Member Highlights
Student Chapters Share Your Highlights!
Looking for ways to stay connected with our student leaders from around the state, we want to highlight your work. Brag to us at FCEC regarding the benefits of your local student membership.
Share pics and fun tips that have brought you together with our FCEC Student Representative.
Professional Chapters Share Your Highlights!
Let us know about your professional chapter events.
Share stories and photos for posts to social media and our website with our Webmaster and Communications Chair.
FSU Student Chapter
Current executive members at the Involvement Fair, recruiting more members and telling FSU students about CEC
The Florida State University chapter of CEC has been an active organization since the fall of 2017. Their mission is to increase involvement, awareness, and acceptance of the members of the Tallahassee community with varying exceptionalities. They have accomplished this goal through events that focus on volunteer work, fundraising, advocacy, and professional development. Their members range from Special Education majors to students who have limited experience in the field.
According to a chapter representative, " We strive to encourage our members to continue their own involvement in this community post-graduation in the many different careers our members will be entering. We also work to benefit other local organizations and schools through events, including fundraisers to purchase gym uniforms for a local Title I school, autism awareness events on campus, assisting parents in acquiring community resources, aiding children who participate in swim therapy, and many more. We look forward to continuing our community involvement and growing our organization on the FSU campus in the coming years."
Volusia Chapter #0586
Volusia Chapter is Growing! With renewed energy and ideas, this chapter is attracting more teachers through socials with a purpose, activities to take back to the classroom, the addition of a local Yes I Can Awards event, and a growing awards banquet each year. One such event was a December holiday social with a cookie decorating contest, ugly sweater contest, and toy donations were collected for the local Childhood Cancer Foundation.
Gatorland Chapter #1024
Gatorland Chapter 1024 Members Enjoyed Their Time Together at the First Membership Meeting of 2016-2017!
Submitted by Sharon Miller, President
This is what it’s all about! Reconnecting with colleagues we haven’t seen in years and meeting new ones. Reminiscing, catching up, chatting, laughing, sharing and enjoying each other’s company. Exchanging information, ideas, methods, techniques, contacts … the list is endless.
“It” is belonging to Gatorland Chapter 1024! Nineteen educators joined together for the Welcome Back Membership Social at Northwest Grille on Wednesday, September 21, 2016. 5 teachers (including 3 PreK ESE teachers), 2 SLPs, 3 staffing specialists, 1 school psychologist, 2 current SBAC administrators, and 6 retirees (1 teacher, 2 staffing specialists, 1 school psychologist, 2 administrators) attended with one teacher renewing her membership and 5 others joining our Chapter! Each introduced him/herself and counted up the number of years he/she has served children in their respective roles . . . for a total of 555!! A brief history of the Chapter, an overview of what we ‘do,’ a review of the 2015-2016 year highlighting our 3 major successes – obtaining 501(c)(3) status; reconnecting with UF; and resurrecting our annual art auction – were shared. “Art from the Heart” netted the Chapter well over $8,500 including in-kind donations of goods and services! A look at the Top 10 Reasons for Joining CEC completed the program and the gathering ended with all in agreement that the reason to join CEC is to be involved with Gatorland Chapter 1024! We are committed to advocating for and serving our students with special needs and the educators who work with and on behalf of them. That is what it’s all about!
Palm Beach Chapter #0200
Out of the Shadows: Making Global Mental Health a Development Priority
Dr. Fartun Mohamud, FCEC Vice President and CEC Palm Beach Chapter President, was recently invited to participate in a two day series of events, Out of the Shadows: Making Global Mental Health a Development Priority. This high level event was hosted by the World Bank and the World Health Organization during the World Bank-Interagency Monetary Spring Meeting on April 13-14, 2016 in Washington D.C. The event highlighted the “urgent investment needed in mental health services” and showcased many “effective, generalizable, replicable and sustainable innovation” from many different countries.
Dr. Mohamud reports feeling hopeful and energized by the global commitment of scaling up mental health services and accessibilities for ALL.
Big Bend Chapter #0311
Hilary Urbanek, an ESE teacher from Hawks Rise Elementary School in Tallahassee received the honor of being nominated by the Big Bend Chapter for the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) to represent the Chapter at the state competition for the Dr. Jack R. Lamb Rookie Teacher of the Year Award. This is quite an honor and she did a fine job representing the local CEC Chapter. In addition to these awards, the Hawks Rise faculty chose Hilary as its Teacher of the Year for her leadership skills with the school’s ESE department and her love of students and teaching. She works tireless with her students each day and collaborates with parents, faculty, staff and other service providers to continually find the keys to success for her students!
Hilary Urabenk was also selected as Tallahassee's local TV and credit union Teacher of the Month.
Pictured: Ms. Urbanek, Leon County Superintendent of Schools, a representative from WCTV, and a representative from Envision Credit Union.
Palm Beach Chapter #0200
Dr. Jagathy Nair, adjunct instructor at Palm Beach State College’s Teacher Certification Program, was honored as the 2015 Special Education Teacher of the Year by the Palm Beach Chapter of CEC. An expert in Autism Spectrum Disorders, Nair has 21 years of teaching experience and currently works as the elementary ASD classroom teacher at Royal Palm School in Lantana. She also serves as the school’s department chair for K-12 ASD/Dual Diagnosis classrooms.
“I feel humbled and honored to be appreciated for my efforts in the field of exceptional children education,” says Nair. “This award gives me an extra boost—it motivates me to be at my best every single day.” Read more...