Steve Fox, who works with the school's broadcasting studio, accompanied five students to the Northwestern Lehigh School Board meeting April 16 to show the video, "What's Cool About Manufacturing."

The program is sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Skill Up Partnership.

Teacher Wendy Madouse, who worked with the students, was unable to attend.

The video was an entry in a contest by DreamItDoItPA. The goal was to expose middle school students to manufacturing jobs in this area.

Local sponsors are Air Products, B Braun, Crayola, Nestlé and Just Born.

Each middle school was paired with a company and spotlighted some of the career pathways in the Lehigh Valley.

The highlight of the program was its close-out at the Da Vinci Center, Allentown.

Of 18 entrants, Northwestern Lehigh's video placed third.

Another student, Jenny Von Holt, a member of the Northwestern Interact Club, accompanied members of the Rotary Club of Allentown West and Christ's Church at Lowhill Food Pantry to talk about the Snack Pack program.

Snack Pack provides food to fill the gap on weekends when some families may not have sufficient food.

The pack includes soups, snacks, cereal and fruit cups – foods that can keep without special care.

Barbara Kistler of the Rotary said the first partner in the program was the school district.

She said the administration is great to work with. The food pantry, New Tripoli Bank and a Rotary District grant help with the funding.

The final piece of the work is packing, done in the boardroom at the school.

Superintendent Mary Anne Wright said the students and adults who do the packing are so dedicated they don't stop working even if she stops in to say hello.

School board member Joe Reiter asked if the need is increasing at the food pantry.

Nancy Holbrook said some people stop coming for various reasons and some new people come. There is fluctuation rather than a steady increase.

Board member Paul Fisher commented.

"We're appreciative of the work you do," he said.

Anyone willing to volunteer at the food pantry should email lowhillfoodpantry@gmail.com.

Amy Lebrecht won the Donley Award for Excellence for her school accomplishments.

Lebrecht, who plans to study mathematics and education, ranks fifth in her class of 183 with a GPA of 98.5 out of 100.

She is a member of the National Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society. Amy was chosen president of the Science Club and was its former secretary. She isalso a part of the Science Olympiad Team.

Amy is the president and director of the Naturalettes, a student led a cappella group. She serves as the band vice president and the Drama Club secretary. Amy's activities also include debate team, chorus, marching band, jazz band, and concert band. She volunteers as a tutor for math and physics. In addition, Amy volunteers for various service projects through her church, including a week in West Virginia undertaking a large construction project for the needy.

Winners of District Career and Technical Service organization competitions were Skills USA; Firsts, Heather Berrier, commercial baking; Austin Fenstermaker precision machine; Robert Metzger, precison machine and DECA, first Amanda Webster, marketing and business. Second place students in SkillsUSA were: Cody Dalrymple; Sarah Heiler; Tyler Leisher; and Kasey Schaffer, all in health occupations.

Krystal Ruhe placed fifth in the DECA marketing and business category.