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                         May 2, 2003

Story and photos by Kathy Eastwood
Staff Writer 

Cadet 1st Class Kate Briny paints the face of Andrew Manous during an Easter party at MacArthur Barracks, April 23. The party, held for "exceptional families" here, is the brainchild of BS&L professor, Marjorie Carroll.

Members of the Caring Cadets Network and the psychology department here hosted an Easter party for West Point community "exceptional" children April 23 at MacArthur Barracks.

Children decorated cupcakes, played pin the tail on the bunny, found lost eggs and had their faces painted.

"This is a lot of fun for the kids and they seem to get a real kick out of all the activities," said psychology major Cadet 1st Class Kate Briny.

Cadet 1st Class Mike Hastings shows Abby Manous the finer points of egg decorating.

The Caring Cadet Network was started by Maj. Dan Koprowski, an assistant history professor here, and his wife Jen. The program pairs cadets with special needs families to serve as positive role models outside of educational settings.

Marjorie Carroll, an assistant psychology professor in the Behavioral Science and Leadership department, started hosting parties for exceptional families to celebrate holidays like Halloween and Easter. Through these parties, she said, exceptional children, and their parents, find support and socialization.

The first party was a Halloween party held in October 2002 here.

"It’s important that exceptional children be able to socialize with their peers to give them a sense of acceptance and to learn how to just be a kid," Carroll said.

Sixteen children attended the Easter event. One of the participants, Andrew Manous, said one event stands out for him.

"I like getting my face painted, on both sides," he explained. "It looks kind of cool," he said.