The videos are now ready for public viewing and, beginning Wednesday, votes may be cast for your favorite at www.WhatsSoCool.org.

Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. Friday, April 17.

Regional contest winners — including the Viewers Choice Award — will be announced at an event at the Bedford American Legion on May 6. Two teams will then advance to the state awards May 13.

This is the fourth year for the What’s So Cool program that pairs teams of middle school students in Bedford and Blair counties with local manufacturers to tell the story of the people, products and processes that make up modern manufacturing in the region.

Nicolas Gephart (left) records a carpenter at American Structure for the Chestnut Ridge Middle School for the What’s So Cool about Manufacturing video project. Courtesy photo

In 2025, more than 200,000 votes were tallied for Southern Alleghenies’ videos. In the past, videos from the region have won or been runners-up for the most votes in Pennsylvania.

Through the project, student teams are assigned manufacturers and tasked with creating a two-minute-thirty-second video that showcases the manufacturer and the careers available within that industry.

“The What’s So Cool About Manufacturing video contest educates participants and raises awareness of manufacturing among students throughout Bedford County,” said Michael O’Dellick, administrative director of the Bedford County Technical Center. “This work is especially important because the county has a strong manufacturing presence, offering excellent entry-level opportunities in a fast-growing, technologically driven industry.”

Thomas Wright, business development director of Bedford Reinforced Plastics, agreed, adding, “The What’s So Cool about Manufacturing project benefits both students and manufacturers by building awareness, sparking curiosity and showcasing the innovation happening right here in the county. It’s a great way to highlight the value of manufacturing careers and support the future of our industry.”

This year, teams included students from sixth through eighth grade. Each team was assigned a manufacturer to highlight, including:

— Bedford Middle School — JLG Industries, Bedford

— Chestnut Ridge Middle School-High School — American Structure, Schellsburg

— Claysburg-Kimmel Junior-Senior High School — NPC Inc., Claysburg

— Everett Area Middle School — Everite Door, Everett

— Northern Bedford County Middle School — Bedford Farm Bureau, Bedford and New Enterprise

— Tussey Mountain Middle School — Bedford Reinforced Plastics, Bedford

“Over the now four-year history of the Southern Alleghenies project, the quality of the videos has been outstanding,” said Lyn Skillington, the regional project manager and coproject director of the Bedford County 21st Century Community Learning Center Consortium. “The work done by students throughout the region is extraordinary. These are 12- to 14-year-old youth, and most have never worked on a project such as this. These videos are student led — teachers are there to guide them. The growth in leadership, storytelling and technical skills we see among students who participate is remarkable. We’re grateful our school communities have supported their student teams by viewing and voting on the videos in such massive numbers. In just the first three years their videos received more than 750,000 votes.”

Wright said that not only do the videos generate interest in the community and support student growth, they benefit each of the companies that are featured.

“Participating in What’s So Cool About Manufacturing gives us a chance to share our story while learning directly from the next generation. Working with the students is energizing, and it reinforces how important it is to promote Bedford County’s manufacturers and the career opportunities our industry provides locally.”

Mark Patterson, senior engineer for JLG, echoed Wright’s comments. “What’s so cool for me is the opportunity to meet with these young students and introduce them to our manufacturing process in a fun way few people get to experience,” Patterson said. “It’s important to share with them a glimpse at the many types of careers that are involved with manufacturing right here in their community. I hope our students are inspired by this experience and it helps give them ideas to consider when thinking about their future.”

“Our kids appreciate the community support they receive, and we encourage everyone in the region to take a look and vote for their favorites,” Skillington said, adding that much like the system used by the television show American Idol; multiple votes can be cast for the same video by refreshing the web page.

To watch the videos and cast votes, visit www.WhatsSoCool.org.