WSU Student Council for Exceptional Children’s Experience at the CEC

National Convention and Expo in Seattle, WA

Beckie Steffen (WSU SCEC Member), Ayleen Forrest (WSU SCEC Secretary), Katie Mauel (WSU SCEC co-president), Stella Denbrook ( WSU SCEC Treasurer)

Keynote speaker Marlee Matlin, spoke about her

experiences as a child and an adult with a hearing loss.

Marlee had many encouraging words for teachers and parents of children with special needs.

We were able to meet the President of CEC, Dr. Kathleen Puckett.

We were also able to meet Dr. James Ysseldyke who is from the University of Minnesota - Minneapolis. He was the recipient of the J.E. Wallace Wallin Lifetime

Achievement Award.

A photo of the outside of the convention center that held the 2009 CEC National Convention and Expo. All of the sessions that we attended took

place in this building.

Inside the convention center• Through the CEC

banners was the Expo floor. We were able to talk to possible future employers, other teachers and students, and sellers of products that we might be using in the our future as special educators.

CEC Conference Sessions• We were able to see Dr.

Danneker in action while she presented her poster session on student led IEPs. Many of the poster sessions offered a lot of useful information and a handout of the presentation for us to bring back to share with other members.

The CEC Scholarship Cruise

• While attending the student panel session, we were each given a ticket to experience a ride on the Royal Argosy along with a free dinner and dance with other CEC student and professional members.

• The WSU SCEC crew enjoying the luxurious experience of the dinner/dance cruise on Puget Sound.

Our Moorhead Friends

• Jill and Chelsey are two members from MSU-Moorhead’s SCEC. We met them at the CEC Minnesota State Conference and met up with them again in Seattle for the National conference!

“Yes I Can!” Awards

• We were also able to hear many stories of success and hardship that the students with special needs had experienced. Every child on that stage is an inspiration and a reminder of why we are pursuing a career in education.

Maddie Knoll, Yes I Can! winner from Lake Elmo MN.