Un Mar de Colores · Pacific Beach, CA
Thursday surf sessions tie directly to watershed curriculum — science isn't abstract, it's the water they paddle in.
Un Mar de Colores opera su programa estrella Ocean Stewards After-School para adolescentes de Pacific 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 Tourmaline Surfing Park, Crystal Pier. Nuestro grupo de Pacific Beach proviene principalmente de Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary. El transporte, las comidas, la tutoría y las clases de surf son completamente gratuitos.
Tuesday–Thursday, year-round · Completamente gratis
Pacific Beach sits between Mission Bay and the open Pacific, producing the mellowest learner waves in the city. Tourmaline Surfing Park — designated a surf-only beach in 1981 — is the safest and most instructor-friendly break in San Diego. Over 55% of students at Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle, and Mission Bay High qualify for free or reduced meals, making this one of our highest-impact urban partnerships.
Thursday surf sessions aren't a reward for finishing homework — they're curriculum. Wave energy, tide cycles, and lineup ecology reinforce the week's watershed science for Pacific Beach teens.
After-school programs near Tourmaline Surfing Park, Crystal Pier for Pacific 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.
Serving Pacific Beach means meeting families where they are: San Diego schools, community centers, and partner orgs that already hold trust. We don't wait for families to find the beach — we bring youth to the water.
Parents in Pacific Beach often ask how a nonprofit can offer everything free. Answer: San Diego Foundation grants, community donors, and partners who believe Pacific Beach youth belong in the lineup — same as any other kid in San Diego.
Un Mar's primary Pacific Beach teaching location. Designated a surf-only beach in 1981 — the safest and most instructor-friendly break in San Diego.
Tourmaline was designated surf-only by San Diego City in 1981, making it the first formally protected teaching beach in Southern California.
South side of pier offers a sand-bottom peak ideal for graduating students from Tourmaline.
Crystal Pier was built in 1927 and is one of only two piers in California with an overnight hotel (Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages).
En asociación con el San Diego Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 3+ escuelas Título I.
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.
Since 2018, Un Mar de Colores has served thousands of youth across San Diego County and the Cali-Baja region — with funding from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors keeping every program 100% free.
“"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."”
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 Pacific Beach youth — not a single-semester program.
Yes — Ocean Stewards includes college prep and counseling: application guidance, financial aid navigation, and career pathway exploration in marine science and coastal conservation. Pacific Beach teens get support beyond homework help.
Every Thursday, Ocean Stewards teens head to The Strand, Tamarack, Moonlight, or other partner beaches for surf instruction and water programming that reinforces the week's environmental science. Wetsuits, boards, and bilingual coaches are provided.
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Pacific Beach son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.
Las lecciones principales se realizan en Tourmaline Surfing Park. También usamos Crystal Pier según el nivel del grupo. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.
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.
Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary y otras escuelas de Título I en San Diego Unified School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
Parents in Pacific Beach: bilingual staff, certified lifeguard-trained coaches, and zero cost. Sign up now.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Pacific 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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