D.H.H. Lengel students' Cardinal Systems video a finalist in state What's So Cool About Manufacturing contest
POTTSVILLE — A sense of wonder is apparent in Adam Donya’s voice when he talks about visiting Cardinal Systems, a Schuylkill Haven manufacturer of custom swimming pools.
Adam and nine other eighth graders at D.H.H. Lengel Middle School in Pottsville toured the plant in November and made a video of Cardinal’s production process.
The video, a peek at a high-tech manufacturing process, is among four from schools in Schuylkill and Berks counties entered in the finals of the Best of PA statewide “What’s So Cool About Manufacturing” competition.
Mahanoy Area High School is the only other team from Schuylkill County in the finals.
Conrad Weiser Middle School and Exeter Twp. Junior High School are representing Berks County.
The finals will be held Wednesday, when 22 teams from across the state compete at the Whitaker Center for Science and the Arts in Harrisburg.
The D.H.H. Lengel team came together to discuss their video Monday in the school’s television station.
Donya, one of the video’s editors, said the team tried to capture the complexity of Cardinal’s manufacturing process in its video.
Workers wore special clothing, used high-tech tools and utilized a 3-D printer in making spas and swimming pools, he said.
“It takes teamwork,” said Donya, one of the video’s editors. “You need to think out of the box.”
June Newberry learned of the importance of lighting in making a professional video.
“We set up the lighting so it would blur out the background,” she said, “and we used umbrella lights to reduce the glare.”
Camila Leonardo learned the value of cooperation.
“It takes teamwork and determination,” she said. “When you have a good team and good communication, you can make an amazing production.”
The Lengel team enhanced their video with background music, and interspersed shots of team members diving into swimming pools with comments from Cardinal workers and managers.
Jonathan Hughes, a STEM teacher, headed a team of advisers on the project. Other Lengel teachers who acted as advisers are Jeff Hughes, math, and Chris Selinko, Spanish. Riyuichi Narita, a STEM teacher at John S. Clarke Elementary Center, also served as an adviser.
The video production team included Padraic Kerns, Austin Nevodomsky and Evan Matz, editors; Ethan Reed, camera; Elijah Jones, graphics; Mason Fanelli and Reed Novitsky, audio.
Family-owned for three generations, Cardinal Systems designs and produces custom-made Fox pools and luxury spas.
Its 350,000-square-foot plant, located along Route 61, is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to fabricate products for a variety of industries, according to its website.
Created by the Manufacturers Resource Center, Allentown, in 2013, What’s So Cool About Manufacturing’s objective is to change students’ perception about careers in manufacturing.
Teams in the competition receive camera equipment, software and professional guidance to learn script writing, recording and editing video stories.
Sarah E. Yoder, Pottsville Area’s superintendent, said the competition provides an invaluable collaboration among students, teachers and manufacturing companies.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to enhance the relationships necessary to prepare our students for post-secondary education and careers,” she said.
