Niños del Sol is a U.S. based 501(c)(3) noprofit charity that administers and provides fiscal sponsorship to a unique environmentally focused elementary school, Costa Verde International School, in Sayulita, Mexico.

Costa Verde International School was created as a way for the community to take action on two pressing local concerns: the encroaching threat of over-development, and the lack of educational and community resources in the region that equip children and adults to become active problem-solvers, pursue fulfilling careers and lead positive community change.

Niños del Sol also attracts partners from all over the world who want to support a change in educational practices as well as environmental consciousness. Environmentalists and advocates in the "green school" movement world-wide are contributing to and learning from Costa Verde`s multi-generational approach to building an environmentally sustainable community while fostering economic equity and social integrity.

In 2006 Costa Verde founders were looking for an alternative option to the local public school system for their children. They also realized that there were many families and community members in Sayulita who were interested in organizing together to improve their child´s education and the resources of the community. They worked together to develop a unique and compelling model for the school that combined progressive educational practices, community-building activities and sustainable development practices. The founders created the vision for the Costa Verde International School to be more than just a private institution for children to learn, it must also make a contribution to the environment and the community in general.

The mission of the Costa Verde International School is to provide children and adults in Sayulita and the surrounding area with high quality progressive education and to advance ecological responsibility in Mexico. One of the steps to achieve this goal was to set up the Niños del Sol charity for accepting donations for educational scholarships for local children. The scholarship program is designed to provide access for local children to the Costa Verde resources and thereby creating a diverse economic population at the school. Mexico requires that at least 6% of the population of an independent school receive a scholarship. We are proud that Niños de Sol and other donors have provided support for more than 30% of our school population since the opening of the school.