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03/01/2024 11:21 AMThe Dare Greatly Foundation is offering 10 $1,000 scholarships to Connecticut high school seniors seeking to continue their education, whether it be in college, trade school, or technical school. The foundation was formed in memory of Staff Sergeant Tanner Romanos, a graduate of The Morgan School in Clinton.
When he was a student in high school, Tanner Romanos was well known for his ability to get along with pretty much anybody.
“Tanner was very inclusive. He would talk to anyone, anywhere, and make friends with them. We want to carry on that legacy,” explained Tanner’s father, Matt Romanos.
Tanner, a 2013 graduate of The Morgan School, was a member of the varsity golf team and helped deliver the school’s first-ever state championship.
“Tanner was a very important member of that golf team,” said Eric Bergman, a former teacher of Tanner and the coach of the golf team.
Despite Tanner’s athletic prowess, as a teacher, Bergman also observed Tanner’s penchant for making friends with kids from all different social cliques.
“He was a multi-talented kid who was into music and golf; [he] didn’t have one focus or just one group of friends. He got along with kids from all different groups, and that’s something I admired about him; that’s not easy to do as a teenager,” Bergman said.
After graduation, Tanner joined the Air Force and was deployed to Europe and the Middle East. During his time in the service, Tanner received the Air and Space Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service.
Tragically, Tanner was killed in a motorcycle accident in December 2022 at just 27 years old. Following Tanner’s passing and observing just how many people from different walks of life were touched by Tanner, Matt Romanos founded the Dare Greatly Foundation to carry on Tanner’s legacy.
Shortly before Tanner left for basic training, his father gifted him with a framed quote from President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous Man in the Arena speech. The phrase “Dare Greatly” from the speech struck a chord with Tanner, so much so that he got it tattooed on his arm. That phrase inspired the foundation that aims to carry on what Tanner stood for.
“It literally started at his service when a friend of mine and I said we have to do something to carry on his legacy,” Matt Romanos explained.
What they came up with is the Dare Greatly Foundation, which seeks to “recognize and support young people who embody good character, strong morals, honesty, integrity, respect, and a passion for civic duty, volunteering, and helping others,” according to the foundation website.
As a year one goal, Romanos said the foundation wanted to raise $10,000 to be able to offer 10 $1,000 scholarships to high school students in Connecticut. “We hit that goal, and we are now offering the scholarships,” Romanos said.
One thing that Romanos stressed is that the scholarships are not just for students who are going on to college next year.
“We didn’t want to be limited in that way. If you’re someone like Tanner was, where you didn’t know necessarily what’s next, we want to level the playing field a bit and find a diverse group of kids who are following their passions,” Romanos said.
To qualify for the scholarship, each applicant must be a Connecticut resident seeking a higher education opportunity with a 2.5 GPA or higher.
An application form is available online at daregreatlyfoundation.org. The application should include community service and volunteer information, a 500-word essay describing why you believe you deserve this scholarship, high school transcripts, two letters of recommendation, and a video stating “What Dare Greatly Means to you.”
The deadline for the applications is April 15, and winners will be announced by May 1. For more specifics on the application process, visit daregreatlyfoundation.org.
“For me, this is personal. I want to do this for Tanner and carry on his legacy and what he was about,” Romanos said.
As a foundation just over a year old, Romanos noted it is still growing. Romanos said the organization is developing a curriculum aimed at educating 5th graders on topics like mental health, substance abuse prevention, and positive growth.
Romanos said that everything related to the foundation is volunteer-based.
“Everything we raise goes right to funding the scholarships,” Romanos said. Donations are accepted on the website, and a golf tournament is planned in Connecticut for summer 2024.
For more information, visit www.daregreatlyfoundation.org.