Un Mar de Colores · San Diego County
Free After-School Tutoring Near The Strand, Tamarack, Moonlight Beach, La Jolla Shores, Mission Beach, and Imperial Beach for San Diego County Teens
Three afternoons a week — tutoring, environmental science, and Thursday beach days — zero cost for San Diego County families.
- Ages
- 13–17
- Schedule
- Tuesday–Thursday, year-round
- Cost
- Free
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.
This hub connects San Diego County families to after-school program across 27 cities. Every city link below is a full local page with beaches, school partners, and enrollment paths — not an empty gateway.
You might be feeling this
- —Your teen is the oldest — they've been babysitting siblings instead of building their own future in San Diego County.
- —Your teen sees surfing on social media but has no pathway that doesn't require money, connections, or a car to The Strand, Tamarack, Moonlight Beach, La Jolla Shores, Mission Beach, and Imperial Beach.
- —Working families in San Diego County need predictable Tue–Thu schedules, not another program that cancels without notice.
- —You grew up being told the coast wasn't for people like you — that message still echoes in San Diego County teen households.
What changes when youth get in the water
- NGSS-aligned environmental literacy modules connect classroom science to San Diego County's watershed and coastline realities.
- Bilingual staff and parent communications in English and Spanish every week.
- Every Thursday is a beach day — surf instruction at local breaks reinforcing the week's environmental curriculum.
- Certified tutors support math, reading, and writing — homework help that actually improves grades in partner Title I school districts across San Diego County.
After-School Program across San Diego County — what families should know
After-school tutoring in San Diego County 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.
Environmental after-school in San Diego County should cover watershed-to-ocean science — especially Tijuana River cross-border pollution and why local beaches close after storms. Ocean Stewards curriculum integrates hydrology, policy, and coastal resilience.
Looking for free after-school for teens in San Diego County? Every Ocean Stewards week includes certified tutoring, environmental literacy, healthy snacks, transportation, and Thursday surf sessions at breaks like The Strand, Tamarack, Moonlight Beach, La Jolla Shores, Mission Beach, and Imperial Beach — reinforcing science with ocean experience.
Sign-up friction keeps eligible San Diego County teens out. We prioritize counselor referrals from partner Title I school districts across San Diego County and partner org introductions — contact us to route your teen to the right cohort.
Why San Diego County is our service area
San Diego County sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — over 55% 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.
With 3.3 million residents, San Diego County 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 (across coastal and inland communities) a logistics problem we solve, not a barrier families carry alone.
Program curriculum & how it works
- →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
What's included — free for every youth
- ✓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
Why Un Mar de Colores (E-E-A-T)
Since 2018, Un Mar de Colores has served thousands of youth across San Diego County and the Cali-Baja region — with funding from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors keeping every program 100% free.
What our community says
“"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."”
Cities we serve — pick your community
Un Mar de Colores runs after-school program across 27 San Diego County cities. Each city page covers local beaches, school partners, and how to enroll — start with the community closest to your family.
- OceansideCoastal city
- CarlsbadCoastal city
- EncinitasCoastal city
- Cardiff by the SeaCoastal city
- Solana BeachCoastal city
- Del MarCoastal city
- La JollaCoastal city
- Pacific BeachCoastal city
- Mission BeachCoastal city
- Ocean BeachCoastal city
- Point LomaCoastal city
- Sunset CliffsCoastal city
- CoronadoCoastal city
- Imperial BeachCoastal city
- Chula Vista10 mi to beach
- National City8 mi to beach
- Vista7 mi to beach
- San Marcos11 mi to beach
- Escondido17 mi to beach
- San DiegoCoastal city
- Poway14 mi to beach
- Fallbrook22 mi to beach
- Bonita10 mi to beach
- Lemon Grove10 mi to beach
- El Cajon14 mi to beach
- Santee17 mi to beach
- Spring Valley12 mi to beach
Frequently asked questions — After-School Program
What pathways open after Ocean Stewards?+
Teens connect to surf therapy, ocean stewardship cleanups, year-round surf lessons, and the Surf Athletic Scholarship program. After-school is a long-term arc for San Diego County youth — not a single-semester program.
How is Un Mar after-school different from other programs in San Diego County?+
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 San Diego County's communities.
Are meals provided during after-school?+
Healthy snacks and meals are provided every session. San Diego County working families don't need to pack food or pay hidden snack fees.
What days does after-school run in San Diego County?+
Ocean Stewards runs Tuesday through Thursday during the school year, 3pm–6pm. Tuesday and Wednesday are at partner school sites. Thursday is a beach day at local breaks near The Strand, Tamarack, Moonlight Beach, La Jolla Shores, Mission Beach, and Imperial Beach. We publish cohort calendars early for San Diego County families.
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. San Diego County families stay informed, not sidelined.
Ready to get your child in the water?
Free means free. No hidden fees, no gear costs, no transportation charges for San Diego County participants.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for BIPOC youth across San Diego County. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.
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