While Swampscott students are still sleeping each morning, food services staff at each of the three schools in town are hard at work, making fresh muffins for breakfast and preparing to serve hundreds of students lunch.

The hard work of lunch staff may go unnoticed at times, but a recent push to recognize their efforts has culminated in School Lunch Hero Day, celebrated annually nationwide on the first Friday of May. Swampscott Public Schools Food Service Director Maureen Kellett said it will be nice to see others appreciating the staff of the three schools on Friday.

“I have a fantastic staff,” said Kellett. “All they want to do is serve the kids and keep them from being hungry, that’s their goal every single day.”

Each school has a cafeteria staff between five and eight people, who are responsible for safely feeding hundreds of students each and every school day.

“I love the fact that these hardworking people are being acknowledged,” said Kellett, who has served in the role for 19 years. “They’re an amazing group of people and many don’t realize all they do.”

Kellett plans on informing principals about Lunch Hero Day to ensure that students are aware as well. She pointed out that lunch is a favorite part of many students’ school day and that wouldn’t be possible without the work of the staff.

Swampscott Elementary School Lead Cook Jen Doucette said she loves interacting with the students when they come to the cafeteria.

“I love it,” said Doucette. “You get to know them on a first name basis. It’s awesome to have that relationship. It’s not like we want them to just take their lunch and go.”

Along with getting breakfast and lunch ready for any given day, the staff also must keep in mind the menus for the next day, and even the next month. Another focus of the staff is to keep waste at a minimum.

After muffins are made and breakfast is served, staff prepare sandwiches, slice fruits and vegetables and get ready for the lunch wave. On Thursday, the elementary school staff served 250 students breakfast and over 400 students lunch.

Over at Swampscott High School, food service worker Billie-Jo Medeiros said it’s nice to receive thanks from students.

“Some of them are very appreciative of everything,” said Medeiros. “We still have to tell them to grab a fruit.”