BIPOC youth After-School Program session in Ocean Beach — Un Mar de Colores

Un Mar de Colores · Ocean Beach, CA

Environmental Literacy Meets Surf — Free for Ocean Beach

Career exploration in marine science, coastal conservation, and environmental justice — not generic job fairs.

Un Mar de Colores opera su programa estrella Ocean Stewards After-School para adolescentes de Ocean Beach de 13 a 17 años, en asociación con San Diego Unified School District. Los estudiantes se reúnen tres tardes a la semana para tutoría, alfabetización ambiental y exploración de carreras, con un día de playa los jueves en OB Pier, Dog Beach (Ocean Beach). Nuestro grupo de Ocean Beach proviene principalmente de Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School. El transporte, las comidas, la tutoría y las clases de surf son completamente gratuitos.

Horario — programa en Ocean Beach

Tuesday–Thursday, year-round · Completamente gratis

Quizás sientes esto

  • Environmental clubs at school are underfunded — your teen wants hands-on watershed science, not a poster contest.
  • Mental health stress is real for Ocean Beach teens — but therapy waitlists are long and surf-as-healing sounds inaccessible.
  • Bilingual support matters at home, but most Ocean Beach-area after-school programs default to English-only staff.

Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua

  • Citizen science and cleanup participation connect academics to real advocacy — teens become stewards, not consumers.
  • Trauma-informed culture welcomes teens navigating anxiety, grief, immigration stress, and family instability.
  • Three afternoons weekly (3pm–6pm) provide structure, tutoring, and enrichment — free for the full school year.

Por qué operamos este programa en Ocean Beach

Ocean Beach's OB Pier and Dog Beach locations offer our Point Loma peninsula cohorts direct-access surf instruction. The San Diego River mouth at Dog Beach provides paddle-flat-water training, and our Ocean Beach Elementary and Dana Middle partnerships anchor our youth recruitment across the 92107 zip code — one of San Diego's most culturally diverse beach neighborhoods.

Población
15,000
Residentes BIPOC
39%
Hogares hispanohablantes
21%
Distancia a la playa
En la costa

After-School Program en Ocean Beach — Lo que debes saber

After-school programs near OB Pier, Dog Beach (Ocean Beach) for Ocean Beach teens run Tuesday through Thursday during the school year. Inland families rely on shuttles (on the coast) so weekly beach days aren't limited to coastal zip codes.

Free after-school for Ocean Beach teens is part of Un Mar's broader Cali-Baja movement — ocean access, academic equity, and environmental justice across San Diego County.

Por qué Ocean Beach importa para nuestra misión

Cross-border watershed work matters to Ocean Beach because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.

From Ocean Beach's Title I schools to the sand, our pipeline is built on real partnerships — not generic 'serving the area' language. Every cohort names the schools, beaches, and community orgs involved.

Dónde surfeamos en Ocean Beach

OB Pier

Intermedio

Primary Ocean Beach teaching location. Used for intermediate progression from Tourmaline and Mission Beach.

The Ocean Beach Pier is the longest concrete pier on the West Coast at 1,971 feet. Closed for reconstruction in 2024, with reopening projected for 2027.

Fondo: SandOleaje: 2–6 ft typicalSalvavidas: Todo el año

Dog Beach (Ocean Beach)

Principiante

Used for paddle fundamentals and flatwater training (San Diego River mouth). Not for in-water surf instruction due to no lifeguard coverage.

Dog Beach OB was California's first leash-free beach (1972). Sits at the mouth of the San Diego River — our classroom for river-to-ocean watershed lessons.

Fondo: SandOleaje: 1–3 ft typicalSalvavidas: Ninguno

Socios comunitarios locales en Ocean Beach

En asociación con el San Diego Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 2+ escuelas Título I.

Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I

  • San Diego Unified School District
  • Ocean Beach Elementary
  • Dana Middle School

Socios comunitarios

  • OB Town Council
  • San Diego River Park Foundation
  • Point Loma Library

Currículo del programa

The Ocean Stewards After-School Program is Un Mar de Colores's flagship year-round offering for BIPOC teens ages 13–17. Three afternoons a week, students meet at partner school sites for academic tutoring, environmental literacy modules aligned with the California NGSS standards, career exploration, and college preparation. Every Thursday is a beach day — students head to The Strand, Tamarack, or Moonlight for water programming that reinforces the week's environmental science curriculum. The program runs during the full school year, connecting academic outcomes with coastal stewardship and career pathways in marine science.

  • Academic tutoring (math, reading, writing)
  • Environmental literacy and watershed science
  • Surf instruction (Thursday ocean sessions)
  • Career exploration in marine science and coastal conservation
  • College preparation and counseling
  • Mentorship pairings with Un Mar staff and alumni

Qué se incluye — Gratis para cada joven de Ocean Beach

  • Three afternoons per week (3pm–6pm)
  • Weekly Thursday ocean session (beach day)
  • Healthy snacks and meals
  • Homework support with certified tutors
  • Round-trip transportation from partner schools
  • Parent/guardian engagement sessions
  • Annual leadership retreat

Por qué Un Mar de Colores

Federal EIN 85-2947340. Mailing: PO BOX 232471, Encinitas, CA 92024. We operate on the ancestral lands of the Kumeyaay Nation with respect and community accountability.

Lo que dice nuestra comunidad

"He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldn't even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water."

— Middle school student— Parent, One Ocean

Preguntas frecuentes — After-School Program en Ocean Beach

Does after-school include college preparation?+

Yes — Ocean Stewards includes college prep and counseling: application guidance, financial aid navigation, and career pathway exploration in marine science and coastal conservation. Ocean Beach teens get support beyond homework help.

What pathways open after Ocean Stewards?+

Teens connect to surf therapy, ocean stewardship cleanups, year-round surf lessons, and the Surf Athletic Scholarship program. After-school is a long-term arc for Ocean Beach youth — not a single-semester program.

How much does after-school cost in Ocean Beach?+

Ocean Stewards in Ocean Beach is 100% free — tutoring, environmental science, Thursday surf sessions, healthy snacks, and transportation from partner schools. Commercial tutoring in San Diego County often costs $40–$80 per hour. We fund access through grants and donors so Ocean Beach families never pay.

¿Los programas de After-School Program en Ocean Beach son realmente gratuitos?+

Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Ocean Beach son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.

¿Dónde se realizan exactamente las lecciones en Ocean Beach?+

Las lecciones principales se realizan en OB Pier. También usamos Dog Beach (Ocean Beach) según el nivel del grupo. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.

¿Qué edades son elegibles en Ocean Beach?+

Servimos a jóvenes de 13–17 años. Nuestra Beca One Ocean cubre las edades 6-12, Ocean Stewards After-School sirve a 13-17, y las Becas Atléticas de Surf están disponibles para jóvenes competitivos a través de nuestras asociaciones con San Diego Unified School District.

¿Cómo inscribo a mi hijo/a?+

Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de Ocean Beach Elementary, Dana Middle School y otras escuelas de Título I en San Diego Unified School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.

¿Listo para entrar al agua?

Join hundreds of Ocean Beach families who trust Un Mar de Colores for free ocean programming. Enroll today.

Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Ocean Beach. Contáctanos para inscribirte, hacer voluntariado, o apoyar el movimiento.

Un Mar de Colores es una organización sin fines de lucro 501(c)(3) liderada por personas BIPOC, basada en Oceanside, California. Ofrecemos programación gratuita de surf, océano y educación ambiental para jóvenes en San Diego y Tijuana — conectando culturas, costas y comunidades desde 2018.

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