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Kansas State School for the Blind students showcase their idea to tackle hunger on national stage
Oct 29, 2026
by Angela Deines, KSDE Communications
Sydney Parcell, left, and Viviana Petelin, students in the transition program at the Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB), presented their idea to tackle hunger during the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's Business Solves conference, in Washington, D.C. (Photo submitted by Dr. Jon Harding, KSSB superintendent)
Getting the opportunity to talk to some of the most influential people in corporate philanthropy about their idea for mitigating food insecurity is not something Sydney Parcell and Viviana Petelin of the Kansas State School for the Blind (KSSB) are going to forget anytime soon.
The students, now in KSSB's transition program, spoke during a panel discussion this week at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation's 2026 Business Solves conference in Washington, D.C. about MOVA, a durable, insulated, collapsible bag designed for those experiencing homelessness, victims of natural disasters or those who have limited access to food.
"We decided to make our product like this because when we went to the food pantry, the main problem people had was not having a portable way to transport their food safely, like keeping it hot or cold," Petelin said during the panel discussion. "We wanted to find a way that people could still have healthy and nutritious foods and transport (the food) to where they need to go."
“At the end of the presentation, we got offers from a bunch of companies that want to support us and partner up with us, like FEMA and Bank of America,” Parcell said. “I was like, okay, this is happening.”
Parcell and Petelin, along with Heaven Gabrielsen, another KSSB student, designed MOVA to transform into a pillow when it was not being used for food storage or transport. The bag also has a 4-in-1 spoon, fork, knife, can opener, retractable flashlight and a wristband attached to the zippers so the contents stay more secure.
The students, known as The Dream Makers, were invited to speak at the Business Solves conference as winners of the Make48 Season 9 national championship in late 2025 with the MOVA prototype. They were the first visually-impaired team to win the project design competition that gives students 48 hours to develop a physical prototype, create a sales sheet, make a one-minute video and pitch the proposal to judges.
Parcell and Petelin said Allstate, Red Cross and Salvation Army also expressed interest in partnering with them as they continue to work on MOVA, hoping to eventually distribute the bags to food pantries so it can serve those who are the most vulnerable to going hungry.
Jon Harding, KSSB superintendent, accompanied Parcell and Petelin on their trip to Washington, D.C. and attended the conference, and said the two students “handled the pressure like pros and delivered a great presentation.” Lydia Moreno, Makerspace and mobile STEM coordinator at KSSB participated in the panel discussion at the Business Solves conference this week with the students.
“They’re up there alongside CEOs and people in charge of corporate giving for multi-million dollar companies,” Moreno said. “So many people came up to them and our table afterwards and were just really moved by their story and loved how real and honest they were. Hopefully this experience will lead more young people to be in these seats and at these tables at this conference.”
The panel discussion can be viewed here, starting at 2:37:29.
Currently Parcell and Petelin are waiting on the MOVA prototype to be modified from the original version. They credit Vicki Davis, an instructional assistant at KSSB, for her continued work on the prototype she helped The Dream Makers develop during the Make48 nationals last year.
Moreno emphasized that while Parcell and Petelin are getting help with the modifications to the prototype and advice on the business development process, all aspects of the project are theirs to direct.
“We’re supporting them with like, ‘here’s the next step’,” she said. “But they’re really the ones leading the creation of the brand and the website and setting up meetings with people locally and following up with everyone we’ve met (at the conference). They’re the ones leading the charge. They’re the magic.”
Editor’s note: Pam Arbeiter, KSSB principal and director of special services, played an integral role during the Make48 national competition last year and was part of the team who accompanied Parcell and Petelin to Washington, D.C. this week.
