Spotlight

The PMMI Foundation, through the PMMI U Skills Fund, in partnership with PMMI Member, Dyco, Inc., proudly continued its support of the Battle in the Burg — a robotics competition hosted by the Bloomsburg Children’s Museum.

On Saturday, June 21, 2025, the Bloomsburg Fairgrounds came alive with the sounds of friendly competition and cheering crowds. The event drew 438 spectators who watched as 23 teams showcased their passion and creativity. A total of 38 robots battled it out in matchups, with participants traveling from Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Alabama, West Virginia, Connecticut, and New Hampshire to take part in the excitement.

Through Dyco Inc.'s ongoing commitment to supporting the next generation of leaders, matched with funds from the PMMI U Skills Fund, programs like Battle in the Burg are creating high-energy, hands-on opportunities for students to explore engineering and manufacturing careers ––ensuring that today’s middle and high school students not only experience the thrill of competition but also build critical skills that will serve them in the workforce of tomorrow.

The Battle in the Burg event brought together students in grades 6–12 to build combat robots using engineering design concepts. Along the way, participants gained exposure to real-world technical and problem-solving skills, including:

• CAD and technical drawing
• Circuits and mechanical engineering
• Critical thinking and teamwork
• Mathematics applied to real challenges

These projects don’t just prepare students for competition — they prepare them for careers.

Bloomsburg Children’s Museum’s very own team, Infectious Intelligence, competed with distinction and proudly placed third in this year’s tournament. Their achievement highlights the strength of local STEM programming and the power of industry partnerships and shows that these projects don’t just prepare students for competition—they prepare them for careers.

“Events like Battle in the Burg give students a hands-on, high-energy introduction to engineering, design, and problem-solving—skills that are essential for tomorrow’s workforce. By supporting programs like this, industry helps spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire young people to use both their hands and minds to create, innovate, and achieve.”

— Ginny Weibel, PhD, director, Bloomsburg Children’s Museum.

"By supporting events like Battle in the Burg, we are helping students gain the tools, exposure, and inspiration needed to thrive in STEM and manufacturing careers—ensuring a strong and innovative future workforce.”

— Kate Torrence, director, workforce development, PMMI.

And this impact doesn’t stop with Dyco, Inc. Any PMMI member company can achieve results like these in their own communities through the PMMI U Skills Fund, which matches contributions up to $50,000 per year to support regional education programs of their choice. Together, we can inspire the next generation of innovators

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