06/18/2026
“Change is the essential process of all existence.” Mr. Spock, Star Trek (the original series), “Let That Be Your Last Battlefield” , S3E15
We are experiencing great change today, for someone who changed the lives of many people in Maine (and changed the landscape of extracurricular education here, too.)
Today, Tom Bickford retires. His retirement is preceded by 26+ years of service to STEM education. These 26 years were full of firsts: in the literal sense of language, with years in the FIRST LEGO League, but also in the sense of groundbreaking. We were the first LEGO Robotics camps in Maine. We pioneered several first-of-their-kind educational camps, including Programming in Minecraft, Build Your Own Computer, and LEGO Builders. Tom also founded school-year competitions, Robot Track Meets (and the Robot Track Meet Association) and the Maine STEM Film Challenge. Since our last data collection in 2025, Tom’s efforts have reached over 26,000 Maine residents.
While this is an incredibly bittersweet occasion, this is also an occasion for much celebration. As the sun sets on a monumental career, the sun will continue to rise every day on a legacy that will last lifetimes.