Roughly 900 Nothampton Area Middle School students cemented their foundation as Konkrete Kids by embracing the names of present and former cement plants during a recent assembly.

The goal of the Oct. 17 Konkrete Kid Assembly is to encourage achievement while developing an appreciation of local cement industry history.

When the new middle school opens in September 2015, stairwells and corridors will be named after cement plants, and emblazoned with words describing the cement history, said Principal Patrice Turner.

Ed Pany, retired Northampton Area High School teacher and Atlas Cement Museum curator, spoke of the importance of the cement industry, saying the former Atlas plant provided cement for the Panama Canal and Empire State Building in New York City.

"You will always be Konkrete Kids," Pany said to a rousing applause by the students.

Presentations to the students were then made throughout the school. Presenting to Team Atlas were Pany and Larry Oberly; to Team Essroc, Melissa Fritz; to Team Hercules, Keith Williams and Julio Follhadella; to Team Keystone, Jeff Kaboly and Tony Madrazo; to Team Lafarge, Geri Snyder and Lorraine Faccenda; and to Team Lehigh, George Prebula and Kim Olesak.