From its humble beginnings nearly fourteen years ago with forty indigenous street children gathered to study under a tree, to its second annual gala celebration, A Night of Aztec Culture, held last February at the elegant La Cala restaurant, the Netzahualcoyotl School (or Netza School) for indigenous and other deserving children, continues to break new ground in its mission to provide a quality, cooperative (and free, where necessary) multi-lingual education for over 450 of Zihuatanejo’s most needy, yet most determined youth.
Unique and creative partnerships with international, community and civic resources have helped propel The Netza School’s expansion from seven rustic wood and tarpaper classrooms and 140 students just six years ago to a permanent cement campus of over a dozen safe classroom buildings, a kitchen, dormitory and covered playground. However, it has really been the drive of the sixteen teachers, hundreds of local parents, and the school’s founder and directora, Marina Sanchez Hernandez, who have made the proud model school what it is today: the best quality and the largest state-certified public school in Guerrero serving a multi-lingual population.
Netza is one of only twenty-two escuela migrantes (migrant schools) in the state, and it is the only such school in the Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo region that honors and teaches the four native indigenous languages: Nahuatl, Amusgo, Tlapaneco and Mixteco, as well as the full public school curriculum. It is also the only school that will accept children regardless of their language, their families’ ability to pay enrollment, or have uniforms, shoes and school supplies – all mandatory in other public schools. Indeed, the collective spirit typical of the indigenous people – combined with the lively philanthropic energy of the growing international Zihuatanejo community – has made the Netza primary school and kindergarten a shining star of hope and pride for so many. As any visitor to the school will tell you, it’s a truly special place where all are welcome: students, teachers and volunteers alike.
Inspired by the story and vision of the Netza School, The Netza Project was created in 2005 as a U.S. non-profit charitable organization to further the collaborative work of the school, and annual Netza Project scholarships help deserving youth continue their education into middle school (secondaria) and beyond. The Netza Project held it’s second annual gala, A Night of Aztec Culture, on February 22, 2007. Over 30 students from age four to 17 and teachers in native dress greeted and entertained guests with traditional dances and songs sung in Nahuatl and Spanish. The closing tune, Louis Armstrong’s classic What a Wonderful World, was sung in English by the children and led by volunteer music teacher Kim Marcoux of Buena Vista and Rhode Island. Event guests were invited to sing along, and there was not a dry eye in the house among the hundred or so locals and tourists who had spent the evening mingling with the children, shopping the elegant silent auction, sipping cocktails, and just soaking up the live music and magical camaraderie in the elegant waterfront setting. Upon departing, every guest was presented with a handmade beaded friendship bracelet and a thank you letter written by the students.
School founder Marina Sanchez Hernandez, herself a Nahuatl indigenous woman from the remote mountain village of Copalillo deep in the Sierra Madre, spoke eloquently about the dream she had of building a decent school for Mexico’s poorest children, many of them indigenous. “Together, we have accomplished in five or six years what would have taken ten or twelve, or perhaps never happened,” she stated. “All children deserve a chance to learn and have a better future free from poverty,” she noted, “and that is the important work of all our many hands and hearts. From my heart, I thank you all.”
Represented at the event as well was long-time Netza supporter Gloria Bellack of the Bellack Education Foundation who pledged renewed annual direct support for the Netza dormitory, the only shelter of its type built to house up to 40 boys and girls who are at-risk of not attending school due to distance or disrupted home situations.
Representatives from Zihua SailFest/Por Los Ninos de Zihuatanejo, Rotary International, and private donors and friends new and old came forth to celebrate the school’s progress, its remarkably vibrant diversity, and future goals. These include building six more classrooms and a library/computer lab; continuing to offer scholarships that help students move beyond Netza’s 6th grade; breaking ground on a badly needed all-new 200 child kindergarten; and expanding its dormitory, adult education, micro-credit, and student scholarship programs. La Cala generously donated the venue and refreshments, and over $30,000 USD was raised for The Netza Project.
A highlight of the evening was when six Netza alumni students came forward to speak about their dreams and their gratitude for the Netza Project’s annual scholarships and mentoring which has helped them continue into middle school, high school and beyond. Lucilla Garcia Tolentino is presently enrolled in her first year at Zihuatanejo’s new Collegio de Tourismo: 11 years ago she was age six, barefoot, selling Chiclets on the beach and just entering the rustic Netza primary school. She proudly spoke in English of her appreciation for her education and bright career options.
Scholarship patrons Linda and George Stevenson of Evanston, Illinois have been sponsoring Federico, age 15, for three years and shared their feelings on the experience of exchanging letters and photos, and getting to know him on their annual vacation. George’s comment summed up nicely what The Netza School is all about. “We’re not sure just yet what young Federico wants to be or do when he grows up, but what we do know is that with his clear determination and intelligence, and with education, he’ll be able to do it.”
The little school for indigenous children has certainly come a long way. The real product, however, is not its nice new buildings and expanding campus. It’s the confident smiles and voices of children and adults who’ve been re-empowered to pursue new social and economic options, regardless of their language or heritage. This is a lesson we can all continue to relearn, and to teach.
To learn more about The Netza School, The Netza Project and ways to get involved, please visit www.netzaproject.org. The U.S. mailing address for The Netza Project is P.O. Box 10411, Bainbridge Island, WA 98110.
