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Fairmont Today
By the People, for the People
Fairmont State Hosts VEX Robotics State Championship
High school students from across West Virginia showcase their custom-built robots in annual STEM competition.
Published on Mar. 9, 2026
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Fairmont State University is hosting the 15th annual VEX Robotics State Championship, welcoming 164 teams of students from across West Virginia to compete in various STEM-related challenges with their custom-built robots. The competition aims to inspire students to pursue careers and education in the STEM fields, as participants learn skills in programming, engineering, and design.
Why it matters
The VEX Robotics competition provides valuable hands-on experience for students interested in STEM fields, allowing them to apply their technical skills in a competitive setting. As West Virginia works to bolster its STEM education and workforce, events like this help cultivate the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers.
The details
During the six-day competition, students work together in teams to design, build, and program their robots to compete in various challenges. On the competition floor, students demonstrate their robots' capabilities in head-to-head matches. The top-performing teams will earn the chance to compete in the VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis in April.
- The 15th annual VEX Robotics State Championship is running from March 9-14, 2026.
- The VEX Robotics World Championship is set to be held in St. Louis in April 2026.
The players
Fairmont State University
The host institution for the VEX Robotics State Championship, located in Fairmont, West Virginia.
Todd Ensign
The competition organizer, who stated that the goal of the program is to inspire students to pursue STEM education and careers.
Connor Atkins
A student at East Fairmont High School competing in the VEX Robotics State Championship, who spoke about the honor of representing his school.
What they’re saying
“So, the overarching goal of this program and many others that we work in is to inspire students to peruse a careers and education in the STEM fields.”
— Todd Ensign, Competition Organizer (wboy.com)
“It is an honor for us to be here, especially for our team.”
— Connor Atkins, Student (wboy.com)
“So, we start building the robot completely from scratch and we code, program and drive it all ourselves without any coach intervention.”
— Connor Atkins, Student (wboy.com)
What’s next
The top-performing teams from the VEX Robotics State Championship will advance to compete in the VEX Robotics World Championship in St. Louis in April 2026.
The takeaway
The VEX Robotics competition provides a valuable platform for West Virginia students to develop critical STEM skills and showcase their technical abilities, helping to cultivate the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers in the state.
