East Tenn. students grab their cameras, compete for cash

OAK RIDGE, Tenn. (WVLT) - Clinton Middle School students are using GoPro cameras to get an up-close look at East Tennessee manufacturing. They're going inside plants like Protomet in Oak Ridge, seeing how they work, and creating their own mini-documentary about them.

Inside Protomet, student Aaron Bullock helped decide that a GoPro camera needed to capture the cutting of aluminum to make special boat accessories.

"The aluminum, how they cut it. Where they cut it vertically, horizontally."

Protomet makes accessories, or boat bling, for East Tennessee watercraft. It also makes some items for Homeland Security. The students were able to witness the making of the boat parts. Their challenge is to compete with student teams from five other schools in creating the best industrial video.

In addition to showing industrial processes with their cameras, they are asking plant managers a lot of questions. Sifa Gatho said that is,

"so that we can also better understand to help other people understand what's happening."

The students are competing in the Dream It, Do It competition. Organizers are the Anderson County Chamber of Commerce and Consolidated Nuclear Security, the company that provides security for Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Protomet Plant Manager David Bilbrey explained,

"We're not just a machine shop..we cover lots of different disciplines."

Education Outreach Specialist Kristin Waldschlager for CNS said she's hopeful students will be inspired by their experience.

"Hopefully they'll pursue jobs in manufacturing."

Waldschlager said there is a demand for tech-savvy workers over the next few years in East Tennessee.

Anderson County students, Clinton Middle School, Lake City Middle School, Norwood Middle School and Norris Middle School are all taking part in the competition. Eighth grade students from Oak Ridge Middle School, Robertsville Middle School and Jefferson Middle School are also competing.

The student videos will be posted via Anderson County Chamber of Commerce by mid-April and people will be able to vote for their favorite.

The winner will be announced in May, with the top school earning a large cash prize to go towards technology education.