident of Manheim Township. "Whatever it takes to serve our students, we do it. We really do make a difference in kids' lives every day. I've had children tell me stories of their home life. The lunch ladies are the keepers of secrets."

Eberly's time as a lunch lady is coming to an end. When the school year concludes early in June, she will retire after 35 years of service.

"It'll be bittersweet," said Eberly of her retirement. "I've done this for a long time. I enjoy the women I work with. I'm looking forward to slowing down. It's been challenging. It's been fulfilling. It's rewarding working with the students and seeing the kids growing up."

"When my youngest went into the first grade, I started working a few hours," she continued. "I worked my way up and eventually became a manager. It seems like a good time to pursue other opportunities."

The importance of childhood nutrition can't be overstated. Without food, there is no school.

"You can't teach a hungry child," said Eberly. "These kids come from all sorts of backgrounds. Good nutrition helps that cognitive development and their ability to learn. The best part of my job is when I see those kids enjoying their meals."

A caring individual, a mom, and a lunch lady, Eberly has always maintained a professional relationship with the students she's served.

"I hope my relationship with the children has been one of mutual respect," said Eberly. "We are humans. We're not trying to get kids through the serving line as fast as we can. As they're coming through, we talk to them. 'Hi. How are you doing? Good morning. We're glad you are here.' Our job is to create a loving relationship."

"Meals are relaxed. Students have an opportunity to converse with their friends," added Eberly. "It's a social time. School is hard, and a lot of these kids have challenges. We try to make it a fun time. I try to celebrate everything on the calendar. I run contests throughout the year just to make it a fun atmosphere for them."