A local eighth-grade student has taken the state’s top technology prize for creating an innovative digital weather platform.

Mark DeMatto, a student from Panther Valley, took first place and was crowned State Champion in the Web Page Design category at the annual PA Media and Design Competition at Elizabethtown College.

DeMatto earned the honor for designing and building WeatherHub, a highly sophisticated, responsive weather-tracking application.

The competition, which challenges middle and high school students in grades 6 through 12 to unleash their creativity through digital mediums, brought together top regional talent from across Pennsylvania to showcase their skills in state-of-the-art facilities.

DeMatto’s winning project, WeatherHub, stands out for its high performance standards, speed, and fluid user experience (UI/UX). Built to serve as a comprehensive weather tool, the platform provides users with a robust suite of real-time features, including:

• Core Tracking Tools: Live radar mapping, severe weather alerts, and comprehensive daily forecasts.

• Environmental Insights: Integrated data tracking for the local Air Quality Index (AQI) and pollen counts.

• Premium Extras: A sleek drop-down menu showcasing advanced, commercial-grade premium features accessible through a monthly subscription model.

The PA Media and Design Competition encourages young creators to push the boundaries of digital technology in categories ranging from animation to complex programming.

DeMatto’s victory highlights both his technical execution and entrepreneurial vision in web design.

Members of the community can experience the student’s work firsthand. The fully functional platform is live and available at weatherhubapp.replit.app.

He recently developed and published it to the Apple App Store this summer as WeatherHub: Real Time Weather.

Mark DeMatto Jr. is the son of Mark DeMatto and Trish DeMatto of Summit Hill and has two brothers Matthew and Max. He is the grandson of Aurelia DeMatto of Summit Hill, Ann and George Nalesnik of Nesquehoning, and great-grandson of Eileen Bonner of Nesquehoning.