Director Cheryl L. Kilough has put her 26 years of computer and educational experience (and certification in 347 computer programs) into the successful opening of this fall’s classes at the Lake Chapala Research Center in Jocotepec.
Kilough is rapidly ticking tasks off her enormous list as she converts the program from a private to public operation in order to receive a broader range of area students. The academy has been privately run for the past three years.
The first phase of this massive project was completed when the new on-site eatery, David’s Restaurant, opened recently under the watchful eye of manager Michael Hernandez. The ever-changing menu developed by Chef Stacey Rocha will feature the unique and creative cuisine she has developed through her 20 years of experience.
Lakesiders are invited to visit and dine at David’s on Saturdays from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Mondays through Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. The restaurant is an integral section of the school and was created to be a financial support to help offset students’ expenses while they attend the computer and English classes at ACT4Life. A major concept at this school is to keep educational costs at a level so low that more students have the opportunity to really learn to use computers and to pursue their dreams. Keeping educational cost at a minimum allows more students the opportunity to gain experience in their chosen field.Getting the computer classes up and running is phase two of the Lake Chapala Research Center. Classes begin at Academic Computer Training for Life (ACT4Life) this fall, with a cost of just 70 pesos an hour. Instruction will be available according to interest and maturity levels for anyone at least 14 years old who is eager to learn new skills.
Adults in the community who want just a few hours training in general computer operation are also invited to take part in this unique system of study which offers what students need, when they need it via audio-video training.
All ACT4Life students will be required to take a basic computer class to refresh the memory or explain for the first time how to use operating systems, as well as the basic do’s and don’ts of computing. The mysteries of Windows XP, 7 and 8 will be quickly conquered as fears and frustrations vanish.
Classes will be available for those who want to learn how to use tablets and how to communicate with friends in other parts of the world via Facebook, Skype, iMessage or any of the other social media portals. Among the most popular classes will be those that allow students to learn to create art with Illustrator or CorelDraw. Others look forward to conquering photo manipulation with Photoshop.
Phase three will see the launch of “Expressions,” a unique language arts school with innovative and creative ideas for learning both Spanish and English. When all phases of ACT4Life are completed, this facility will offer over 2,500 classes in English and 500 classes in Spanish. All of the language classes are ten pesos an hour, and are audio/video based and do not require any special books, just a set of headphones and a desire to learn. Students can stay for one hour or as many as they want in a single day at that same 10-peso per hour rate.
Most courses can be mastered in three months by those who show effort and desire. At the conclusion of each course a certificate of completion will be awarded.
Finally, phase four will mark the completion and opening of the Lake Chapala Research Center Library, which will include 80,000 resources and more than 3,000 videos.
The Chapala Resource Center and ACT4Life school and David’s Restaurant are located in a two-story red brick building at the eastern entrance of Jocotepec at the intersection with the new Jocotepec libramiento. Transportation is easy. The bus stops right in front of the school complex.
Director Kilough has more than 26 years experience in computers and education, but is not the average educator. She doesn’t believe in wasting time with subjects that bore students and take them down dead-end streets. Many of her students graduate before they are 16 years old with 4.0 averages and tremendous entrepreneurial interests and spirits.
This new-concept school has a bit of mystery attached to its creator/founder/director/CEO, who has accomplished so much in so little time. While Kilough gives this mystery person all of the credit, she will also disappoint readers by relating the benefactor’s desire to remain anonymous. “I can tell you that this program works,” she said. “It works well. If I can learn all those computer programs anyone can learn as much as they want right here in Jocotepec.”
Registration for Microsoft Office suite classes will begin on Monday, August 18. Those sessions will bring students up to speed in Microsoft Word, Access, Acrobat, Excel and PowerPoint. For more information email Kilough at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call (33) 1434-2289.