Spare Parts 2015

In 2004, a determined group of four Mexican students from Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix travel north to Santa Barbara, California, to take part in the Marine Advanced Technology Education Robotics Competition hosted by UCSB and supported by NASA and the U.S. Armed Forces. Their journey begins in a landscape of limited resources and big dreams, where a small, underfunded team must prove that ingenuity can rival better-funded rivals.

Across town, a parallel story centers on a young man who dreams of enlisting in the U.S. Army. His path is blocked by immigration concerns, forcing him to seek other avenues to build a future in the United States. This thread underscores the real-world obstacles faced by ambitious students who want to pursue technical careers, even as they chase the chance to prove themselves on a national stage.

The robotics project lands in the hands of a substitute teacher with a strong engineering background, who steps in to guide the students through the challenging process of building a remotely operated underwater robot. Together, they form the Robotics Academic Club, a collaborative effort that brings together different interests and skills. The team quickly expands as they recruit members who can contribute to the mechanical design, electrical work, and software control needed to navigate the competition’s demanding underwater tasks.

To keep costs in check, the team relies on donated parts and frugal improvisation. They stretch a tiny budget—barely a thousand dollars—into a working machine, nicknamed Stinky for its glue-based construction. The project is guided by a mix of curiosity and problem-solving, with the students learning PBASIC programming to imbue their robot with basic intelligence and the ability to perform assigned tasks underwater.

Along the way, the team meets a cast of mentors and competitors who shape their journey. The mentors provide practical advice and insist on hands-on experimentation, while the other teams—especially well-funded contenders from prestigious institutions—set a high bar for performance. One critical moment comes when the team has to improvise a fix for a leaking protection case that could jeopardize their computer brain, a problem solved through quick thinking and unconventional materials.

The road to Santa Barbara is fraught with logistical hurdles. Three of the four team members face immigration hurdles that complicate travel, posing additional risk to the project’s completion. Yet they persevere, harnessing community support from local businesses and the school to cover unexpected costs—plus a little help from the teachers who believe in their potential.

As the competition day arrives, the team must complete a series of underwater tasks that test both hands-on building skills and the ability to adapt on the fly. They face off against highly resourced college squads, including a team from MIT backed by a substantial ExxonMobil grant. Against this backdrop of stiff competition, the Phoenix students push forward, delivering a practical performance that lands them in the top tier and demonstrates the power of scrappy, smart engineering.

In the end, the team’s perseverance earns them more than a ranking. Through a combination of technical prowess, stubborn determination, and a sense of community, they receive a Special Achievement award that recognizes their ingenuity, resilience, and the inspirational nature of their journey. The moment feels like a turning point—not only for these students but for every young person who refuses to let circumstance define their future.

The film shines a light on the human side of scientific competition, showing how mentorship, teamwork, and a willingness to think outside the box can turn a modest, tightly funded project into a triumph that resonates beyond the pool deck and into the students’ lives.

The film also features a notable ensemble cast, including Marisa Tomei, Jamie Lee Curtis, Carlos PenaVega, George Lopez, and Alexa PenaVega. Marisa Tomei and Jamie Lee Curtis deliver engaging, grounded performances, while Carlos PenaVega, George Lopez, and Alexa PenaVega bring warmth and energy to their roles, rounding out a story that is as much about community support as it is about technical achievement.