Deborah Prescott | Daily Press High school seniors who are employees of Elmer’s County Market walk the perimeter of the grocery store Thursday morning in their caps and gowns. Since they won’t have a traditional graduation ceremony, Elmer’s held a special celebration for its 14 workers who will be graduating.

ESCANABA — Elmer’s County Market held a special event for its employees who are also 2020 graduating seniors Thursday. Graduates — dressed in cap and gown — walked the outer perimeter of the grocery store at 11 a.m. From the service counter to the backroom of the store, they were applauded by customers, coworkers, and family members while hearing Pomp and Circumstance played over the store’s speaker system.

“The seniors are missing out on a lot this year and we wanted to do something a little more special for them,” said Elmer’s County Market Marketing and Promotions Manager Jalyn Dagenais-Gendron.

Fourteen graduates, one from Bark River-Harris School, one from Gladstone Public Schools, and 12 from Escanaba Area Public Schools, got a small taste of what it would have felt like walking in procession during a graduation ceremony to conclude their school years. Due to COVID-19 precautions, schools were closed in March and have not reopened. With social distancing rules and limits placed on gatherings, traditional graduation ceremonies were not possible this year.

“This is very nice,” said Escanaba Senior Garrett Johnson. “We’ve kinda been ‘gipped’ since March 13. We’ll definitely be the graduating class everyone remembers.”

After walking the perimeter of the store, seniors were treated to a luncheon where coworkers shared in a store graduation party with the graduates.

“Students are missing out. We wanted to give them a special memory,” said Elmer’s County Market Human Resources Manager Linda Peterson. “We sent each one a personal invite and asked them to wear their cap and gown.”

Elmer’s County Market 2020 graduating seniors are — Amanda Anderson, Morgan Anderson, Owen Baribeau, Katie Fuson, Scotland Janich, Garrett Johnson, Hunter Larson, Mason Martenson, Clarie O’Donnell (Gladstone), Nic Oslund, Dalton Provo (Bark River-Harris), Drew Rodman, Sophia Slight, and Ean Terrien.