Mazapan school
Encyclopedia
Mazapan School is a small PK-12 co-educational bilingual school offering a US-style college preparatory instruction program. Owned and operated by Standard Fruit de Honduras (Dole), Mazapan School is located in La Ceiba
, Honduras
. Founded in 1928, the landscaped campus is located on 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) in a quiet, peaceful, and secured subdivision near the center of the city. Amidst the lush, tropical vegetation, the 308 students attending Mazapan School become fluent in both English
and Spanish
, and receive a U.S. High School diploma and a Honduran Baccalaureate degree.
(today, known as Dole
) was faced with the dilemma of keeping valuable expatriate employees with children in La Ceiba
, Honduras
. A lack of an American-style school meant children had to be sent to boarding school
s in the USA at a young age. This need gave birth to the idea of starting a school. As a result, Mazapan School, fully owned and operated by the Company, opened its doors on March 12, 1928, with Grades 1-6 with 38 students.
Today, the Mazapan School is located on 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land in the heart of the city. A coeducational, day school, it offers bilingual (English/Spanish) educational programs from grades PK through 12 with the continued support of Dole. Upon graduation, Mazapan students are conferred an American High School Diploma, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
(SACS), and a Honduran Bachillerato Diploma, accredited by the Honduran Ministry of Education
Of the 308 students enrolled, 90% are Honduran, 7% American and 3% third nationals. One hundred percent of our graduates are offered admission to universities in the USA, Latin America
or Europe
, with approximately 50% of the graduates attending American universities and the rest studying in Latin America
.
), and the Honduran Ministry of Education. A U.S. High School Diploma and the Honduran Bachillerato can both be obtained giving students the choice of attending a Latin American University or a U.S. University after graduation.
now prekinder to 12
Mazapan is also a member of AASCA (Association of American Schools in Central America
), ABSH (Association of Bilingual Schools of Honduras), NASS,
IRC (Inter-regional Center) and AAIE (Association of American International Education).
La Ceiba
La Ceiba is a port city on the northern coast of Honduras in Central America. It is located on the southern edge of the Caribbean, forming part of the south eastern boundary of the Gulf of Honduras...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. Founded in 1928, the landscaped campus is located on 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) in a quiet, peaceful, and secured subdivision near the center of the city. Amidst the lush, tropical vegetation, the 308 students attending Mazapan School become fluent in both English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, and receive a U.S. High School diploma and a Honduran Baccalaureate degree.
History
Mazapan School was founded in the early 1920s by the Standard Fruit CompanyStandard Fruit Company
Standard Fruit Company was established in the United States in 1924 by The Vaccaro Brothers. Its forerunner was started in 1899, when Sicilian immigrants Joseph, Luca and Felix Vaccaro, together with Salvador D'Antoni, began importing bananas to New Orleans from La Ceiba, Honduras...
(today, known as Dole
Dole Food Company
Dole Food Company, Inc. is an American-based agricultural multinational corporation headquartered in Westlake Village, California. The company is the largest producer of fruits and vegetables in the world, operating with 74,300 full-time and seasonal employees who are responsible for over 300...
) was faced with the dilemma of keeping valuable expatriate employees with children in La Ceiba
La Ceiba
La Ceiba is a port city on the northern coast of Honduras in Central America. It is located on the southern edge of the Caribbean, forming part of the south eastern boundary of the Gulf of Honduras...
, Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
. A lack of an American-style school meant children had to be sent to boarding school
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
s in the USA at a young age. This need gave birth to the idea of starting a school. As a result, Mazapan School, fully owned and operated by the Company, opened its doors on March 12, 1928, with Grades 1-6 with 38 students.
Today, the Mazapan School is located on 5 acres (20,234.3 m²) of land in the heart of the city. A coeducational, day school, it offers bilingual (English/Spanish) educational programs from grades PK through 12 with the continued support of Dole. Upon graduation, Mazapan students are conferred an American High School Diploma, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
(SACS), and a Honduran Bachillerato Diploma, accredited by the Honduran Ministry of Education
Of the 308 students enrolled, 90% are Honduran, 7% American and 3% third nationals. One hundred percent of our graduates are offered admission to universities in the USA, Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
or Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, with approximately 50% of the graduates attending American universities and the rest studying in Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Accreditation
Mazapan School is accredited by the SACS (US Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsSouthern Association of Colleges and Schools
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
), and the Honduran Ministry of Education. A U.S. High School Diploma and the Honduran Bachillerato can both be obtained giving students the choice of attending a Latin American University or a U.S. University after graduation.
now prekinder to 12
Mazapan is also a member of AASCA (Association of American Schools in Central America
Association of American Schools in Central America
The Association of American Schools of Central America is an association of twenty-two private schools "formed to support and encourage academic, artistic, athletic and cultural interaction between international schools that offer a US type education in Central America."-Vision:"AASCA will be a...
), ABSH (Association of Bilingual Schools of Honduras), NASS,
IRC (Inter-regional Center) and AAIE (Association of American International Education).