COLUMBUS, Ind. — A few area high school seniors acknowledged that they once wondered what it would be like someday to go forth.
They simply never imagined that their procession into the future would unfold down the produce aisle or amid the frozen foods.
But seven area graduates who work at the JayC Food Store at Westhill Shopping Center in Columbus proudly promenaded from aisle one to 15 in precisely that fashion in cap and gown Thursday morning as about 100 shoppers stopped their carts to applaud one of the more creative store specials — all amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clearly, this segment of the Class of 2020 showed class amid topsy-turvy adversity.
“I have to admit that, at first, I thought the idea was kind of corny, to be honest,” said Columbus East High School graduate Sydney Kimbler. “It took some convincing. Today, I might have rolled my eyes a couple of times at people I know.”
Renée Mitchell, one of her managers and the store’s customer service lead, broke into laughter while listening a few feet away in the floral section. Mitchell understood that her blossoming idea could sound silly, especially to self-conscious teens perhaps distraught over losing so many of their rites of passage.
“But I wanted to do something for them,” Mitchell said. “This is our way to give them a small part of the joy in publicly walking and getting applauded for their accomplishments.”
For the complete story and more photos, see Saturday’s Republic.
