“What’s So Cool About Manufacturing®” Announces 2025 Berks Schuylkill Awards
Online Votes Tally 227,692 and 1,000 People Attended Downtown Reading Celebration
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: kim@sahlcomm.com
484-554-5582
READING, PA – April 1, 2025– Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) is proud to announce the award recipients for the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing® Berks Schuylkill Student Video Contest awards, which featured 31 regional middle schools and manufacturers. The ceremony was held Tuesday April 1, 2025, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading, with 1,000 people in attendance.
Over a three-day voting period, the contest, which featured two-minute videos produced by each student team, received 227,692 votes. The video with the most votes received the “Viewers Choice Award.” Student videos were also reviewed by a panel of judges for awards in eleven other categories, including Outstanding Career Pathway and Outstanding Creativity.
Karen Buck
“Nine years ago, we expanded the What’s So Cool contest to the Berks Schuylkill region,” says Karen Buck, Director, Workforce Initiatives at MRC. “We are thrilled to have had another strong season with great community support, and 31 teams who raised awareness about cool career opportunities right here in our region. This year, we proudly announce all previous area voting records were shattered, showing the increased interest in the program throughout the community. Great job, students!”
The 2024 video contest award winners are:
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 – 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗿𝗮𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗔𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗻)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 – 𝗕𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 (𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗕𝗼𝗱𝘆)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 – 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗘𝗮𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀, 𝗜𝗻𝗰.)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗹 – 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝘂𝘆𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘆𝗽𝗮𝗸)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗶𝘁 – 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗣𝗵𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘅, 𝗜𝗻𝗰.)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 -𝗧𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗦𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗼, 𝗜𝗻𝗰.)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗩𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗵𝘆 – 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝘂𝘆𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗭𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗕𝘆 𝗞𝗲𝗽𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗼𝘁𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝗲 𝗖𝗼.
𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀’ 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 – 𝗠𝗮𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘆 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗝𝗿/𝗦𝗿 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗛𝘆𝗱𝗿𝗼)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 – .𝗛.𝗛. 𝗟𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗹 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗕𝗹𝗮𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗸 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗲)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗮𝘆- – 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)
𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 – 𝗧𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗾𝘂𝗮 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹(𝗛𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻)
𝗕𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 & 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 – 𝗞𝘂𝘁𝘇𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗔𝗿𝗲𝗮 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 (𝗢𝗺𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗜𝗻𝗰.)
The program’s continued success and growth are attributed to the efforts the teachers and students have put forth in the community since its inception. MRC and its partners Berks Business Education Coalition, eMediaWorks, Kutztown Small Business Development Center, Sahl Communications, Inc., and many community sponsors remain committed to the sustainability of the program.
Educational media resources, GoPro Camera kits, professional media training, materials, and project costs were funded and made possible by the following:
Technology Sponsor: Berks County Workforce Development Board
Event Sponsor: American Crane & Equipment Corporation and Reading Truck
Platinum Sponsors: Berks County Industrial Development Authority, Customers Bank, East Penn Manufacturing Company, EMD Electronics, EnerSys, and Univest Financial
Gold Sponsors: American Polarizers, Inc., Carpenter Technology Corporation, County of Berks, Fulton Bank, Hexcel, Hydro, M&T Bank, Materion, Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Reading Area Community College, Tompkins Community Bank, Viwinco, and Weidenhammer
Silver Sponsors: Aerotek, Alvernia University, Arkema, Ashland Technologies, Inc., Big B Manufacturing Inc., Blaschak Anthracite, Brentwood Industries, Cambridge-Lee Industries LLC, Cardinal Systems, Inc., Clearly Clean, Dochterman Insurance, Eagle Metals, Fromm Electric, Gage Personnel, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, Penn State Berks, Reading Bakery Systems, Solar Innovations Architectural Glazing Systems, Sweet Street Desserts, Inc., and The Rose Corporation
Bronze Sponsors: Berks Career & Technology Center, Berks County Intermediate Unit, Misco, PhytogenX, Reading Muhlenberg Career & Technology Center, Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, Schuylkill County Intermediate Unit, and Schuylkill Technology Center
Media Sponsors: BCTV, Lamar, Lehigh Valley Business Journal, Reading Eagle, and WFMZ 69 News
Visit WhatsSoCool.org for more information and follow on social media @WSCMBerksSchuyl.
-###-
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 and technology in manufacturing through “peer marketing” (kids telling kids what’s so cool about manufacturing jobs). The contest is showcased on the What’s So Cool Website and shared nationally through the Manufacturing Institute and the Manufacturing Extension Partnership platforms. The MRC community career awareness program has expanded across the Commonwealth and the country.
The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing®” comprehensive manufacturing video library was created by MRC and WSCM PA in 2020 and funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (PADCED). The interactive library of the who’s who in Pennsylvania manufacturing, garnered from the yearly regional contests, is intended to serve as an educational resource for anyone curious about manufacturing in Pennsylvania. The library can be accessed through the WhatsSoCool.org website and contains 1273 student videos featuring over 600 Pennsylvania manufacturers.
This contest allows students 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. Original funding for “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” was furnished by a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (PADCED).
About Manufacturers Resource Center:
For 35 years, 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 and the State of Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development. MRC is dedicated to creating jobs and economic opportunities in eastern Pennsylvania’s Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Northampton, and Schuylkill counties. Learn more at www.mrcpa.org.
Kim I Plyler
CEO SahlComm
306 S New Street
Bethlehem, Pa 18015
c: 484-554-5582