WATERLOO - When Tyler Greene decided to create and distribute a DVD for his Eagle Scout project on ability awareness, he took on an ambitious project.

His accomplishments in the two years since sum up his message: What a person can do is more important than what a person can't.

Greene, a senior at West High School, suffers from cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair. He created "I'm Tyler (don't be surprised)" with the help of others and met his initial goal of distributing the DVD to administrators of all 365 public school districts in Iowa. Distribution did not stop at the borders, though.

"It's in all 50 states and 18 countries," Tyler says.

"About 4,600 now, I think, have gone out," his father, Paul, adds.

The DVD's popularity catapulted Tyler into another role - speaker at workshops and conferences.

"I've been presenting all over," he says.

Appearances include stops in Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana and as far away as Connecticut and Washington, D.C. Tyler has done about 25 presentations so far.

Early next month, he will be recognized for his efforts by the Council for Exceptional Children, the leading professional association for special educators. He will receive one of 28 Yes I Can awards during the organization's conference April 4 in Boston. His award will be for self-advocacy, one of nine categories.

"Yeah, it really was just amazing," Tyler says.

His mother, Gina, also was impressed.

"It was just exciting to be nominated, let alone get the award," she says.

Lynda Van Kuren, a spokeswoman for the Council for Exceptional Children, said the organization received more than 250 nominations this year for the awards, which have been given since 1982. A selection committee looks at what the nominees have achieved in relation to their disabilities. She said the group also considers the impact of those achievements on the students and their communities.

"And Tyler certainly has impacted the community and beyond," she says.

Van Kuren noted the DVD highlights Tyler's involvement in activities, like karate and theater, that "many would think a student with disabilities could not do." In addition, she praised his efforts to distribute the DVD.

"He is spreading that word far better than any of us can."

Tyler is surprised at how successful the effort has been. A day never goes by without some feedback or orders for the DVD via e-mail. The response comes from places as far away as Saudi Arabia, New Zealand and England. Schools, universities, churches, support groups and corporations use the DVD, as well as the Iowa Department of Corrections.

"It's really cool to see the power of communication and e-mail," Tyler says. "It just blew up, and I don't know how."

Tyler's parents contribute time to the effort to distribute the DVDs and make presentations.

"It averages out to be probably a little bit better than two hours a day," Paul says.

The audiences Tyler has addressed ranged from 40 to 700 people. Each presentation was customized to the group.

"To get a presentation, Tyler has to work," Gina says. "He spends hours going over what he's going to do."

After graduation, Tyler plans to attend Hawkeye Community College, but he will continue the speaking engagements.

Van Kuren says her organization gives out the Yes I Can awards for a couple of reasons.

"Very often students with disabilities work extremely hard and make phenomenal progress and are not recognized in school," she says.

The other reason is to build awareness of students with disabilities.

"They're quite capable, and it's important that the rest of society know that."

Contact Andrew Wind

at (319) 291-1507 or

andrew.wind@wcfcourier.com.