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Finalist for the J. Anthony Lukas Book Prize Four undocumented Mexican American students, two great teachers, one robot-building contest . . . and a major motion picture 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. 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 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. Joshua Davis's "Spare Parts "is a story about overcoming insurmountable odds and four 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. "
About the Author
Joshua Davis is a writer, television host, documentary director and film producer.
In 2003, Josh covered the Iraq war for Wired Magazine, where he is a Contributing Editor. He has tracked rumors of genetically modified cocaine behind rebel lines in Colombia, investigated the world's largest diamond heist, and hunted the source of a cyberwar in Russia. In 2005, Random House published Josh's memoir, "The Underdog," which details his journey through some of the world's most outlandish competitions. The Los Angeles Times calls it "laugh out loud funny," and Entertainment Weekly declares "the rewarding Underdog proves that Davis is a winner at something."
In 2013, Josh and Joshuah Bearman formed EPIC, a magazine devoted to telling extraordinary true stories. The venture comes on the heels of Argo, the Academy Award-winning film, which was based on an article Bearman wrote. Over the past 10 years, Josh and Bearman have sold 20 articles to Hollywood, with 2 films produced.
Find out more at: www.JoshuaDavis.net
