Public Voting Begins for “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” Lehigh Valley Campaign

Greater Lehigh Valley, PA – Tuesday, February 20, 2018– Public voting for the Lehigh Valley’s fifth annual “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” Student Video Contest will open Wednesday, February 21, 12:01AM and run until Friday, February 23, 11:59PM at the new www.WhatsSoCool.org website.

The video with the most votes will receive the “Viewers Choice Award.” The videos will also be reviewed by a panel of judges for awards in nine other categories, including Outstanding Educational Value and Outstanding Creativity.

Presented by Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC), the Student Video Contest: “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” (WSCM) gives students in Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties the opportunity to connect directly with local manufacturers, document their experiences and present them in an educational and “cool” way through documentary video production. The contest was created to generate excitement that draws students towards considering manufacturing career paths.

“The students and their teachers put an amazing amount of work into their projects, meeting with manufacturers, filming and editing their videos,” said Jack Pfunder, President & CEO of Manufacturers Resource Center.  “The success of this program across the state of Pennsylvaina, and the country, validates its design, which is to raise awareness about manufacturing career opportunites for our students by letting them discover they are cool.  Viewing their work online and voting supports the students, their schools, and manufacturing in the region.”

Partnering with Manufacturers Resource Center for the project is PBS 39, Sahl Communications, Inc and EmpowerStar Marketing. Educational media resources, GoPro Camera kits, professional media training from PBS39, materials, and project costs were funded and made possible by the following: Platinum Sponsors; Air Products, J.G. Petrucci Co., Inc, Lehigh Valley Workforce Development Board, and PNC Bank. Gold Sponsors; Aerotek, Ametek , Inc, ATAS International, B. Braun Medical, Inc, Bracalente Manufacturing Group, Crayola LLC, Fromm Electric Supply Corporation, ‘King, Spry, Herman, Freund, & Faul LLC’, Mack Trucks, Inc., Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc, PATH, PBS39, Piramal Critical Care, Inc, PPL Electric Utilities, RETTEW, Sahl Communications, Inc, Stanley Black & Decker, and Zero. Networking Sponsor; Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, PC.  Silver Sponsors; Bosch Rexroth Corporation, Concannon, Miller & Co., Dynalene, Eastern Surfaces, Inc., EmpowerStar Marketing, ESPI, Feinberg Real Estate Advisors, LLC., First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, FMI, Follett LLC, Gross McGinley, LLP, Just Born Quality Confections, Key Bank, Kreischer Miller, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Lehigh County, Lutron Electronics Company, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, Northampton Community College, Northampton County, ProtoCAM, RER Energy Group, Santander Bank, and Victaulic. Bronze Sponsors; Atlas Machining & Welding, Inc, Bio Med Sciences, Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, Carbon Career and Technical Institute, Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corporation, Career Institute of Technology, C.F. Martin & Company, Express Employment Professionals, GLVCC Manufacturing Council, HMK Insurance, Jim Thorpe National Bank, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute, National Museum of Industrial History, Provident Bank, and Smooth-On. Media Sponsors;  WAEB, 99.9 Hawk, Adams Outdoor Advertising, Lehigh Valley Business, and PBS39. Cupcake Competitors; Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, Carbon Career and Technical Institute, Career Institute of Technology, and Lehigh Career and Technical Institute. Cupcake Judge; Carlo’s Bakery.

Download a Poster

For more information regarding the “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” Video Contest, please visit whatssocool.org, facebook.com/WSCMLV and Twitter: @WSCMLV.

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About “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing:

“What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” (WSCM) is a manufacturing video contest for middle school students developed by a partnership directed by Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) in 2013 and shared through the What’s So Cool platform. Initial funds for the Lehigh Valley Skill Up effort were provided by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development’s “Discovered in PA, Developed in PA” program.  WSCMLV is a partnership directed by MRC in Allentown, Pa and is dedicated to changing perceptions and attitudes in the Keystone State about advanced manufacturing careers.   This year’s Lehigh Valley contest includes 30 teams representing 22 school districts from Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton Counties and a pilot team from Bucks County.

About Manufacturers Resource Center:

Since 1988, the Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) has helped small and mid-sized manufacturers become more competitive, adopt lean and agile processes, strategically grow their companies and invest more effectively in their existing human capital.  MRC is a nonprofit organization partially funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s NIST-MEP program, as well as the State of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development. The MRC is dedicated to creating jobs and economic opportunity in eastern Pennsylvania’s Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties.