Spring Break
RSO Spotlight
This Week: Council for Exceptional Children
Chelsea Peck, Daily Vidette Staff Writer
Issue date: 10/15/08 Section: News
The Council for Exceptional Children is a Registered Student Organization comprised of mostly education majors.
The members of the group use their time to work with children from such groups as the Autism Society of McLean County and the Central Illinois Down Syndrome Organization.
"Along with helping each group with their fundraisers, we also work with them on nights that the parents get together and need people to spend time with their kids," AJ Darnell, junior special education major and president of CEC, said.
"Other activities we do include flag football, bowling, helping with music and acting camps, and going with groups of kids to Rising Star Academy, which is a gymnastics area."
The RSO was formed about 25 years ago with the intention of giving education majors the opportunity to spend time with children with special needs. Students involved in the group meet the first Tuesday of every month in DeGarmo Hall, room 206.
"The first part of the meeting usually consists of a speaker coming in to talk about a special education issue," Jeffrey Bakken, special education department chair and advisor to CEC, said. "It could be someone from ISU, an organization from town or a parent talking about having a student with a disability."
"The second part of the meeting is looking at volunteering activities or fundraising activities. They have bake sales, they sell t-shirts and other things. They put that money back into the organization."
Darnell became involved in the group as a freshman after speaking with an advisor about different opportunities to get involved on-campus. Darnell encourages students of any major to become involved.
"This organization encourages everyone to become more aware of different disabilities and situations that individuals live with everyday," Darnell said. "It also spends a great deal of their time volunteering and providing volunteer opportunities for everyone because that is the core of what we do."
"Each semester, students get certificates showing how much time they have put in," Bakken added. "They need a minimum of five hours. Many students come out with 25 hours or more."
"The certificate is signed by me and can be put into their portfolio. You can never have too many experiences."
The RSO gives members the chance to interact with children with special needs outside of a classroom.
CEC currently has between 50 and 60 members, and students of any major interested in volunteering and being involved with the organization can contact the group at isucec@yahoo.com or attend a meeting for more information.
The members of the group use their time to work with children from such groups as the Autism Society of McLean County and the Central Illinois Down Syndrome Organization.
"Along with helping each group with their fundraisers, we also work with them on nights that the parents get together and need people to spend time with their kids," AJ Darnell, junior special education major and president of CEC, said.
"Other activities we do include flag football, bowling, helping with music and acting camps, and going with groups of kids to Rising Star Academy, which is a gymnastics area."
The RSO was formed about 25 years ago with the intention of giving education majors the opportunity to spend time with children with special needs. Students involved in the group meet the first Tuesday of every month in DeGarmo Hall, room 206.
"The first part of the meeting usually consists of a speaker coming in to talk about a special education issue," Jeffrey Bakken, special education department chair and advisor to CEC, said. "It could be someone from ISU, an organization from town or a parent talking about having a student with a disability."
"The second part of the meeting is looking at volunteering activities or fundraising activities. They have bake sales, they sell t-shirts and other things. They put that money back into the organization."
Darnell became involved in the group as a freshman after speaking with an advisor about different opportunities to get involved on-campus. Darnell encourages students of any major to become involved.
"This organization encourages everyone to become more aware of different disabilities and situations that individuals live with everyday," Darnell said. "It also spends a great deal of their time volunteering and providing volunteer opportunities for everyone because that is the core of what we do."
"Each semester, students get certificates showing how much time they have put in," Bakken added. "They need a minimum of five hours. Many students come out with 25 hours or more."
"The certificate is signed by me and can be put into their portfolio. You can never have too many experiences."
The RSO gives members the chance to interact with children with special needs outside of a classroom.
CEC currently has between 50 and 60 members, and students of any major interested in volunteering and being involved with the organization can contact the group at isucec@yahoo.com or attend a meeting for more information.
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