Un Mar de Colores · Poway, CA
Free After-School Ocean Program for BIPOC Teens in Poway
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 Poway de 13 a 17 años, en asociación con Poway 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 nuestra playa más cercana (La Jolla Shores (18 miles)). Nuestro grupo de Poway proviene principalmente de Meadowbrook Middle, Valley Elementary (Poway). El transporte, las comidas, la tutoría y las clases de surf son completamente gratuitos.
Horario — programa en Poway
Tuesday–Thursday, year-round · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —Your teen sees surfing on social media but has no pathway that doesn't require money, connections, or a car to La Jolla Shores (18 miles) and Del Mar 15th Street (14 miles).
- —Your teen needs after-school support, but paid tutoring in Poway costs more per hour than you can sustain all year.
- —Your student is bright but falling behind in math — and nobody connects academic help to something they actually care about.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Certified tutors support math, reading, and writing — homework help that actually improves grades in Poway Unified School District.
- Trauma-informed culture welcomes teens navigating anxiety, grief, immigration stress, and family instability.
- NGSS-aligned environmental literacy modules connect classroom science to Poway's watershed and coastline realities.
Por qué operamos este programa en Poway
Poway is an inland North County city home to Poway Unified School District, one of the largest K-12 districts in California. Our Poway cohorts travel to Del Mar's 15th Street Beach and La Jolla Shores for water programming, with classroom partnership at Poway Library and the Poway Center for the Performing Arts for cultural programming.
- Población
- 48,841
- Residentes BIPOC
- 46%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 17%
- Distancia a la playa
- 14 mi
After-School Program en Poway — Lo que debes saber
With 17% Spanish-speaking households in Poway, bilingual after-school instruction and parent updates are standard — not an accommodation requested at enrollment.
Parents ask if Thursday beach days require swimming ability. We build water comfort progressively in supervised zones — many Ocean Stewards teens start with limited ocean experience and gain confidence within weeks.
Por qué Poway importa para nuestra misión
Poway sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — 46% of residents identify as BIPOC, yet beach access has historically been gated by cost, transportation, and culture. Un Mar de Colores closes that gap with free programming and school-based recruitment.
Poway's relationship to the Pacific is complicated by history and economics. Our curriculum weaves Kumeyaay coastal stewardship, environmental justice, and culturally grounded instruction into every session — not as an add-on, but as the foundation.
Socios comunitarios locales en Poway
En asociación con el Poway Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 2+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- Poway Unified School District
- •Meadowbrook Middle
- •Valley Elementary (Poway)
Socios comunitarios
- ◆Poway Unified School District
- ◆Poway Library
- ◆Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater San Diego (Poway branch)
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 Poway
- ✓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
Our impact is measured in youth served, school partnerships, and watershed stewardship hours — published annually in our impact reports at mar-de-colores.org.
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."”
Preguntas frecuentes — After-School Program en Poway
How much does after-school cost in Poway?+
Ocean Stewards in Poway 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 Poway families never pay.
Is transportation provided from Poway?+
Round-trip shuttle transportation runs from partner Title I schools. If Poway is inland (14 miles inland from the coast), weekly Thursday beach days are possible because we solve transport — not your family.
Are meals provided during after-school?+
Healthy snacks and meals are provided every session. Poway working families don't need to pack food or pay hidden snack fees.
¿Los programas de After-School Program en Poway son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Poway son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Meadowbrook Middle, Valley Elementary (Poway), e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.
¿Dónde se realizan exactamente las lecciones en Poway?+
Los jóvenes de Poway viajan en nuestro transporte a La Jolla Shores (18 miles), aproximadamente a 14 millas. Los componentes de aula ocurren en escuelas y bibliotecas asociadas dentro de Poway.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en Poway?+
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 Poway 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 Meadowbrook Middle, Valley Elementary (Poway) y otras escuelas de Título I en Poway Unified School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
¿Listo para entrar al agua?
Sign your Poway youth up today — every program is 100% free, with wetsuits, boards, and transportation included.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Poway. 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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