“In Phoenix, they were called illegal aliens and pegged as criminals. They were alternately viewed as American, Mexican, or neither. Now, for a moment, they were simply teenagers at a robotics competition by the ocean.”
The story charts the journey of four undocumented students as they defy great odds to make a name for themselves at the Marine Advanced Technology Education Robotics Competition. It demonstrates the immigration policies and social discrimination taking a great toll on children trying to get an education and lead better lives. Oscar, Cristian, Luis, and Lorenzo are seen as typical illegal immigrants and despite their promise; they cannot overcome that back in Phoenix. However, at the competition, they are for the first time at the same level as every child across America despite their race, social status, or background.
“No matter how many push-ups he did or how fast he ran, he couldn’t outpace the fact that he was a fugitive, living in the country illegally, and therefore barred from enlisting.”
The label of an illegal immigrant is one that haunts Mexican-Americans trying to pave way for their future. The narrative about Latino teenagers wanting the same opportunities as any other child in the country sees them find it hard to be seen as such. Their potential is not valid because of the label and cannot overcome it regardless of having great promise. The statement about Oscar expresses that even with determination some dreams are beyond his reach, which is rather defied in the competition.
“There was nothing pretty or elegant about their robot. Compared to the gleaming machines other teams had constructed, Stinky was a study in simplicity.”
The narrative essentially highlights the fact that privilege and resources are not the only measures of brilliance. The four undocumented get into the competition with a lower budget than the rest of the competitors. Furthermore, they use junk material rather than new material to build their prototype. They luckily win with their underwater robot than look less glamorous and made with no elegant resources whosoever.
