BY SANDRA GUY, SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

The dimly lit storefront looks more like a nightclub than a technology center.  That's just as well because exceeding expectations is what this learning center in the heart of Chicago's Puerto Rican community is all about. It's called Batey Urbano, and unlike many of its counterparts, it is run by a group of students from colleges throughout Chicago. The eight key players attend Northeastern Illinois University, the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois at Chicago.

"From the beginning, the idea was to create a space for arts, activism and technology," said Michael Rodriguez, a recent Northeastern graduate. "The Batey," as the meeting place is known, opened in March 2002 at 2647 W. Division.

The Batey's sole staff member works for Americorps, the national service corps, and its programs are funded by a patchwork of grants, community donations and money the group's members make from performances in poetry and the arts.  The first program had college students teaching other college students computer design on software programs such as QuarkXPress, Adobe PhotoShop and Adobe Illustrator.

The next offering was Batey Tech, a 10-week summer program for high-school students. They learned how to use the Web and computer-aided design to create books and CDs of their poetry, music and art, as well as an interactive timeline of Puerto Rican history dating to the late 1800s. The students take an unmistakable joy in learning about and celebrating their native culture in an egalitarian environment.

"It's like we're friends and family," said Che Guevara, a freshman at the Don Pedro Albizu Campos high school, which is run by the Puerto Rican Cultural Center.  Guevara hopes to make a career in art, though he's not sure what form it will take. He appreciated the summer program not only for the layout and design skills he gained, but for his newfound ability to teach others in the neighborhood.

Damian Nunez, a junior at Lincoln Park High School, started toying with what he calls "a real old Mac" computer in second grade. He wants to work in Web design or software development, and found himself right at home at the Batey.

Monique Delgado, a senior at Campos, was amazed how on a computer she could build on her typing skills. Her goal is to become a lawyer. Gabriel Mercado, a Lincoln Park High School sophomore, was thrilled at the chance to record a track of songs, thanks to the help of a college student friendly to the Batey's program. The students spent hours recording the songs they wrote, dubbed and performed.

They also collaborated on the design of local college publications aimed at Puerto Rican students--"100 by 35" for the University of Chicago; "El Grito Borincano" for the University of Illinois, and "Que Ondee Sola" for Northeastern Illinois University. The students' work exposes their passions, their rages and their politics. Topics range from a lack of faculty diversity to an illustrated explanation of Bomba, an Afro-Puerto Rican music, song and dance. Next up for Batey Tech is a fall program in which tutors will help high school students with math, science and reading and coordinate those skills with computer learning, said Nanett Toro, a senior at the University of Chicago and a Puerto Rico native who is one of the group of students running the Batey.

The college students involved in the collective hope to some day install wireless hot spots, working with the Juan Antonio Corretjer Puerto Rican Cultural Center, along the four blocks on Division between Western and California avenues known as Paseo Boricua. The hot spots would enhance businesses' use of the Web and community online access, said co-op member Michael Reyes, a student at Northeastern.

The Batey also sponsors fun programs, including "Poetry with Purpose" readings on Thursday nights; hip-hop expression on Fridays, and "Cultural Engagement," a selection of plays and art displays, on Saturdays. Regardless of the program, a sign inside reinforces the cooperative's philosophy: "No racist, sexist or homophobic language." Such programs can actually bring about improvement in a community's health because they reinforce positive behaviors in a safe and interesting environment for young people, says UIC Professor Michele Kelley. "In advantaged communities, people can join health clubs and hire people to help them manage a healthier lifestyle," said Kelley, associate professor in UIC's School of Public Health. "In this community, the Batey and other local programs can serve that purpose and reach youth who may be excluded from opportunities to improve their health."

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