Un Mar de Colores · Chula Vista, CA
Free Chula Vista Summer Camp: Surf, Ecology & Cultural Arts
Cultural arts afternoons — painting, poetry, storytelling — center Indigenous and Latino coastal voices.
Un Mar de Colores ofrece surf camp gratuitas para jóvenes de Chula Vista de 6–17 años, con transporte gratuito de 10 millas desde Chula Vista a nuestras playas de enseñanza. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 81% BIPOC (275,487 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en Imperial Beach (10 miles) y Coronado Central (12 miles), con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside Elementary.
Horario — programa en Chula Vista
Summer (June–August), Monday–Friday cohorts · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —You grew up hearing the beach wasn't for families like yours. That message still shapes Chula Vista summers.
- —Summer camp flyers in Chula Vista list prices that equal a month's groceries — surf camps feel impossible.
- —After-school is packed during the year — summer is the only window, and affordable options in Chula Vista vanish fast.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Small cohort caps (18 max) keep instruction personal — not 40 kids sharing ten boards.
- Your family joins a BIPOC-led movement rewriting coastal access across San Diego County — not a tourist camp.
- Marine ecology afternoons connect surf skills to watershed science relevant to Chula Vista and San Diego.
Por qué operamos este programa en Chula Vista
Chula Vista is California's 14th-largest city and home to one of the largest Latino populations in San Diego County — 58% Hispanic/Latino per the 2020 Census. We partner with Chula Vista Elementary School District (45,000+ students) and Sweetwater Union High to transport youth from Castle Park, Harborside, and Lauderbach Elementary to Imperial Beach and Coronado for free surf and ocean programming.
- Población
- 275,487
- Residentes BIPOC
- 81%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 58%
- Distancia a la playa
- 10 mi
Surf Camp en Chula Vista — Lo que debes saber
Free surf camp for Chula Vista youth is part of a broader Cali-Baja movement — ocean access, watershed health, and cultural arts — documented across our partner network in San Diego County.
Gear quality matters for cold Pacific mornings: ill-fitting rental wetsuits end sessions early. We size youth properly and maintain equipment for daily use across the full camp week.
Por qué Chula Vista importa para nuestra misión
When we say free for Chula Vista youth, we mean wetsuits, soft-tops, rashguards, sunscreen, transportation, and instruction — the full stack commercial programs charge $50–$150 per session for.
Whether Chula Vista is on the coast or 10 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.
Socios comunitarios locales en Chula Vista
En asociación con el Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 5+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High
- •Rosebank Elementary
- •Castle Park Elementary
- •Harborside Elementary
- •Lauderbach Elementary
- •Chula Vista Middle
Socios comunitarios
- ◆Chula Vista Elementary School District
- ◆Sweetwater Union High School District
- ◆Chula Vista Public Library (Civic Center Branch)
- ◆South Bay Community Services
- ◆Casa Familiar
Currículo del programa
Our summer surf camps run Monday through Friday across North County and San Diego, serving BIPOC youth ages 6–17. Each one-week cohort combines four mornings of in-water surf instruction with afternoon programming in marine ecology, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts. Camps are capped at 18 students per cohort to maintain a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio, and every camp ends with a Friday family showcase on the beach. Camps are entirely free — wetsuits, boards, transportation, daily lunch, and all materials included.
- →Daily in-water surf instruction (4 hrs/day)
- →Marine ecology & watershed education
- →Cultural arts workshops (painting, poetry, storytelling)
- →Kumeyaay coastal history and stewardship
- →Nutrition and hydration for athletes
- →Friday family showcase and celebration
Qué se incluye — Gratis para cada joven de Chula Vista
- ✓5-day Monday–Friday full-day camp (8am–3pm)
- ✓Certified bilingual instructors (CPR + First Aid, 4:1 ratio)
- ✓Wetsuit, soft-top surfboard, and rashguard for the week
- ✓Free daily lunch and snacks
- ✓Round-trip transportation from Title I schools
- ✓Cultural arts and marine biology enrichment
- ✓Family showcase and photo album
Por qué Un Mar de Colores
Board and staff leadership is BIPOC-majority. Decisions about Chula Vista programming are made with community partners, not corporate sponsors.
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 — Surf Camp en Chula Vista
Does my child need to know how to swim for surf camp?+
No swimming test is required. We begin in chest-deep whitewater under direct coach supervision and build water comfort progressively. Many Chula Vista beginners start camp with limited pool experience and gain confidence within the first two days.
What gear does my child need for surf camp?+
We provide wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, rashguards, and sunscreen for the full week. Your child should bring a towel, water bottle, and swim-appropriate clothing. No personal board or wetsuit required.
Who certifies surf camp instructors in Chula Vista?+
Coaches hold CPR and First Aid credentials and train with San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division protocols. Many are alumni of our Surf Athletic Scholarship program. Safety documentation is available to Chula Vista parents on request.
¿Los programas de Surf Camp en Chula Vista son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Chula Vista son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside 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 Chula Vista?+
Los jóvenes de Chula Vista viajan en nuestro transporte a Imperial Beach (10 miles), aproximadamente a 10 millas. Los componentes de aula ocurren en escuelas y bibliotecas asociadas dentro de Chula Vista.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en Chula Vista?+
Servimos a jóvenes de 6–17 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 Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High.
¿Cómo inscribo a mi hijo/a?+
Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de Rosebank Elementary, Castle Park Elementary, Harborside Elementary y otras escuelas de Título I en Chula Vista Elementary School District / Sweetwater Union High. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
¿Listo para entrar al agua?
Volunteer, donate, or enroll — however you join, you're helping Chula Vista youth access the coast.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Chula Vista. 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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