Jackson Free Press

When Mary Hill found out first lady Michelle Obama was coming to Jackson, she rolled up her sleeves and started getting ready.

Hill, a Jackson native, is the executive food services director for the Jackson Public Schools district. She spent the past week working behind the scenes to prepare Pecan Elementary School and Brinkley Middle School for Obama's arrival.

Yesterday, during the first lady's stop on her "Let's Move" campaign, Hill participated in a roundtable discussion about local efforts to combat obesity. Later, when Obama addressed students at Brinkley, she recognized Hill for her efforts to promote healthy food choices.

"I've been pinching myself, she is just a delightful person," Hill said of Obama. "She is very down to earth. She came to the table very knowledgeable, but listened and asked us a lot of questions."

Hill, 53, has served as the district's food service director for the past 27 years. She has played an important role in implementing healthier food preparation standards.

Last year, Hill secured funding from grants and the federal stimulus program to replace several schools' deep fryers with ovens. She also secured funding from the United States Department of Agriculture Fruit and Vegetable Program, which makes fruit and vegetables available at no cost to students.

"Many of our children still have eating habits that aren't desirable for good health," she says. "Sometimes it's hard to get them to eat carrots or fruit. It's a cultural change that has to take place for everyone to be on the same page."

Hill graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor's and master's degree in home economics. Prior to working for JPS, she taught commercial food classes at vocational schools in Hattiesburg.

She has served as a Girl Scout troop leader more than 25 years and recently served as president for the National Nutrition Association.