Tyler is the founder of Sensory Inclusion, a 501c3 nonprofit which has equipped 30 venues around Evansville with sensory swag bags that include noise canceling headphones and various fidgets. 

What are your future plans and goals for Sensory Inclusion? Are there any new upcoming projects that you are working on? 
Aside from expanding accessibility to Sensory Swag Bags throughout communities, we are currently working to develop an interactive app called “Heroes Among Us” that will equip schools and nonprofits with curriculum to assist them in educating kids about individuals with sensory needs. It aims to provide a fun way to teach kids about how to recognize and help heroes who have superpowers, such as supersonic hearing.

Are there any valuable lessons you’ve learned from your involvement with Sensory Inclusion? 
I’ve learned that a single conversation can inspire others to look for ways to make a difference. I’ve learned how empowering it can be to step out of one’s comfort zone and take action. Most of all, I’ve learned that helping others is so much more rewarding than anything I’ve ever done to benefit my own interests. My passion for helping people with invisible disabilities has only grown throughout my experience with SI.

Share an example of a time you stepped out of your comfort zone or did something that surprised you.
As a high school student, I never expected to have an opportunity to teach Design Thinking courses to other high school students. However, after receiving a Level 2 certification in Design Thinking from Henry Ford Learning Institute, I was offered a unique opportunity. While it initially seemed a bit overwhelming, I quickly found that I was incredibly passionate about the curriculum and able to easily connect with the students. Seeing the influence the courses had, such as increasing their creative confidence and motivating them to tackle challenges was beyond rewarding, and reaffirmed my commitment to sharing knowledge of Design Thinking with others. Looking back, I’m grateful that others had enough faith in me to offer me such a rewarding experience!

What’s a change you’d like to see in your community/our state?
Introducing students at a young age to design thinking has been shown to increase creative confidence, through equipping students with tools to collaborate with others and drive change. I would love to engage leaders throughout our state to invest in our youth by formalizing programs intended to introduce opportunities for students in middle school to the design thinking curriculum. Ideally, this would create a foundation for students to ultimately participate in a statewide changemaking contest for High School students to showcase their ideas to drive change in communities throughout the great state of Indiana.

What has been your favorite LSN experience?
The 2023 Lilly Scholars Launch was an amazing event because it brought scholars throughout the state together. One of my favorite parts of the experience was having the opportunity to network and to exchange ideas about projects we were passionate about. The guest speaker, Tamika Catchings, was beyond inspirational, as well.

First posted 10/2/2023