From Champions to the Capital: The Dreamers Take on Washington, D.C.
When The Dream Makers, now known as The Dreamers, stepped up to compete in Season 9’s National Championship, they did more than present a winning concept. They captured first place, stole our hearts, and sparked a light from beneath.
Today, this talented team from the Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB) is ready to share their journey on one of the nation's most influential stages.
On October 27th, just one block from the White House, the team will take the main stage at the historic U.S. Chamber of Commerce building in Washington, D.C.
Before an audience of over 250 industry leaders, policymakers, and advocates, these young innovators will share their story, demonstrate their solution, and reveal their next big chapter.
The Dreamers at KSSB on September 2
Stepping onto the Main Stage
The team’s 20-minute featured panel will spotlight students Sydney and Viviana and their journey.
The presentation will chronicle the hurdles, breakthroughs, and creativity that led to their victory as the first blind team to win the Make48 National Championship. Attendees will get a firsthand look at the future of their invention during a live, on-stage demonstration of the design of their new prototype.
Winning nationals isn’t the only chapter of their journey. The Dreamers are now taking bold steps toward forming an independent LLC built around their product.
Since November 2025, a true village of mentors, educators, and community supporters has rallied behind the team to scale their concept beyond the classroom.
With guidance from KSSB leadership and Make48, the team is actively working on a better rendition of their initial design. As Jon Harding shared, “Individuals with a visual impairment can do anything their sighted peers do. With a few accommodations, and the change-maker mentality projects like Make48, anything is possible.”
Chris DeBacker at Avek IP has stepped in to guide the team through crucial and critical legal steps in their startup journey. He is working with them to secure key intellectual property protections, while laying the groundwork needed to launch their new venture.
Why This Matters
This launch represents more than a classroom project. For Sydney and Vivy, this journey builds leadership skills, public speaking practice, and gives real-world business lessons.
More importantly, it challenges outdated assumptions. It proves that individuals with visual impairments are not merely consumers – they are inventors, founders, and leaders driving social innovation forward.
Few people understand what this experience means for the students quite like Lydia Moreno. As KSSB’s Makerspace coordinator, teacher, and the team’s captain during the Women in STEM competition, she has mentored the girls and countless others through every stage of designing, prototyping, and problem-solving.
“With unemployment for individuals with visual impairments reaching 70%, entrepreneurship is a powerful solution,” Moreno explained. “Instead of trying to retrofit a world that often overlooks different abilities, it empowers people to become their own leaders. We see that directly in The Dreamers and in Make48.”
As October 27th approaches, we celebrate the determination, empathy, and brilliance that brought this team from Kansas City to Washington, D.C.
Stay tuned for updates from the U.S. Chamber stage as The Dreamers continue turning their dreams into community-wide impact!
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