From Manufacturers Resource Center<\/p>\n
Celebrating\u00a010\u00a0years in Berks and Schuylkill counties, the 2026\u00a0\u201cWhat\u2019s So Cool About Manufacturing\u00ae\u201d Student Video Contest welcomes 33\u00a0manufacturers and middle school teams. Since its\u00a0inception, this local contest format, created by\u00a0Manufacturers\u00a0Resource Center, has been replicated by 16 regional contests and adopted by stakeholders in 12\u00a0additional\u00a0states. Top state officials have recognized the program, and dozens of sponsors continue to support \u201cWhat\u2019s So Cool,\u201d making it\u00a0possible year\u00a0after year.<\/p>\n
The program\u2019s goal is to increase awareness of manufacturing careers by\u00a0showcasing\u00a0\u201cWhat\u2019s So Cool\u201d about today\u2019s technology and career opportunities\u00a0at manufacturers right here in the region. Student teams produce a two-minute\u00a0profile video of their partnered manufacturer and create an Outreach\u00a0Plan,\u00a0strategizing how to share their final video with their school community. \u00a0All videos will be posted on the \u201cWhat\u2019s So Cool\u201d website,\u00a0WhatsSoCool.org<\/a>,\u00a0and will be open to the public for voting March\u00a025-27\u00a0for the\u00a0Viewers\u2019\u00a0Choice Award. The Berks Schuylkill Awards Event is scheduled for\u00a0Tuesday, April 14,\u00a0at the DoubleTree by Hilton Reading.<\/p>\n The program\u2019s continued success and growth are attributed to the efforts that the teachers and students have put forth in the community since its\u00a0inception. MRC and its partners,\u00a0Berks Business Education Coalition,\u00a0eMediaWorks,\u00a0Kutztown Small Business Development Center,\u00a0Sahl Communications Inc., and many community sponsors\u00a0remain\u00a0committed to the sustainability of the program.<\/p>\n Educational media resources,\u00a0technology, professional media training, materials, and project costs were funded and made possible by the following:<\/p>\n Technology Sponsor: Niagara Bottling.Event Sponsor: Reading Truck.Platinum Sponsors: American Crane & Equipment Corporation,\u00a0Berks County Industrial Development Authority,\u00a0Berks County Workforce Development Board,\u00a0Customers Bank,\u00a0East Penn Manufacturing,\u00a0and\u00a0Univest Financial.Gold Sponsors: American Polarizers Inc., Carpenter Technology\u00a0Corporation,\u00a0County of Berks,\u00a0Cresa,\u00a0EnerSys,\u00a0Fulton Bank,\u00a0Hexcel\u00a0Corporation,\u00a0Hydro, M&T Bank,\u00a0Materion,\u00a0Reading Area Community College,\u00a0Sweet Street Desserts Inc.,\u00a0Tompkins Community Bank,\u00a0Viwinco Inc.,\u00a0and Weidenhammer.Silver Sponsors: Aerotek, Alvernia University,\u00a0Ashland Technologies\u00a0Inc.,\u00a0Berks County Department of Agriculture,\u00a0Big B Manufacturing Inc.,\u00a0Blaschak Anthracite,\u00a0Brentwood Industries,\u00a0Dynegy,\u00a0Eagle Metals,\u00a0Fromm Electric,\u00a0Gage Personnel,\u00a0Greater Reading Chamber Alliance,\u00a0Mitsubishi Chemical Group,\u00a0Mrs. T\u2019s Pierogies,\u00a0Northeast Prestressed Products LLC,\u00a0Omnitech\u00a0Automation Inc.,\u00a0Penn State Berks,\u00a0Penske\u00a0Racing Shocks,\u00a0pladis,\u00a0Reading Bakery Systems,\u00a0R. M. Palmer Company LLC,\u00a0Schuylkill County, Solar\u00a0Innovations LLC,\u00a0and\u00a0The Rose Corporation.Bronze Sponsors: Berks Career & Technology Center, Berks County Intermediate Unit,\u00a0PhytogenX,\u00a0Reading Muhlenberg Career & Technology Center, Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce, Schuylkill County Intermediate Unit,\u00a0and\u00a0Schuylkill Technology Center.Media Sponsors: BCTV, Lamar, Lehigh Valley Business Journal, Reading Eagle, and WFMZ 69 News.<\/p>\n Visit WhatsSoCool.org<\/a> for more information and\u00a0follow on\u00a0social media @WSCMBerksSchuyl.<\/p>\n About \u201cWhat\u2019s So Cool About Manufacturing\u00ae\u201d<\/p>\n Developed by the Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC), the WSCM program is a video-based educational tool that increases awareness of career paths and technology in manufacturing through \u201cpeer marketing\u201d (kids telling kids\u00a0what\u2019s\u00a0so cool about manufacturing jobs). The contest is\u00a0showcased\u00a0on the What\u2019s 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n The \u201cWhat\u2019s So Cool About Manufacturing\u201d 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\u00a0who\u2019s who\u00a0in 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\u00a0WhatsSoCool.org<\/a>\u00a0website and\u00a0contains\u00a0almost 1436 student videos featuring over 700 Pennsylvania manufacturers.\u00a0<\/p>\n