Ikal is one of the ten students of the Muhamaddiyah School, the oldest and poorest school in the Indonesian tin-mining island of Belitong. Like him, his classmates are from the most downtrodden families in the region. But the school has two weapons, its teacher Bu Mus, a slight fifteen year old girl with burning courage and a passion for education and Lintang, the boy genius who inspires his classmates to dream and fight their destiny. Soon the island's underdogs become its champions. Incredibly moving and full of hope.