The Student Council for Exceptional Children held their first meeting of the spring semester Thursday and talked about the group’s activities for the rest of the year.

The SCEC is Eastern’s student branch of Council for Exceptional Children.

The organization is for special education majors and anyone interested in reaching out to special education children, gaining experience and meeting graduation requirements.

The SCEC brings in speakers for its members and has events and activities such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and Polar Plunge.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is a new program for SCEC, said Lindsey Dalesandro, president of SCEC and a special and elementary education major.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is enlisting the help of the SCEC members to assist students in the local towns of Kansas and Humboldt.

Big Brothers Big Sisters is looking to start a registered student organization on campus, said Curtis Ropiequet, the enrollment and matching specialist for Big Brothers Big Sisters.

The idea is for Big Brothers Big Sisters to bring together mentors and kids on campus for events like basketball or football games and movies.

“We need Big Brothers, we never run out of kids,” Ropiequet said.

The Polar Plunge is scheduled for March 6 at Lake Sara in Effingham. Participants will gather donations for the Special Olympics and plunge into the cold water to get a rubber duck.

The Polar Plunge is an annual event to raise funds for the Special Olympics.

Special education majors are required to be a part of a professional organization to graduate.

In order for the SCEC to count as their professional organization requirement, the student must earn eight points through the SCEC.

Dalesandro explained that the point system is used to encourage student involvement.

“This is my second semester. I really enjoyed last year,” said Gina Bierman, a junior special education major and member of the SCEC. “It’s a very good way to get students involved with kids, and it gives you good experience.”

James Roedl can be reached at 581-7942 or jmroedl@eiu.edu.