Video Contest Teaches Students About Local Manufacturing

A video contest called “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” recently engaged the minds of some gifted Saucon Valley Middle School students who are members of the school’s “iTeam.”

The iTeam’s two-and-a-half minute video about Follett Corporation in Forks Township–a manufacturer of ice machines–has helped raise awareness of manufacturing jobs in the Lehigh Valley, students explained following a screening at a school board meeting this month.

For the contest students used a GoPro camera, and iMovie to edit their footage, which included interviews with employees at the Follett plant.

Students utilized their school-issued iPads for some of the work.

And what exactly is the iTeam?

“We’re a group of technologically advanced individuals,” explained eighth-grader Brandon McIntosh at the meeting.

In order to join the group, students needed to fill out a six-page application that assessed their leadership skills and comfort level with technology, he said.

School board member Sandra Miller noted that there’s also a high school iTeam.

“Congratulations. It’s a good group to be a part of,” she told the middle schoolers.

The What’s So Cool About Manufacturing? contest is sponsored by Dream It. Do It. Pennsylvania, which is a partnership led by the Manufacturers Resource Center in Bethlehem to raise awareness about advanced manufacturing careers.

Additional information can be found online at www.dreamitdoitpa.com.