They call themselves "lolo"-lowly locals in Hawaiian slang-and they've already learned a hard lesson: all they should look forward to in life is mediocrity and failure. These low-income, multi-ethnic teenagers don't expect anything from themselves, because nobody else does, until the day the new science teacher arrives at Kona Pali High. For some reason, Sandra Beecher (Halle Berry) is different from their other teachers'she actually thinks they can, and should, learn something in school. With her encouragement, a handful of her least-likely students tackle a science project that would challenge even the best and the brightest: they decide to build and race a very special car. The fragile vehicle will take them all the way across the Australian continent on a journey of wonder and self-discovery.