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 is curious about environmental justice but school curriculum skips why Poway beaches close after storms.
- —Bilingual support matters at home, but most Poway-area after-school programs default to English-only staff.
- —Career counselors mention marine science, but no program connects Poway teens to actual coastal professionals.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Round-trip transportation from partner Title I schools — inland teens aren't left behind (14 miles inland solved).
- Pathways to surf therapy, ocean stewardship cleanups, and Surf Athletic Scholarships open from Ocean Stewards.
- Mentorship pairings with Un Mar staff and alumni provide consistent adults who reflect Poway communities.
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
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.
Looking for free after-school for teens in Poway? Every Ocean Stewards week includes certified tutoring, environmental literacy, healthy snacks, transportation, and Thursday surf sessions at breaks like La Jolla Shores (18 miles) and Del Mar 15th Street (14 miles) — reinforcing science with ocean experience.
Por qué Poway importa para nuestra misión
Poway families deserve instructors who look like their kids and speak their language. With 46% BIPOC residents, bilingual coaching isn't a nice-to-have — it's how we earn trust on day one.
Environmental justice in Poway isn't abstract: watershed health, beach closures, and plastic pollution affect the same communities we serve. Our programs connect surf skills to stewardship of San Diego's coastline.
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 is Un Mar after-school different from other programs in Poway?+
Commercial after-school optimizes for fees or shallow enrichment. Un Mar is a BIPOC-led nonprofit: free tutoring, NGSS environmental science, weekly surf, Title I partnerships, Kumeyaay curriculum integration, and mentors who reflect Poway's communities.
How do parent engagement sessions work?+
We host parent and guardian engagement sessions throughout the year — bilingual updates on curriculum, safety protocols, college prep timelines, and opportunities for family participation. Poway families stay informed, not sidelined.
Who can enroll from Poway?+
BIPOC teens ages 13–17 with priority for Title I students and referrals from Poway Unified School District counselors and partner organizations. Contact us to confirm current cohort availability in Poway.
¿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?
Join hundreds of Poway 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 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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