Un Mar de Colores · Imperial Beach, CA
Every session includes wetsuits, soft-top boards, and lifeguard-trained bilingual staff.
Un Mar de Colores ofrece surf lessons gratuitas para jóvenes de Imperial Beach de 6–17 años, directamente en la costa de Imperial Beach. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 73% BIPOC (26,324 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en IB Pier, con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School.
Year-round weekly sessions · Completamente gratis
Imperial Beach is the southernmost beach city in California and ground zero for our Tijuana River watershed work. Beach closures from transboundary sewage flows regularly impact water quality here, which is why our Imperial Beach cohorts combine surf instruction with direct environmental justice education — kids learn about the river and the coast as a single system. Mar Vista Middle and Imperial Beach Elementary are our flagship Title I partners.
Where can beginners surf in Imperial Beach? We teach at breaks chosen for sandy bottoms, lifeguard coverage, and manageable whitewater — names like IB Pier appear in our city-specific lesson plans, not generic 'San Diego coast' language.
Volunteer-trained vs certified-coach surf lessons make a safety difference. Un Mar requires CPR, First Aid, and lifeguard division coordination — non-negotiable for youth programming in open ocean.
With 26,324 residents, Imperial Beach 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 (on the coast) a logistics problem we solve, not a barrier families carry alone.
Recruitment in Imperial Beach 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.
Primary Imperial Beach teaching location — WHEN water quality is safe. Tijuana River sewage flows regularly close this beach.
Imperial Beach sits at the southern terminus of California and is the closest beach to the US-Mexico border. The Tijuana River mouth is 2 miles south.
En asociación con el South Bay Union School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 3+ escuelas Título I.
Un Mar de Colores offers free surf lessons year-round for youth ages 6–17 across Oceanside, Carlsbad, Encinitas, Cardiff, Del Mar, La Jolla, Pacific Beach, and partner cities. Our coaches are certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division and many are graduates of our own Surf Athletic Scholarship program. Lessons prioritize water-safety fundamentals first: students start in chest-deep whitewater under direct instructor supervision and progress to unbroken waves only after demonstrating paddle control and ocean awareness. Every session is fully equipped — wetsuit, board, rashguard — and transportation is provided from our partner Title I schools across San Diego County.
Board and staff leadership is BIPOC-majority. Decisions about Imperial Beach programming are made with community partners, not corporate sponsors.
“"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."”
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 Imperial Beach parents on request.
Yes — all programming is bilingual. In Imperial Beach, where 42% of households are Spanish-speaking, we pair bilingual coaches to every session and send parent communications in both English and Spanish.
We serve youth ages 6–17 with age-appropriate cohorts. One Ocean programming focuses on 6–12, while teens may connect to Ocean Stewards or scholarship pathways. Enrollment runs through South Bay Union School District partners and community referrals in Imperial Beach.
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en Imperial Beach son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School, e instrucción bilingüe certificada. El financiamiento proviene de la San Diego Foundation, subvenciones comunitarias y donantes individuales.
Las lecciones principales se realizan en IB Pier. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.
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 South Bay Union School District.
Contáctenos a través de nuestra página de contacto. La inscripción prioritaria se otorga a estudiantes de Imperial Beach Elementary, Oneonta Elementary, Mar Vista Middle School y otras escuelas de Título I en South Bay Union School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
Sign your Imperial Beach youth up today — every program is 100% free, with wetsuits, boards, and transportation included.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de Imperial Beach. 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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