Un Mar de Colores · San Marcos, CA
BIPOC Teen After-School Program in San Marcos, CA
Tuesday and Wednesday: homework support, NGSS-aligned environmental literacy, and college prep at partner school sites.
Un Mar de Colores opera su programa estrella Ocean Stewards After-School para adolescentes de San Marcos de 13 a 17 años, en asociación con San Marcos 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 (Carlsbad Tamarack (11 miles)). Nuestro grupo de San Marcos proviene principalmente de Alvin Dunn Elementary, Paloma Elementary, San Marcos Elementary. El transporte, las comidas, la tutoría y las clases de surf son completamente gratuitos.
Horario — programa en San Marcos
Tuesday–Thursday, year-round · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —School ends at 3pm and you're at work — unstructured hours in San Marcos feel risky when options are thin.
- —Mental health stress is real for San Marcos teens — but therapy waitlists are long and surf-as-healing sounds inaccessible.
- —Environmental clubs at school are underfunded — your teen wants hands-on watershed science, not a poster contest.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Citizen science and cleanup participation connect academics to real advocacy — teens become stewards, not consumers.
- Mentorship pairings with Un Mar staff and alumni provide consistent adults who reflect San Marcos communities.
- Bilingual staff and parent communications in English and Spanish every week.
Por qué operamos este programa en San Marcos
San Marcos is the most diverse inland city in North County, with 37% Hispanic/Latino population and home to California State University San Marcos. Our cohorts travel from Alvin Dunn Elementary and San Marcos Middle to Carlsbad's Tamarack for water programming. CSUSM student volunteers support our program delivery, making this one of our strongest university-nonprofit partnerships.
- Población
- 96,664
- Residentes BIPOC
- 51%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 37%
- Distancia a la playa
- 11 mi
After-School Program en San Marcos — 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.
With 37% Spanish-speaking households in San Marcos, bilingual after-school instruction and parent updates are standard — not an accommodation requested at enrollment.
Por qué San Marcos importa para nuestra misión
Whether San Marcos is on the coast or 11 miles inland inland, we treat transportation as part of the program — not an extra parents must figure out. That's how you build real access, not marketing copy.
With 96,664 residents, San Marcos is one of the communities where a single free surf cohort can change dozens of lives per season. Our shuttles and school partnerships make distance (11 miles inland) a logistics problem we solve, not a barrier families carry alone.
Socios comunitarios locales en San Marcos
En asociación con el San Marcos Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 5+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- San Marcos Unified School District
- •Alvin Dunn Elementary
- •Paloma Elementary
- •San Marcos Elementary
- •San Marcos Middle School
- •San Marcos High School
Socios comunitarios
- ◆California State University San Marcos (student volunteers)
- ◆San Marcos Unified School District
- ◆Boys & Girls Club of San Marcos
- ◆San Marcos 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 San Marcos
- ✓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
Un Mar is a member of the surf equity ecosystem across California — connected to Surf Justice Collective, Native Like Water, and cross-border watershed coalitions.
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 San Marcos
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. San Marcos teens get support beyond homework help.
How much does after-school cost in San Marcos?+
Ocean Stewards in San Marcos 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 San Marcos families never pay.
How is Un Mar after-school different from other programs in San Marcos?+
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 San Marcos's communities.
¿Los programas de After-School Program en San Marcos son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en San Marcos son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Alvin Dunn Elementary, Paloma Elementary, San Marcos Elementary, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.
¿Dónde se realizan exactamente las lecciones en San Marcos?+
Los jóvenes de San Marcos viajan en nuestro transporte a Carlsbad Tamarack (11 miles), aproximadamente a 11 millas. Los componentes de aula ocurren en escuelas y bibliotecas asociadas dentro de San Marcos.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en San Marcos?+
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 Marcos 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 Alvin Dunn Elementary, Paloma Elementary, San Marcos Elementary y otras escuelas de Título I en San Marcos Unified School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
¿Listo para entrar al agua?
Don't wait for summer — year-round San Marcos cohorts fill fast. Reach out now for free enrollment.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de San Marcos. 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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