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As Emma Lloyd, a 13-year-old member of the Soaring Arrows 4-H Club in Frederick County, Virginia, watches NASAs Perseverance Mars Rover barrel toward the red planet, she feels a special connection to the historic moment.

Working on the 4-H Mars missions at the same time as NASA is inspiring, Lloyd said. I feel like Im working alongside NASA to get to Mars. It makes me want to learn more about the red planet and NASA.

Seizing the moment of NASAs Mars rover launch last year, 4-Hers across the country took part in the Mars Base Camp Challenge, four unique hands-on activitiesto get kids and teens to explore computer science, space agriculture, and more. The rover is expected to touch down on the red dust of Mars on Feb. 18.

With support from Google, National 4-H Council, andVirginia Cooperative Extension,Virginia 4-Hdesigned the challenge to ensure that young people everywhere, regardless of internet connectivity or family resources, have access to STEM Challenge kits, which include online and offline activities.

The kit contained the parts for the construction of a complex miniature Mars rover. Youth built a motorized rover that could navigate obstacles ranging from blocks found around the house or even cardboard boxes to simulate the topography of Mars.

Im getting more practice at not giving up or getting upset when something is hard or doesnt work, said Genevieve Harvey, 7, and member of the Soaring Arrows 4-H Club. My rover was too fast at first and then it kept getting stuck or spinning. I had to keep on trying and making changes to get it right, but it was fun, and I got to see other kids have fun.

Read more:

Virginia 4-H Partners With Google, Bill Nye 'The Science Guy,' To Take Mission to Mars - The Roanoke Star