WATERLOO – The first annual Tyler Greene Scholarship was awarded to Waterloo West High School senior Sandi Hasanagic.
The $2,500 renewable scholarship is awarded to a student who demonstrates an understanding of ability awareness and inclusion through extracurricular activities, volunteer work or general behavior.
The scholarship was established in memory of Waterloo native Tyler Greene. He had cerebral palsy and other disabilities, which he fully embraced. He spent his life sharing the message of ability awareness - what someone can do is more important than what they cannot do - around the world. He delivered keynote presentations at dozens of national conferences and his DVD, “I’m Tyler…don’t be surprised,” has been distributed to 29 countries.
He was a graduate of West High School, Hawkeye Community College and the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, and was actively involved at First Congregational UCC of Waterloo, Threehouse Collaborative Campus Ministries, local theater and Scouts.
Tyler died in 2021 at age 31 when he was struck by a car.
His parents, Paul and Gina Greene, established the Tyler Greene Fund through the Waterloo Community Foundation. To learn more about the Tyler Greene Fund or about setting up a fund with the Waterloo Community Foundation, visit wloocommunityfoundation.org.