parents don't approve of! And neither, as it happens, do a group of students at Warwick Academy who took a serious look at the school's Tuck Shop and decided it wasn't healthy.

They discovered it stocked candy, chocolates, chips of all varieties, sodas and sugary drinks -- plenty of delicious but nothing nutritious.

So, as a class project during Heart Month, the 12 and 13-year-olds decided to do something about it.

Under the guidance of Health Education teacher Miss Shelly Grace, they first made a list of the shop's present contents and then a separate list of what they would like to see stocked.

Next, they took at look at the operation of the shop itself. Too small, badly laid out, inadequate, unhygienic, they decided.

So they drew up a new ground plan for a revamped facility which would allow more comprehensive use, and finally they drew up a traffic flow plan to make sure that what they had in mind would work.

So far, so good. But as practical as the changes were, the students knew that to make them work would require careful replacement of the old but tasty with new and tasty food.

"We want to get the junk food out of there -- it's the only tuck shop we have,'' group leader Shawne me Basden said.

"But we want (the new food) to be nutritious but delicious,'' Wendy Hantelman added. "If students hear the word `healthy' it's a turn-off, but if what the shop sells is delicious as well as nutritious, we feel they'll buy it.'' What the girls have in mind is impressive: salads, real fruit juices, slushes using real juice instead of synthetic syrups, popcorn with accent seasoning, grapes, mangoes, wa termelon, baked potatoes, oven-baked French fries (instead of deep fried), cold cuts and rolls, turkey burgers, and non-fried crisps.

"We want the food to look more interesting, not plain and healthy,'' Devika Gibbons explained. "We want the students to want to buy it -- to be fooled, in a good way, into buying it because it is more nutritious.'' Part of the proposed scheme involves outside catering -- possibly various restaurants -- providing what could be termed "the meal of the day''.

"This could include chili, hot soup, pizza, spaghetti, baked potatoes, sloppy joes and sandwiches, things like that,'' Alana Ming said.

At present, an outside catering company provides cooked food certain days of the week, which the girls say is repellent.

"It's fried food -- chicken burgers -- as well as lasagna and pasta. You can see the grease. Yuk! It's really very unhealthy and unappetising.'' The same company also provides cookies and fruit, but the girls say the students leave the fruit because it is not presented in an attractive way.

The planners are confident that, with an improved product, students would be willing to pay more for decent fare.

"Our food is already cheaper than the stores,'' Miss Basden said.

At present third to fifth-year students serve in the tuck shop, and fourth-year students can earn extra-curricular credits for this work.

"If we change the tuck shop we want to it in such a way to give students a better chance of earning extra-curricular credits,'' Miss Ming added.

With that in mind, the girls feel shop hours could -- and should -- be extended to include before and after school.

Turning to the size of the present shop, which the girls say is inadequate, their plan calls for installation of a sink and appropriate appliances.

"The place is too tiny now, and it doesn't have a proper sink. Neither is it hygienic. There is only one serving window which means there's always a fight to get served,'' Miss Hantelman explained.

The proposed scheme has the blessing of Miss Grace, but now must be put before the Parents' Committee before it can be implemented.

And of course that means finances and other matters will have to be taken into consideration. But the students are optimistic and intend to see their scheme become more than just a class project.

"They have asked to be represented at some of the initial meetings on new ideas for the tuck shop,'' Miss Grace confirmed.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT -- Students of Warwick Academy show off the results of their research into ways of improving the school tuck shop, both design and content-wise. They are (left to right) Ann Ming, Shawne me Basden, Chiara Nannini, Devika Gibbons, Wendy Hantleman and Mekussa Caldwell.