The imagery coach, Violet Bellerose, speaks to the Blue Crew team during the Falmouth competition. Blue Crew FRC Team 6153 celebrates winning the Impact Award at the Southern Maine District event. The team also placed second in the playoffs, earning a top-10 ranking in New England. Submitted photo
FALMOUTH — Blue Crew FIRST Robotics Competition [FRC] Team 6153 of Farmington made a strong debut this season at its first competition at Falmouth High School March 1-2, earning the prestigious Impact Award and finishing second in the playoffs. The team later competed at the NE District Pine Tree Event from March 14-16 at The Colisée in Lewiston, where they claimed the Judges’ Award.
Competing in the Southern Maine District event, the team finished qualification matches ranked 15th overall and was selected as the second pick for the fifth-seeded alliance. Partnering with Team 166 Chop Shop from Merrimack, New Hampshire, and Team 58 Riot Crew from South Portland, the alliance fought through the lower bracket after an early loss, ultimately finishing as event finalists. The performance propelled the Blue Crew to a top-10 ranking in New England.
Months of prep
The Blue Crew spent months preparing for the competition, focusing on building a reliable robot and refining its programming.
“As the Falmouth competition was our first event, the majority of our preparation in terms of the robot had been happening all season, trying to get the robot built as quickly and reliably as possible so the programmers could have ample time to make the functions run smoothly,” said Lucy Knowles, a team member. “Besides the robot, the team worked tirelessly to get the impact presentation script written and practiced it numerous times so we were competitive for the Impact Award.”
Beyond competition preparation, the team also spent time strategizing for alliance selection. “I believe the basic premise was to have us as a defense bot which could also score if needed,” Knowles said. “This was the strategy we maintained throughout the entirety of the playoffs, and it worked very well for us.”
Winning
The team also won the Impact Award, the highest honor presented by FIRST Robotics Competition, which recognizes teams that best embody the organization’s mission and serve as role models for others. Judges commended the Blue Crew’s extensive outreach efforts, including mentoring younger robotics teams, organizing events, and engaging with the community.
“Winning the Impact Award is a huge honor and has meant the world to our team,” Knowles said. “We have been working for years to fulfill our mission and the mission of FIRST, and it is amazing to see those efforts get recognized through this award.”
Student-led outreach
A core value of the team is student-led outreach, with members taking an active role in planning and executing community initiatives.
“The team ensures student-led outreach in many ways,” Knowles said. “When a new outreach opportunity is brought to our attention, the team talks about it at our next weekly meeting and takes a vote as a group on whether or not we would like to go.”
She added that students take full responsibility for outreach initiatives. “At each outreach event, we have an info table run by students to share information about our team and the robot,” she said. “During other events, students are the ones running activities, communicating with event directors, and getting sponsors.”
Success
At the recent NE District Pine Tree Event at The Colisée in Lewiston, Blue Crew continued to showcase its skills and teamwork. The team ended qualifications ranked 23rd and were picked for the 6th seeded alliance with team 166, Chop Shop, from Merrimack, New Hampshire, and team 4546, Shockwave, from Dover, New Hampshire. After a full weekend of competition, they secured the Judges’ Award, and mentor Jennifer Civiello received the Woodie Flowers Award for her contributions to the team and FIRST Robotics.
“Today was the first day of Pine Tree, we ended up 27th at the end of the day. We did our very best. Thank you to the friends and family who came to cheer us on today,” the team posted on their Facebook page.
Maggie Callaway, the team’s Safety Captain, helped Blue Crew continue its longstanding safety record by winning the Safety All-Star Award for the 16th consecutive competition day.
Looking ahead
With this recognition, the Blue Crew secured a place at the upcoming New England District Championships, which takes place from April 2-5 in West Springfield, MA.
For more information, visit www.bluecrew6153.org.
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