What’s So Cool About Manufacturing hands out statewide awards

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The Lehigh Valley won big in this year’s statewide What’s So Cool About Manufacturing Contest in Harrisburg. 

This was the eighth year for “Best of PA” Statewide Awards Event and this year’s contest had 22 student teams competing for first, second and third place awards, and recognition for the Statewide Viewers Choice winner.  

First Place went to Nazareth Area Middle School featuring B. Braun Medical Inc. (Lehigh Valley Contest)  

Second Place went to Saucon Valley Middle School featuring Crayola (Lehigh Valley Contest)  

Third Place went to Manheim Township Middle School featuring Ecore International (South Central East Contest)   

A three-judge panel, viewed the 22 entries, representing 13 regional contests across Pennsylvania and a total of 166 student videos, to select the statewide award recipients. 

Statewide Viewers Choice recognition went to Springhouse Middle School featuring Mack Trucks from the Lehigh Valley Contest was recognized for garnering the largest number of regional vote totals across the state, during three days of online voting where all Pennsylvania teams competed to win their regional Viewers Choice Award. 

“The continued success of the What’s So Cool program validates its effort to generate excitement toward careers in the manufacturing sector and to promote STEM education and technical training among students and parents,” said Karen Buck, director of Workforce Initiatives Manufacturers Resource Center, which runs the competition. “We are so excited and proud to celebrate the Best of PA 2026 student teams and highlight their videos!”  

The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” Student Video Contest, began in the Lehigh Valley and has since garnered over 7,000,000 combined votes by the public during regional online voting dates since its inception in 2013. 

 More than 60% of Pennsylvania school districts have participated in the program.  

The competition was designed to give students the opportunity to interact with local manufacturers as they gain new perspectives about careers and technology,  

record their experiences and present them in an educational and “cool” way through documentary video production.  

The contest was created to generate excitement that draws students toward considering manufacturing career paths to create a 21st century workforce.