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Salem Today
By the People, for the People
North Salem Robotics Team Raises $12K to Reach Worlds
Three-student squad overcomes fundraising hurdles to compete at VEX World Championships
Apr. 19, 2026 at 6:50am
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The advanced robotics technology powering North Salem High School's journey to the VEX World Championships.Salem TodayA small robotics team from North Salem High School has qualified for the VEX World Championships in St. Louis after months of building, coding, and an impressive $12,000 fundraising effort. The three-student Valkyrie squad secured their spot through strong state skills scores and rallied community support through can drives, concessions, a Salem Capitals game, and other donations.
Why it matters
North and West Salem High School's robotics programs have a history of success, but this is only the second time in school history that the North Salem team has qualified for the prestigious VEX World Championships. The team's ability to overcome fundraising challenges and rally community support highlights the growing interest and investment in STEM education in the Salem area.
The details
The North Salem Valkyrie robotics team consists of just three students who spent months designing, building, and coding their competition robot. Despite their small size, the team qualified for the VEX World Championships through their strong performance at the state level. To cover the costs of travel and competition fees, the students organized a variety of fundraising efforts, including can drives, concession sales at a Salem Capitals hockey game, and soliciting donations from the local community. In total, they were able to raise around $12,000 to support their journey to the world championships.
- The North Salem robotics team qualified for the VEX World Championships through their performance at the state competition.
- The team will be traveling to St. Louis in May to compete at the VEX World Championships.
The players
North Salem High School
A public high school in Salem, Oregon that has a strong robotics program, with both the North and West Salem teams qualifying for national competitions.
Valkyrie
The three-student robotics team from North Salem High School that qualified for the VEX World Championships.
VEX World Championships
An annual international robotics competition that brings together the top high school and middle school robotics teams from around the world.
What’s next
The North Salem Valkyrie robotics team will be traveling to St. Louis in May to compete at the VEX World Championships against the top robotics teams from around the world.
The takeaway
The success of the small North Salem robotics team in qualifying for the VEX World Championships, despite their limited size, demonstrates the growing interest and investment in STEM education in the Salem area. Their impressive fundraising efforts to overcome financial hurdles also highlight the community support for these types of programs.
