The Register, 1998-10-02

              n.c a&t s new york / new jersey connection this unique club was named the best of the year tor 1997-1998 photo by sonia clark / a&t register by sonia clark managing editor the north carolina a&t new york/new jersey connection stresses community building activities to bring its members together here they are shown eating together in the cafeteria wearing their club shirts their motto printed on the front says many places we've seen places we've roamed still new york/new jersey is our home photo by sonia clark / a&t register the ny/nj connection participated in a sleep-out to raise awareness of the homeless problem one member of the group corey alexander describes the club as one big family last christmas the organization bought toys and donated them to the toys for tots program in april ny / nj had a bowl-a-thon for cancer in which each participant's highest score counted towards a pledge the club also participates in the lunch buddy program at washing ton elementary school participating members are assigned a student to tutor and visit at lunchtime accord ing to washington principal doris davis the participants give unself ishly of their time and energy to as sist students each day it is not unusual to see these students eating lunch working one on one with a student or work last november the club co-spon sored a sleep-out with phi beta sigma the event took place in the holland bowl and raised money for the home less participants slept outside over night in spite of the rain and cold weather according to the club's president eric baggett the club is 190 members strong and always busy the club sponsored a number of activities last year a few of which can be deemed selfless and noble who would have thought that a hometown club con sisting of northern folks would survive at an hbcu in the south the new york/new jersey connection ny/nj not only sur vives but it thrives the club consists of a&t students from new york new jersey dela ware and connecticut and was voted sga's outstanding organization of the year for 97-'98 ing with a group of students davis said she added that the club's pres ence at the school is a plus for students and staff the organization was recently as signed a section of 1-85 in the adopt a-highway program they wasted no time in attending to their responsibili ties and did a roadside clean up the week after spring break the club's final endeavor last year was a trip to king's dominion ac cording to baggett the april 11 excur sion was a tremendous success the club filled one bus and sold an addi tional 65 tickets ny/nj also sponsored a battle of the sexes program for both semes ters surrounding colleges came to talk about relationships the room was divided in two groups—women on one side and men on the other senior chuck brown says he gained a lot of insight from the session i think everyone learned a lot from brown an electronics major has been a member of the club for three years ny/nj has a family atmo sphere and you are dealing with people you can relate to he said corey alexander a biology major says that the club members ap proached him at one of a&t's fresh men orientations and they kept in con tact over the summer he too de scribes the club as one big fam temeka evans a physical education major says she found out about the club on the second day of her fresh man year the brooklyn ny native adds that the club finds ways for the members to go places such as the movies bowling and other recre ational activities senior cynthia adams agrees and even adds in time of trouble or need they club members are there for you each other says the queens ny na tive photo by sonia clark / a&t register senior cynthia adams said the club will always help its members she said in time of trouble or need they are there for you ah you have to do is send out the call ny/nj connection members can also be spotted sporting the club's shirt each one is semi-personalized and contains one of several area codes on the back like 212 516 718 201 on the front is the club's creed many places we've seen places we've roamed still new york / new jersey is our home affectionately known as big e baggett said that the club was the first aggie hometown club to have a web page the address is http w3ncat.edu / nynjc / nynjcin.html the club has held two full-body meetings and conducted a roadside clean-up this semester members also participated in the walk-a-thon for diabetes on september 26 all you have to do is send out the call the call adams refers to is a simple ooo-ooh which is playfully but wholeheartedly exchanged by ny / nj members t aggies from the new york/new jersey area come together to do community service