About Us

Overview

Mayatan Bilingual School is a private, non-profit, independent school owned and operated by the Mayatan Foundation, a Honduran non-profit ogranization. Using foreign volunteers and a permanent Honduran staff, the school offers instruction in English and Spanish to some 300 students ranging from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Except for volunteers' children, all students come Copán Ruinas and neighboring communities. About 45% of students receive scholarship support. The school was founded in 1991 by mothers who wanted local children to learn English and receive a quality education. It is affiliated with U.S. 501(c)3 organization Hope for Tomorrow, Inc., and it is a member of the Association of Bilingual Schools of Honduras (ABSH).

Mission

Mayatan Bilingual School is dedicated to providing a diverse population of students, from pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade, with the best bilingual education possible, thereby giving them the tools to become active, responsible, and informed participants in their local, national, and global communities.

Vision

Mayatan Bilingual School's vision is for our students to graduate and integrate into their community as responsible, productive citizens who are dedicated to the development and modernization of our country while honoring our culture and heritage.

Education for Students from All Backgrounds

Bilingual education is often well beyond the means of all but the wealthiest families in a country like Honduras, where urban bilingual schools cost as much as private schools in the United States.

Mayatan aims to make an excellent bilingual education available, not just to the elite, but to students from middle and lower income backgrounds. 40% of Mayatan students receive financial aid from the Mayatan Foundation or foreign and local businesses, organizations, and individuals. Moreover, our school is priced to meet the needs and abilities of our rural population.

Mayatan works  to continually expand its capacity to educate the children of Copán. We offer our sincerest thanks to everyone past and present who has made our journey possible: teachers, school staff, board members, volunteers, parents, and friends in Honduras and abroad. To find out more about how you can invest in the future of Mayatan Bilingual School, please visit the Support Us page.

Our Staff

Mayatan teachers and staff are committed to creating a supportive environment that responds to and challenges all students, regardless of ethnicity, religion, language, culture, or socio-economic status.

Our employees are a mix of foreign volunteers and Honduran professionals who are committed to our mission. Foreign volunteers commit a minimum of one year, and often more, to bring English-language skills and new opportunities to the children of Copán. Our local staff members are the backbone of the school and important members of the community. Their dedication has helped the school progress from its early days as a one-room schoolhouse to its current position as the foremost educational opportunity in Copán Ruinas.