Un Mar de Colores · National City, CA
Summer Surf Immersion in National City — Zero Cost to Families
Capped at 18 students per cohort with a 4:1 instructor ratio — real attention, not overcrowded camp chaos.
Un Mar de Colores ofrece surf camp gratuitas para jóvenes de National City de 6–17 años, con transporte gratuito de 8 millas desde National City a nuestras playas de enseñanza. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 91% BIPOC (56,173 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en Imperial Beach (8 miles) y Coronado Central (7 miles), con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Central Elementary (National City), Kimball Elementary, Olivewood Elementary.
Horario — programa en National City
Summer (June–August), Monday–Friday cohorts · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —After-school is packed during the year — summer is the only window, and affordable options in National City vanish fast.
- —Competition pathways feel reserved for kids whose parents already know the contest circuit. Camp is where that gap starts.
- —You need predictable schedules and bilingual parent updates — not a signup page that ghosts Spanish-speaking families.
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.
- Beach sites chosen for beginner safety — sandy bottoms, lifeguard coverage, manageable conditions near Imperial Beach (8 miles) and Coronado Central (7 miles).
Por qué operamos este programa en National City
National City is 63% Hispanic/Latino and among the most economically impacted cities in San Diego County. Our programs here are built around transportation — youth from Central, Kimball, and Olivewood Elementary travel to Imperial Beach and Coronado for water programming, with classroom components at National City Public Library and the MLK Community Center. National City is a priority Title I partnership for our Ocean Stewards recruitment.
- Población
- 56,173
- Residentes BIPOC
- 91%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 61%
- Distancia a la playa
- 8 mi
Surf Camp en National City — Lo que debes saber
Friday family showcase is camp graduation on the sand — National City families see demonstrations, art displays, and celebrations that honor every child's week of growth.
Week-long surf camp in National City should combine daily in-water progression with afternoon enrichment — not four hours of standing practice and a pizza party. Our curriculum integrates marine biology, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts workshops every afternoon.
Por qué National City importa para nuestra misión
The ocean off National City belongs to everyone. Un Mar de Colores exists because San Diego has spent decades telling BIPOC youth otherwise — and we're changing that story one cohort at a time.
Recruitment in National City runs through counselors, teachers, and community partners who know which students need this most. We don't run open enrollment chaos — we build intentional cohorts.
Socios comunitarios locales en National City
En asociación con el National School District / Sweetwater Union High y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 4+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- National School District / Sweetwater Union High
- •Central Elementary (National City)
- •Kimball Elementary
- •Olivewood Elementary
- •Sweetwater High School
Socios comunitarios
- ◆National School District
- ◆National City Public Library
- ◆Kimball Park (City of National City)
- ◆Casa Familiar (nearby in San Ysidro)
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 National City
- ✓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
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 — Surf Camp en National City
Are surf camps in National City taught in Spanish?+
Yes — all programming is bilingual. In National City, where 61% of households are Spanish-speaking, bilingual coaches lead every session and parent communications arrive in both English and Spanish.
How much does surf camp cost in National City?+
Un Mar de Colores surf camp in National City is 100% free — five full Monday–Friday days including wetsuits, boards, rashguards, daily lunch and snacks, transportation from partner schools, and certified bilingual instruction. Commercial camps in San Diego County typically charge $400–$800 per week. We fund access through grants and donors so National City families never pay.
Can my child continue after surf camp ends?+
Yes — camp graduates connect to year-round free surf lessons, Ocean Stewards after-school for teens, and the Surf Athletic Scholarship pathway. Camp is an entry point, not a dead end for National City youth.
¿Los programas de Surf Camp en National City son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en National City son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Central Elementary (National City), Kimball Elementary, Olivewood 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 National City?+
Los jóvenes de National City viajan en nuestro transporte a Imperial Beach (8 miles), aproximadamente a 8 millas. Los componentes de aula ocurren en escuelas y bibliotecas asociadas dentro de National City.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en National City?+
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 National 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 Central Elementary (National City), Kimball Elementary, Olivewood Elementary y otras escuelas de Título I en National School District / Sweetwater Union High. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
¿Listo para entrar al agua?
Spots in our National City cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de National City. 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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