Noah Civiello, seen here on the left with the team at the Farmington Fair in 2024, led Blue Crew FIRST Robotics Competition Team 6153 to the finals at their most recent competition. Under his leadership, the team also earned the prestigious Impact Award for community outreach and STEM advocacy. submitted photo

FARMINGTON — The Blue Crew FIRST Robotics Competition Team 6153 at Mt. Blue High School has had a standout year, making it to the finals at a recent competition and taking home the prestigious Impact Award; all under the leadership of senior and two-year team captain Noah Civiello.

“I am a senior at Mt. Blue High School, and this is my second year as the team captain for the Blue Crew Robotics Team,” Civiello said. “As the team captain, I have many different responsibilities to fulfill in order to ensure that the team runs smoothly and efficiently.”

Civiello said those responsibilities range from sending emails to leading both weekly team and executive meetings. “I write agendas, answer questions, and understand what is happening in all aspects of the team,” he said.

Founded with the mission “to spread STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics] values in our community to help create the next generation of problem solvers and thinkers,” the Blue Crew team mentors younger students, hosts STEM nights, maintains an active presence on social media, and attends local festivals with their mascot, R2-Blue2 ; a fully functional, 3D-printed droid that is the first of its kind in Maine.

Civiello joined the team as a freshman in 2021. “I was first inspired to join the team when they presented their robot and sold root beer floats at the Wilton Blueberry Festival,” he said. “Little did I know that I would put so much time and effort into it over the next four years.”

Preparation for the team’s competition season begins before the school year starts, according to Civiello. “During the summer we fundraise with a combination of selling concessions through our root beer float stand at festivals and acquiring sponsorships from awesome local businesses,” he said. Once the school year begins, members train in building, programming, and CAD software. The six weeks leading up to the first competition are spent prototyping, designing, programming, and practicing with the robot.

The team competed at the Southern Maine event at Falmouth High School from March 1-2. “It was likely one of the best competitions in our team’s history so far,” Civiello said. “Our alliance of three robots played our way through the playoff bracket and actually made it to the finals before being beat by the first-seeded alliance.”

Blue Crew also earned the Impact Award at that event, which recognizes a team’s work in spreading STEM and making a difference in the community.

Team members participate in various sub teams including build, CAD, programming, business, awards, and spirit and social media. Civiello said students develop skills ranging from Java programming and 3D printing to public speaking and financial management. “All members of our team develop skills in problem solving, teamwork, and effective communication,” he said.

Blue Crew is student-led, with executives managing sub teams and overseeing the overall direction of the club. “Executives learn how to manage tasks, effectively communicate, and lead a group of people,” Civiello said.

In addition to competitions, Blue Crew engages in extensive community outreach. “This past year alone we visited the state house to inform legislation of our program, and hosted two free STEM nights for children and teenagers,” Civiello said. The team also attended five local festivals over the summer.

Blue Crew supports middle school robotics programs that participate in FIRST Lego League, helping younger students get involved in STEM. “They are a great jumping off point for passionate middle school students interested in robotics,” Civiello said.

Civiello, who was homeschooled prior to high school, said Blue Crew has been instrumental in shaping his future. “I had so much fun with the team and learned so many new things that I knew after my sophomore year that I wanted to go into engineering,” he said.

For those considering joining, his advice is to explore widely. “Get involved in a wide variety of sub teams,” Civiello said. “You get to make connections with more people, you learn more skills, and it gives you a good idea of what sub teams you would be interested in continuing to pursue.”

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