A group of Lehighton Area Middle School students are celebrating a victory in the Lehigh Valley’s annual “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” video contest, taking home the award for “Outstanding Career and Technical Education Story.”

The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” contest, organized by the Manufacturers Resource Center, pairs student teams with local manufacturers to create videos showcasing the cutting-edge technologies and products driving the industry today. This year, 10 Lehighton students partnered with BTM Inc., a precision machining specialist in Jim Thorpe.

“We met every Friday for meetings and spent a lot of time editing the hours of footage we got,” Connor Stay, a member of Lehighton’s winning team, said. “It was challenging, but we managed to condense it into a powerful two-minute video.”

“I never really thought about how stuff is made,” fellow student Olive Hunt said. “You buy it at the store, but you never really think about how it is produced and how much people and machine power it actually takes to make it.”

The contest, organizers said, serves a dual purpose: shedding light on the exciting possibilities within manufacturing and equipping students with valuable video production skills.

“We felt our video excelled in the career and technical education category,” Stay said. “We interviewed a student at Carbon County Career and Technical Institute and showed the path from technical school to a career at BTM. Winning this award was a huge payoff after all the challenges we faced, like meeting deadlines and technical difficulties.”

Hunt said the group really focused on getting interviews with people who went through technical schools and now have manufacturing careers.

“It meant a lot to win the category we poured the most effort into,” she added.

Other team members included Kingsley Cruz, Kiersten Diehl, Alexis Gelatko, Luke Haydt, Quinn Haydt, Rylee Keller, Philip Krupa, and Lucinda Sander.

Anna Leigh Conway, the science and gifted teacher who guided the Lehighton team, said the project required specific tasks including filming, editing, scriptwriting, and outreach coordination.

“Each student had a role, and they had high expectations for themselves,” she said. “They knew the competition was fierce, and their excitement at the award ceremony was truly special.”

Highlighting the valuable skills gained throughout the project, both Stay and Hunt emphasized the transferable nature of video production knowledge.

“Video production can be a very valuable tool in any industry,” Stay said. “The skills you learn, from marketing to creating a polished final product, can be applied across the board and can really help you succeed in whatever field you choose.”

Hunt echoed the thought, adding a touch of personal pride.

“Winning this award with our small school, especially going up against larger districts, was a huge honor,” she said. “It’s been an amazing experience, and to see all our hard work pay off is truly rewarding.”

“What’s So Cool About Manufacturing,” Conway added, provided a “STEM Expo” that engages students and exposes them to potential career paths.

“The Expo, with over two dozen local businesses and schools, ensures students are aware of the major employers in Lehigh and Carbon counties,” Conway said. “It gives them an alternative they might not have considered before, particularly in Career and Technical Education.”

The team’s focus throughout the project was on showcasing the journeys of current Lehighton students involved in manufacturing.

“I think the most important part of the project is the exposure it gives students,” Conway said. “They see what their future could look like, how rewarding these careers can be, and that they can still pursue higher education while earning a competitive salary.”