“What’s So Cool About Manufacturing®” Announces 2025 Lehigh Valley Awards
Online Votes Tally 203,231 and over 1,100 People Attended the Event, Broadcast Live on WFMZ.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kim Plyler
kim@sahlcomm.com
484-554-5582
LEHIGH VALLEY, PA – MARCH 27, 2025 – The Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC) is proud to announce the award recipients for the What’s So Cool About Manufacturing® Lehigh Valley Student Video Contest awards, which featured 29 middle schools and manufacturers from Carbon, Lehigh, and Northampton counties. The ceremony was broadcast live on WFMZ, thanks to generous contributions from Air Products, Workforce Board Lehigh Valley, and WFMZ in partnership with Manufacturers Resource Center. Lehigh University’s Stabler Convocation and Events Center hosted the show and over 1,100 people attended the event, held Wednesday, March 26, 2025.
Over a three-day voting period, the contest, which featured two-minute videos produced by each student team, received 203,231 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 11 other categories, including Outstanding Videography and Outstanding Creativity. Four winning teams in the region will represent the Lehigh Valley at the annual statewide competition in May.
Preceding the main program, culinary arts programs from Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, Carbon Career & Technical Institute, Career Institute of Technology, and Lehigh Career & Technical Institute hosted a dessert reception and Cupcake Competition, judged by Crumbs Cake Studio, Diana’s Catering & Gourmet Market, and Jaquelyn’s on Main.
“As we reflect back over the last 12 years of What’s So Cool in the Lehigh Valley, it’s gratifying to see the growing talent and excitement of the students through their videos, as well as the enthusiasm from the community through voting and attendance,” said Karen Buck, Director, Workforce Initiatives at MRC. “This was a great contest year, and the hard work of the students, teachers and manufacturers is really evident. Being able to broadcast the awards event live, here at Lehigh University allows us to amplify the students’ efforts, as well as increase our impact in raising awareness about manufacturing career opportunities.”
The 2025 video contest award winners are:
- Outstanding Overall Program: Nazareth Area Middle School – FreshPet Inc.
- Outstanding Editing: Northeast Middle School – Sumitomo (SHI) Cryogenics of America, Inc.
- Outstanding Creativity: Saucon Valley Middle School – Allen Organ Company
- Outstanding Cool: Nitschmann Middle School – Solar Technology Inc.
- Outstanding Team Spirit: Wind Gap Middle School – FMI
- Outstanding Educational Value: Broughal Middle School – Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
- Outstanding Videography: LMMS – Crayola
- Viewers Choice: Nazareth Middle School – FreshPet, Inc.
- Outstanding Outreach Plan: Springhouse Middle School – B. Braun Medical Inc.
- Outstanding Career Pathway: Northampton Area Middle School – Victaulic
- Best Career & Technical Education Story: Lehighton Area Middle School – Blue Ridge Pressure Castings
- Outstanding Brand Placement: South Mountain Middle School – Just Born Quality Confections
- Sweet Manufacturing Cupcake Award Winner: TBD
Visit WhatsSoCool.org for more information and resources. Follow us on social media @wscmlv.
This year’s educational media resources, GoPro Camera kits, professional media training, materials, and project costs were funded and made possible by the following:
Premier Sponsor: Lehigh University
Leadership Sponsors: Air Products and Workforce Board Lehigh Valley
Technology Sponsor: Penn Community Bank, PPL Electric Utilities
Event Sponsors: ATAS International, Inc., Freshpet, Inc., and Lutron Electronics Co., Inc.
Platinum Sponsors: Avalon Insurance Company, B. Braun Medical Inc., Capital BlueCross, Carbon County Community Foundation, CliftonLarsonAllen, Crayola, Embassy Bank, Manufacturers Resource Center, Pocono Counties Workforce Development Area, Stanley Black & Decker, Sumitomo (SHI) Cryogenics of America, Inc., and Univest Financial
Gold Sponsors: Aerotek, Alera Group (Formerly HMK Insurance) | Chubb, Allied Personnel, eMediaWorks, EmpowerStar, Fulton Bank, Gross McGinley, LLP, JPMorgan Chase & Co., Just Born Quality Confections, Lehigh Valley Plastics, Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, M&T Bank, Mack Trucks, Messer-US, Miller-Keystone Blood Center, Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc., PNC, Precision Roll Grinders, PSECU, SahlComm, and Victaulic
Silver Sponsors: ABEC, Ampal, B.T.M Incorporated, Banyan Partners & Alex Brown, Bracalente Manufacturing Group, C.F. Martin & Co., Inc., County of Northampton, dsm-firmenich, Dynalene, Eastern Surfaces, Equinox, FMI, Fromm Electric, Highwood USA, HindlePower, JULABO USA, Kitchen Magic, Lehigh Carbon Community College, Lehigh County, Northampton Community College, Penn State Lehigh Valley, Piramal Critical Care Inc., Prototek, Sharp Packaging, and The Brynavon Group.
Bronze Sponsors: Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, Carbon Career & Technical Institute, Carbon Lehigh Intermediate Unit, Career Institute of Technology, DaVinci Science Center, Lehigh Career & Technical Institute, and National Museum of Industrial History
Media Sponsors: 99.9 The Hawk, Adams Outdoor Advertising, Lehigh Valley Business Journal, WDIY, and WFMZ 69 News
Cupcake Competitors: Bethlehem Area Vocational-Technical School, Carbon Career & Technical Institute, Career Institute of Technology, and Lehigh Career & Technical Institute
Visit WhatsSoCool.org for more information and resources, and follow on social media @wscmlv.
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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 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 Lehigh Valley contest 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 1,273 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 CTC 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 St
Bethlehem, Pa 18015
c: 484-554-5582