An important and special community project in Zihuatanejo
is the Netzahualcoyotl Primary School, which is receiving local and
international support from local businesses and individuals, tourists,
the boating community, and now Rotary International.
The mission of the Escuela Federal Primaria Bilingue "Netzahualcoyotl" is unique and important in the Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa
region. Prevented from enrolling in one of the 100 local Spanish-speaking
public primary schools because of their inability to speak Spanish and
often extreme poverty (lack of shoes, decent clothes, money for the
required uniforms, etc.), local indigenous ("Indian") children can attend,
for free, this "alternative school". It was founded in 1994
by current Director Marina Sanchez Hernandez with 2 teachers and 20
children under a tree. Parents and teachers soon got together and built
a small courtyard of primitive classrooms in the heart of the local
"Colonia Primer Paso" neighborhood overlooking central Zihuatanejo.
