Un Mar de Colores · Spring Valley, CA
Ocean Stewards After-School in Spring Valley — 100% Free
Pathways to surf therapy, ocean stewardship, and scholarships — after-school is the long arc, not a semester fad.
Un Mar de Colores opera su programa estrella Ocean Stewards After-School para adolescentes de Spring Valley de 13 a 17 años, en asociación con La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools. 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 (OB Pier (13 miles)). Nuestro grupo de Spring Valley proviene principalmente de La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy. El transporte, las comidas, la tutoría y las clases de surf son completamente gratuitos.
Horario — programa en Spring Valley
Tuesday–Thursday, year-round · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —School ends at 3pm and you're at work — unstructured hours in Spring Valley feel risky when options are thin.
- —Your teen tried a generic youth program and left bored — they need mentorship, not another room full of strangers.
- —After-school flyers promise 'STEM' but deliver worksheets. Your teen wants real environmental science tied to the coast.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Career exploration opens doors to marine science, coastal conservation, and environmental justice careers.
- Healthy snacks and meals every session — no packing stress for working Spring Valley families.
- Mentorship pairings with Un Mar staff and alumni provide consistent adults who reflect Spring Valley communities.
Por qué operamos este programa en Spring Valley
Spring Valley is 53% Hispanic/Latino and 13% Black — serving one of the most culturally diverse communities in East County. Our cohorts travel from La Presa Elementary and Kempton Street Literacy Academy to OB Pier, with classroom programming anchored at Spring Valley Library. We prioritize this partnership because of the city's distance from the coast and demographic alignment with our mission.
- Población
- 29,209
- Residentes BIPOC
- 79%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 45%
- Distancia a la playa
- 12 mi
After-School Program en Spring Valley — Lo que debes saber
Representation in mentorship changes retention. When Spring Valley teens see staff who share their language and background, engagement rises — they're not guests in someone else's program.
After-school tutoring in Spring Valley should connect to something teens care about — not isolated homework help in a strip-mall classroom. Our Tuesday–Wednesday sessions pair math and writing support with NGSS-aligned watershed and marine science modules.
Por qué Spring Valley importa para nuestra misión
Spring Valley sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — 79% 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.
From Spring Valley'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.
Socios comunitarios locales en Spring Valley
En asociación con el La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 3+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools
- •La Presa Elementary
- •Loma Elementary
- •Kempton Street Literacy Academy
Socios comunitarios
- ◆La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
- ◆Spring Valley Library
- ◆Grossmont Union High School District
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 Spring Valley
- ✓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."”
Preguntas frecuentes — After-School Program en Spring Valley
How is Un Mar after-school different from other programs in Spring Valley?+
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 Spring Valley'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. Spring Valley families stay informed, not sidelined.
Is there an annual retreat for Ocean Stewards?+
Yes — an annual leadership retreat connects Spring Valley teens with cohorts across San Diego. It's an opportunity to build county-wide community, deepen environmental leadership skills, and connect with alumni mentors.
¿Los programas de After-School Program en Spring Valley son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Spring Valley son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.
¿Dónde se realizan exactamente las lecciones en Spring Valley?+
Los jóvenes de Spring Valley viajan en nuestro transporte a OB Pier (13 miles), aproximadamente a 12 millas. Los componentes de aula ocurren en escuelas y bibliotecas asociadas dentro de Spring Valley.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en Spring Valley?+
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 La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools.
¿Cómo inscribo a mi hijo/a?+
Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy y otras escuelas de Título I en La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
¿Listo para entrar al agua?
Join hundreds of Spring Valley 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 Spring Valley. 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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