“She’s extremely efficient and thorough, and if a student didn’t follow the rules, she’d enquire what their name was and report the student directly to me,” Mr Eveans said.

“One afternoon, a few years ago, a student who I think was in Year 7 at the time, was not doing what he was told, and she asked him his name.

“When he said ‘Chris Evans’, she immediately pulled him aside and said, ‘Don’t you dare use the principal’s name!’

“It turned out the student’s name actually was Chris Evans, but word soon spread that she was not to be messed with!”

Mr Eveans told the story to celebrate 25 years since school crossing supervisors were introduced to Queensland schools, and 25 years since Mrs Cope first became a ‘Lollipop Lady’.

“I enjoy doing it because I like to get to know the kids. These days I can’t go down to the shopping centre without someone stopping me and saying hello!” Mrs Cope said.

Capalaba MP Michael Choi presented her with a certificate for 25 years of community service, and said while the position was paid, it takes a special person to be entrusted with the safety of a community’s children.

“It is really significant that in 25 years of the school crossing scheme in operation there have been no casualties on a supervised crossing. I’m sure that’s largely due to the dedication of people like Mrs Cope,” Mr Choi said.