What’s So Cool About Manufacturing 2024
What is the WSCM Competition?
The “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing?” (WSCM) contest, initiated by the Manufacturers Resource Center (MRC), is an educational endeavor aimed at showcasing the modern manufacturing industry to middle school students. Viwinco Windows has been an active participant, collaborating with various schools since 2019 as part of the Berks and Schuylkill counties chapter. The contest’s primary objective is to challenge stereotypes surrounding manufacturing careers and to raise awareness of the rewarding opportunities within the field.
Wilson West Middle School + Viwinco Windows!
This year, we marked our sixth year as sponsors and participants in the WSCM competition. We were paired with students from Wilson West Middle School. In January, the students visited our facility for a tour guided by Viwinco General Manager Michael Duncan Jr. The tour began with a visit to our R&D building, where we demonstrated the capabilities of our OceanView Impact Resistant window through an impact test, showcasing its durability by shooting the window with a 2×4 using a cannon. The students and teachers then explored our new glass shop, witnessing our state-of-the-art glass manufacturing machinery in action. They then toured Lines 1, 2, and 3 and the shipping department in the main building. Following the tour, the students interviewed key company members, including Stephanie Guerrero, Jack Rinehimer, and Jon Balthrop, discussing what makes Viwinco “so cool!”
The goal of the video is not only to feature the manufacturer assigned to them and give information on the company but also to answer the question, “What’s so Cool About Manufacturing?” by coming up with a storyline, using creative angles, and telling a story while working as a team.
Upon returning to their school, the students began to work on their video concept for the competition. The video starts with two girls playing catch, accidentally shattering a nearby window with a ball. Panicked, they decide to replace the window before facing the consequences, leading them to Viwinco to quickly acquire the custom window they need. The video introduces Viwinco, detailing our operations and community impact through engaging B-roll footage of our new glass shop and interviews.
Creating the Video
The Awards Ceremony
On April 15th, we attended the awards ceremony at the Hilton Doubletree Hotel in Reading, Pennsylvania. The event drew over 1,000 attendees, including students, teachers, community leaders, sponsors, parents, and manufacturers. The ceremony commenced with speeches from the hosts, followed by the presentation of awards to various student groups in the Berks Schuylkill area. While our group did not receive an award this year, we are proud of their achievements and perseverance. We had a great time working with the students and educating them on what we do!
Looking Forward
Participating in the WSCM competition is a fantastic opportunity to engage with the community, and we take pride in contributing to the education of the next generation in manufacturing. We are thankful to the Wilson West students and teacher coaches for their great work! Additionally, we thank MRC for facilitating the program and selecting us to participate once again!
To see a full list of award recipients visit the Berks Schuylkill contest page
All student videos can be seen on this page too.
Additional updates can be seen on the WSCM Berks and Schuylkill social media pages below:
