Last spring, two groups of Penn-Trafford High School video production students tied for first place in the National Academy of Television Arts & Science regional competition.

Now, one of those groups will compete for a national NATAS Student Production Award.

Junior Emily Coles and 2020 graduate Madison Pleins’ news segment, “Lilli’s Drive,” will compete in the “General Assignment — Serious News” category.

It is the only entry from the NATAS Mid-Atlantic Region to receive a national nomination.

The piece tells the story of elementary student Lilli Durante, who was in the midst of a struggle with optic glioma in 2019 when she decided to collect toys for her fellow patients are UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

“We got to tell someone’s story, and that was really powerful,” Pleins said in May when the story earned one of NATAS regional awards.

When Lilli’s school counselor asked the Durantes in 2019 what the school could do for the family, they suggested helping with the toy collection.

Staff at Sunrise Estates Elementary School in Penn Township, where Lilli was in kindergarten at the time, presented boxes filled with donated toys, dolls, books, crafts, crayons and coloring books — 1,530 items in all — for the Children’s Hospital hematology and oncology departments.

The items, plus $2,300 in donations, were collected during a toy drive for the young patients.

This is the second time Penn-Trafford video production students have earned a national NATAS nomination, according to video production teacher Steve Vinton.

“Maddie is one of the most driven and enthusiastic students to ever be a part of Penn-Trafford TV,” Vinton said. “Emily earned this honor in her sophomore year. She’s an extremely talented student. I’m extremely proud of both of them.”

National winners will be announced in February.

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