Bucksport High School Robotics Team Inspires Young Engineers with Cardboard Robot Program

In May, the Bucksport High School Robotics Team—or FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) Team 6329—and their incredible robot, Tide, once again proved they’re among the best in the world.

The Bucksport High School Robotics Team had a phenomenal season, racking up an impressive 55-11 record. The team clinched victories at both the Pine Tree and Southern Maine events, earned a runner-up title at the prestigious New England Championships, and finished eighth in the highly competitive Curie Division at the World Championships—solidifying a place among the global elite.

Fresh off of an outstanding season, the students of FRC Team 6329 were eager to give back to the community that had supported them. They saw an opportunity to share their passion for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and robotics with younger students and seized it.

This spring, the team launched a new after-school program at the Downeast Family YMCA, bringing together innovation, creativity, and community engagement. Designed for elementary-aged students, this program introduced engineering and robotics fundamentals to kids by having them build functional robots entirely out of cardboard.

These weren’t just any cardboard creations, though. Thanks to a new laser cutter purchased through a Maine Department of Education (DOE) Maine Learning Technology Initiative (MLTI) “Teach with Tech” grant, the team was able to design and cut precise parts for robots. Bucksport students Madi Robinson and Izzy McSharry, with support from their teachers, designed the robots in their high school engineering classes and fabricated all of the components used by these younger students.

“Cardboard might sound low-tech, but it’s actually a fantastic material for rapid prototyping,” a team member said. “It’s safe, inexpensive, and with the laser cutter, we can create detailed and functional components.”

The laser cutter, acquired earlier in the 2024-2025 school year through the MLTI grant, has expanded the Bucksport High School Robotics Team’s capabilities—not only for its competitive work but also for its outreach. This YMCA after-school program grew from a desire to spark early interest in STEM and give back to the local community. Supported by their robotics coaches, students developed hands-on activities that taught basic engineering principles, teamwork, and creative problem-solving.

“Our students really took the lead,” FRC Team 6329 coach John Boynton said. “They weren’t just mentoring; they were designing, teaching, troubleshooting, and encouraging kids to believe they could be engineers, too.”

Sophomore FRC Team 6329 member Lily Frost designed this pilot program, and the team hopes it is just the beginning. This summer, the team is running a one-day-per-week program for more than 50 kids through the YMCA day camps in Bucksport. Future plans may also include modules on 3D printing, Computer-Aided Design (CAD), and laser cutter training.

This young, passionate team from Bucksport High School is proving that small-town schools can lead big ideas—and that the future of engineering is already in capable hands.

This story was submitted by Bucksport High School. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.