Spare Parts: Four Undocumented Teenagers, One Ugly Robot, and the Battle for the American Dream

Four undocumented Mexican American teenagers from Phoenix, Arizona, build an underwater robot from scavenged parts and compete in the Marine Advanced Technology Education Robotics Competition at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2004. The students, who attended an underfunded public high school, ultimately triumphed over teams from prestigious universities in the national competition. The book, a New York Times Best Seller and finalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize, explores themes of immigration, education, and the American Dream.