Sojourner - The name Sojourner was chosen for the Mars Pathfinder in a worldwide competition where students were invited to select a heroine and submit an essay about how a planetary rover would translate these accomplishments to the Martian environment. Valerie Ambroise, 12, of Bridgeport, CT, submitted the winning essay about Sojourner Truth, an African-American reformist who lived during the Civil War era. An abolitionist and champion of women's rights, Sojourner Truth, whose legal name was Isabella Van Wagener, made it her mission to 'travel up and down the land,' advocating the rights of all people to be free and the rights of women to participate fully in society. The name Sojourner was selected because it means 'traveler.' JPL scientists and engineers working on the Mars Pathfinder project and Planetary Society staff members reviewed the 3,500 total entries received from all over the world, including essays from students living in Canada, India, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Poland and Russia. Nearly 1,700 of the essays were submitted by students aged 5 to 18 years old.