“What’s So Cool?” Berks Schuylkill Awards Announced
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 26, 2021
Contact: Kim Plyler
kim@sahlcomm.com 484-554-5582
“What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” Announces 2021 Berks Schuylkill Awards
Videos Completed and Votes are Tallied, The Awards are on WFMZ
READING, Pa. – April 26, 2021 – Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) is proud to announce the award recipients for the “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” (WSCM) Berks Schuylkill student video contest awards. The awards show was broadcasted on WFMZ, and made possible through the generous contribution of community sponsors, in partnership with Manufacturers Resource Center and teaming partners Berks Business-Education Coalition, eMediaWorks, and Sahl Communications, Inc. The WSCM program, created by the Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) in 2013, received 152,250 votes over a three-day voting period.
The video with the most votes received the “Viewers Choice Award.” The videos were also reviewed by a panel of judges for awards in six other categories, including Outstanding Career Pathway and Outstanding Creativity.
The WSCM contest, presented by MRC, partners students from 21 middle schools in Berks and Schuylkill Counties with 21 local manufacturers. Each student team scripts, shoots, edits and promotes a short video that documents their experience, highlighting what is “cool” about manufacturing.
“We’re really excited to showcase all the hard work the students, teachers and manufacturers put into this program, especially during this pandemic,” said Terri Lampe Melcher, Business Development Manager Berks County at MRC. “The continued support the contest has received in Berks and Schuylkill counties from our partners has enabled the program to raise awareness about manufacturing career opportunities and career and technical education.”
This year’s awards are as followed:
1. Outstanding Overall Program: Exeter Township Junior High School – American Polarizers, Inc.
2. Outstanding Creativity: TIE Boyertown Middle School West – Eagle Metals, Inc.
3. Outstanding Creativity: TIE Wilson West Middle School – SOLO Laboratories, Inc.
4. Outstanding Cool: Tri-Valley Jr./Sr. High School – Fabcon Precast
5. Outstanding Team Spirit: Minersville Area Jr/Sr High School- Mrs. T’s Pierogies
6. Viewers Choice: Pine Grove Area Middle School – Highwood USA
7. Outstanding Outreach Plan: Tamaqua Area Middle School– Ashland Technologies, Inc.
8. Outstanding Career Pathway: Conrad Weiser Middle School – Palram Americas
Visit www.whatssocool.org for more information and resources and follow on Facebook.com/WSCMBerksSchuylkill and Twitter @WSCMBerksSchuylkill.
To view WSCM 2021 Berks Schuylkill videos and Awards Show: https://www.whatssocool.org/contests/berks-schuylkill/
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About “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing”:
Developed by Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC), the WSCM program is a video based educational tool that increases awareness of career paths in manufacturing. MRC developed this innovative career awareness program, which at its core is “peer marketing” (kids telling kids what’s so cool about manufacturing jobs). The contest is showcased on the What’s So Cool Website, https://www.whatssocool.org and shared nationally through the Manufacturing Institute and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership platforms. The contest is expanding across the Commonwealth and the country. The WSCM Video Library was created as a digital resource housing more than 800 student-created videos showcasing 500 Pennsylvania manufacturers, https://www.whatssocool.org/video-library/. This contest gives students the opportunity to connect with local manufacturers, document their experiences and present them in an educational and “cool” way. The contest was created to generate excitement that draws students towards manufacturing career paths and CTE and STEM education.
About Manufacturers Resource Center:
For over 30 years, 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. MRC is dedicated to creating jobs and economic opportunity in eastern Pennsylvania’s Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties.