Grace Adams, 7, a member of the Clinton Eagles 4-H Club, watches her “eco-bot” after it was deployed on a map representing an oil-spill area. At a National 4-H Week event at the former at Wakarusa Valley School, Grace and some of her fellow 4-H’ers learned firsthand about building robots that can be used to preserve and protect the environment.

Children in the Clinton Eagles 4-H Club were given a mission: Build a robot to clean up a toxic skill. Their supplies? A toothbrush head, a battery, straws, paper cups and tape.

The mission was a part of Clinton Eagles Science Day, which was held in honor of National 4-H Week and National Youth Science Day.

“This is to get the kids excited about (4-H program) Space Tech and robotics,” parent leader Marisa Dallman said.

During the event on Monday night at the former Wakarusa Valley School building, members of the Clinton Eagles talked about what they thought robots were and what were some ways people used robots in everyday life. The children then built an eco-bot, or a robot to clean up a simulated environmental spill. The children were given a map with the spill drawn on and after building the eco-bot, also had to figure out how to keep the robot on the map. When the project was ready to test, bird seed was poured as fake oil and the toothbrush eco-bot “cleaned” the toxic spill. At the end of the project the children discussed what could have made the robot more effective.

“I think it’s pretty cool, even if it’s just the tip of a toothbrush,” said 8-year-old Ashton Rapp.

When the event began, Austin thought robots walked around and talked, but by the end he learned about the tasks they can do to help humans and decided he may want to try Space Tech as a future 4-H project.

Space Tech, cooking, photography, art and sewing are some of the projects available for 4-H members to participate in.

“A lot of people have in their mind it’s just about showing animals,” parent leader Kurt Dallman said. “But there are so many different things; there’s always an opportunity to learn and grow.”

Clinton Eagles 4-H Club will continue celebrating National 4-H Week by telling others about 4-H, wearing green, wearing 4-H pins and stickers and through displays of projects in various schools in Douglas County.

For more information on the Clinton Eagles 4-H Club visit clintoneagles.org.