{"product_id":"spare-parts-four-undocumented-teenagers-one-ugly-robot-and-the-battle-for-the-american-dream-9780374534981","title":"Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eJoshua Davis's \u003ci\u003eSpare Parts\u003c\/i\u003e--now a major motion picture--is a story about overcoming insurmountable odds and the young men who proved they were among the most patriotic and talented Americans in this country--even as the country tried to kick them out. \u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFour undocumented Mexican American students, two great teachers, one robot-building contest . . . \u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e In 2004, four Latino teenagers arrived at the Marine Advanced Technology Education Robotics Competition at the University of California, Santa Barbara. They were born in Mexico but raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where they attended an underfunded public high school. No one had ever suggested to Oscar, Cristian, Luis, or Lorenzo that they might amount to much--but two inspiring science teachers had convinced these impoverished, undocumented kids from the desert who had never even seen the ocean that they should try to build an underwater robot. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e And build a robot they did. Their robot wasn't pretty, especially compared to those of the competition. They were going up against some of the best collegiate engineers in the country, including a team from MIT backed by a $10,000 grant from ExxonMobil. The Phoenix teenagers had scraped together less than $1,000 and built their robot out of scavenged parts. This was never a level competition--and yet, against all odds . . . they won! \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e But this is just the beginning for these four, whose story--which became a key inspiration to the DREAMers movement--will go on to include first-generation college graduations, deportation, bean-picking in Mexico, and service in Afghanistan. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cb\u003eFinalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e Best Seller\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eJoshua Davis\u003c\/b\u003e is the cofounder of \u003ci\u003eEpic\u003c\/i\u003e \u003ci\u003eMagazine\u003c\/i\u003e and longtime writer at \u003ci\u003eWired\u003c\/i\u003e, where his work was nominated for a National Magazine Award for feature writing. He is the executive producer of the critically acclaimed Apple TV+ series \u003ci\u003eLittle America\u003c\/i\u003e, which tells stories of immigrants across the United States. He is also the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Underdog\u003c\/i\u003e, a memoir about his experiences as an arm wrestler, backward runner, and matador. He lives in San Francisco with his family.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Fsg Originals","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50649791660306,"sku":"9780374534981","price":13.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_bdab144d-635a-4bbb-9e75-ff705fce538b.jpg?v=1733273880","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/spare-parts-four-undocumented-teenagers-one-ugly-robot-and-the-battle-for-the-american-dream-9780374534981","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}