About A.M.A.
Those who become part of AMA join a community of learners, educators, and leaders dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, character, and meaningful change.
“More than one language. More than one perspective. A world of possibilities.”
Marco Cordedda
Our Mission
The mission of Atitlán Multicultural Academy (AMA) is to provide a high-quality, English-medium education to children in the Guatemalan Highlands. Our students come from a wide range of cultural, social, and economic backgrounds, reflecting the rich diversity of Panajachel and the surrounding communities.
At AMA, we believe that a strong international education should complement—not replace—a student’s cultural identity. We celebrate each child’s unique background while preparing students to communicate confidently across languages and cultures. Students receive formal Spanish and Kaqchikel instruction, in addition to the core classes which are taught in English. Our goal is for students to become bilingual while developing a deep sense of pride in who they are and where they come from.
AMA serves students from Pre-K through 12th grade and is located in Panajachel, Sololá, Guatemala, on the shores of beautiful Lake Atitlán, surrounded by the region’s iconic volcanoes. Our faculty brings together educators from Guatemala and around the world, creating a multicultural learning environment that reflects the global perspective we seek to instill in our students. AMA is authorized by Guatemala’s Ministerio de Educación and combines rigorous academics with an appreciation for the languages, cultures, and communities that make our region unique.
Upon graduation, AMA students are prepared to pursue a variety of paths. Some continue their education at universities in Guatemala, the United States, Europe, or elsewhere abroad, while others enter the workforce equipped with strong English and Spanish skills, academic preparation, and the confidence to pursue competitive professional opportunities in Guatemala, the Lake Atitlán region, and beyond.
Above all, AMA seeks to prepare students not only for what comes next academically or professionally, but to become capable, confident, and culturally grounded young adults who are proud of where they come from and prepared to thrive wherever their futures may take them.
2005
AMA was founded
2200+
Students
200+
High school graduates
About Us
Atitlán Multicultural Academy (AMA) is a private accredited school in Panajachel, Guatemala, and we are currently the only international school in the region that offers Pre-K through 12th grade. The purpose of our school is to provide an English-Immersion education for students, understanding that the knowledge of multiple languages opens our minds and hearts to help people and strive for a brighter future.
The majority of our students are Guatemalan, with Spanish being their native language, and a few of them also speak Kaqchikel. We also occasionally have students who come from other countries around the world, with native languages such as Danish, Dutch, German, etc. Our teachers come from different countries and cultures, providing a multicultural experience for our students. They teach using the Common Core Standards set by the United States, while also complying with the standards set by the Guatemala National Base Curriculum (Curriculo Nacional Base de Guatemala, CNB.) Students receive their main education in English, while also receiving classes in Spanish and Kaqchikel.
AMA was founded in the year 2005, and now in 2026, we have nearly 130 students from Pre-Kindergarten to 12th grade. Marco Corddeda became the owner in 2012, and he has since been committed to providing the best quality education possible with the resources available. Marco has a Masters Degree in Arts. He taught Figurative Arts in the Florence Academy of Arts in Italy for five years. Marco also holds a Doctorate in Economy and Trade from the University of Pisa, Italy. He has forty years of experience as an Economist, working around the world for the European Union, Italian Cooperation, UNDP, etc. For several years, he has been the Italian Honorary Consul for the Department of Sololá, Guatemala, and he holds the title of “Knight of Italian Solidarity Star.” Marco and his wife, Irene, moved to Guatemala in 1991, and they are a well-known couple in our town. They are known for being incredibly generous and thoughtful people, and they are very involved in our community. They host weekly dinners with different volunteer groups from a local non-profit organization, as well as sponsor several students at AMA, as they feel it is their purpose and gives them great fulfillment.
It has been wonderful to watch AMA alumni go on to study at the university level here as well as in other countries around the world. About 14% of AMA students go on to study at the university level, and we hope that number will continue to rise. One alumnus graduated from Harvard University and is now working as a lawyer. Another is an ecologist working with a non-profit organization here in Guatemala. Many alumni are working in the tourism industry in Guatemala thanks to their English aptitude, and one alumnus is an engineer studying a subspecialty in Europe. We hope that we will continue to see many alumni go on to have successful and meaningful careers in many different areas that fulfill their unique talents and passions.