Un Mar de Colores · San Diego, CA
Where San Diego Learns Watershed Science — 100% Free
Summer overnight cohorts at Watershed Explorers — multi-day immersion from mountains to La Jolla Shores and Tourmaline.
Un Mar de Colores ofrece watershed education gratuitas para jóvenes de San Diego de All ages años, directamente en la costa de San Diego. Sirviendo a una comunidad del 55% BIPOC (1,386,932 residentes), nuestra instrucción se lleva a cabo en La Jolla Shores y Tourmaline, con entrenadores bilingües certificados y todo el equipo proporcionado. La inscripción prioritaria es para estudiantes de Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle.
Horario — programa en San Diego
Summer cohorts + year-round school field trips · Completamente gratis
Quizás sientes esto
- —Bilingual watershed materials matter — most San Diego-area science programs default to English-only field guides.
- —One-day aquarium trips don't teach hydrology — your child needs multi-day tracing from source to sea.
- —Citizen science sounds exclusive — you didn't know San Diego students could contribute to real hydrology databases.
Lo que cambia cuando los jóvenes entran al agua
- Career exposure to marine science, hydrology, and coastal policy opens doors for San Diego students.
- Indigenous Kumeyaay perspectives on water integrated into hydrology fundamentals — culturally grounded science.
- Water stewardship as movement — San Diego families join a county-wide network protecting shared watersheds.
Por qué operamos este programa en San Diego
San Diego is the second-largest city in California with a 30% Hispanic/Latino population and the 2nd-largest school district in the state. Our San Diego programming spans La Jolla Shores, Tourmaline Surfing Park, Mission Beach, and OB Pier, serving San Diego Unified's 98,000 students — with particular focus on Title I middle and high schools in PB, Mission Bay, and Point Loma.
- Población
- 1,386,932
- Residentes BIPOC
- 55%
- Hogares hispanohablantes
- 30%
- Distancia a la playa
- En la costa
Watershed Education en San Diego — Lo que debes saber
Kumeyaay relationship with water in watershed curriculum centers Indigenous science for San Diego Latino and Indigenous youth — not token land acknowledgments without hydrology depth.
How much does watershed camp cost in California? Paid eco-camps run hundreds per student. Un Mar de Colores provides overnight Watershed Explorers and school field trips free for San Diego youth and classrooms.
Por qué San Diego importa para nuestra misión
When we say free for San Diego youth, we mean wetsuits, soft-tops, rashguards, sunscreen, transportation, and instruction — the full stack commercial programs charge $50–$150 per session for.
Safe, lifeguard-coordinated instruction is non-negotiable for San Diego youth. Every water session runs inside flagged zones with certified coaches — parents shouldn't have to choose between access and safety.
Socios comunitarios locales en San Diego
En asociación con el San Diego Unified School District y organizaciones comunitarias locales, reclutamos jóvenes de 5+ escuelas Título I.
Distrito escolar y escuelas Título I
- San Diego Unified School District
- •Kate Sessions Elementary
- •Mission Beach Elementary
- •Pacific Beach Middle
- •Mission Bay High
- •Point Loma High
Socios comunitarios
- ◆San Diego Unified School District
- ◆San Diego Junior Lifeguards
- ◆Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- ◆San Diego Public Library
- ◆Mission Bay Aquatic Center
Currículo del programa
The Watershed Explorers program is Un Mar de Colores's flagship environmental education offering. Summer overnight cohorts trace the journey from Cuyamaca Rancho State Park's mountain streams to the San Diego coast, with special focus on the Tijuana River watershed — California's most cross-border and pollution-impacted river system. Curriculum integrates hydrology fundamentals, Indigenous Kumeyaay perspectives on water, and California coastal policy. Year-round day trips serve school field-trip groups across our 15+ Title I partner schools, and all programming is free with transportation included.
- →Hydrology fundamentals
- →Cuyamaca to coast watershed tracing
- →Tijuana River cross-border watershed case study
- →Indigenous Kumeyaay relationship with water
- →Climate change and coastal resilience
- →Policy and advocacy for clean water
Qué se incluye — Gratis para cada joven de San Diego
- ✓Overnight summer program option (Watershed Explorers)
- ✓Day-trip school field trips throughout the year
- ✓Bilingual curriculum materials
- ✓Transportation from partner schools
- ✓Certified naturalist educators
- ✓Family engagement opportunities
Por qué Un Mar de Colores
Program safety is documented: lifeguard coordination, 4:1 ratios on youth water days, trauma-informed staff training, and parent communication protocols in English and Spanish.
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 — Watershed Education en San Diego
Where do field trips go from San Diego?+
Sites progress from Cuyamaca mountain streams through river and estuary systems to coastal locations near La Jolla Shores and Tourmaline. Multi-site tracing shows the full watershed pipeline relevant to San Diego.
How is watershed education different from aquarium field trips?+
Aquarium trips show marine life in tanks. Watershed education traces the full pipeline — students stand in mountain streams, visit estuaries, and connect runoff from San Diego to conditions at La Jolla Shores and Tourmaline. Field science with advocacy depth.
What pathways open after watershed education?+
Youth connect to ocean stewardship cleanups, Ocean Stewards after-school, and marine science career exposure. Watershed education is an entry point for San Diego environmental leadership.
¿Los programas de Watershed Education en San Diego son realmente gratuitos?+
Sí. Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores en San Diego son 100% gratuitos. Proporcionamos trajes de neopreno 3/2mm, tablas de surf, transporte desde escuelas asociadas como Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle, 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 Diego?+
Las lecciones principales se realizan en La Jolla Shores. Todas las sesiones de agua ocurren dentro de las zonas salvavidas de la bandera.
¿Qué edades son elegibles en San Diego?+
Servimos a jóvenes de All ages 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 Diego 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 Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle y otras escuelas de Título I en San Diego Unified School District. Los grupos de verano suelen llenarse con 3-4 semanas de anticipación.
¿Listo para entrar al agua?
Ready to get your child in the water? Contact Un Mar de Colores — priority enrollment for San Diego Title I school students.
Todos los programas de Un Mar de Colores son gratuitos para jóvenes de San Diego. 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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