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Un Mar de Colores · El Cajon, CA
Community Ocean Stewardship for El Cajon Families
We prioritize recruitment from BIPOC communities in El Cajon where coastal access has been gated by cost and culture.
Un Mar de Colores hosts ongoing Ocean Stewardship cleanup and conservation programming across the El Cajon area and surrounding coast. Monthly events combine hands-on beach cleanup with environmental justice education, citizen science data collection, and policy literacy. Our El Cajon programming partners with Cajon Valley Union School District, El Cajon Library, Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce, and all events are free and family-friendly.
Schedule — El Cajon Program Days
Monthly cleanups, quarterly workshops · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —The coast near El Cajon feels like a backdrop for photos, not a place your community is responsible for stewarding.
- —Advocacy skills feel reserved for people with law degrees — you want organizing tools for your neighborhood.
- —Plastic pollution education at school is a poster — your child wants hands-on citizen science tied to real beaches.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Quarterly workshops deepen advocacy and community organizing beyond monthly cleanups.
- Local site selection near OB Pier (14 miles) and Coronado Central (13 miles) — action on shores your family actually uses.
- Volunteer program integration — adults from El Cajon can deepen commitment through Un Mar volunteer tracks.
Why We Run This Program in El Cajon
El Cajon is home to one of the largest Middle Eastern/Chaldean communities in the United States and a 32% Hispanic/Latino population. Our El Cajon cohorts shuttle 14 miles to OB Pier, with cultural programming tailored to the city's unique demographic mix. Cajon Valley Union's Bostonia and Chase Avenue Elementary are our anchor partnerships.
- Population
- 106,215
- BIPOC residents
- 55%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 32%
- Distance to beach
- 14 mi
Ocean Stewardship in El Cajon — What You Should Know
Plastic pollution education during cleanups answers why El Cajon shores accumulate debris after storms — watershed-to-ocean tracing, not isolated litter narratives.
With 32% Spanish-speaking households in El Cajon, bilingual cleanup briefings and materials are standard — not English-only safety instructions on the sand.
Why El Cajon Matters to Our Mission
El Cajon families deserve instructors who look like their kids and speak their language. With 55% BIPOC residents, bilingual coaching isn't a nice-to-have — it's how we earn trust on day one.
Recruitment in El Cajon 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.
Local El Cajon Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 4+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High
- •Bostonia Elementary
- •Chase Avenue Elementary
- •Cajon Valley Middle
- •El Cajon Valley High
Community partners
- ◆Cajon Valley Union School District
- ◆El Cajon Library
- ◆Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce
- ◆Grossmont College (student volunteers)
Program Curriculum
Ocean Stewardship at Un Mar de Colores connects coastal cleanup action with deeper environmental justice education. Monthly cleanups run across Oceanside, Imperial Beach, Cardiff, and partner sites, with each event combining hands-on debris removal with short teaching moments about the watershed-to-ocean pipeline, the plastic pollution crisis, and California coastal policy. Our Ocean Stewardship program is free and family-friendly, and we specifically prioritize recruitment from BIPOC communities whose relationships with the coast have historically been gated by cost or culture. Every participant contributes to our citizen science database tracking pollution patterns across San Diego County.
- →Beach cleanup fundamentals and safe practices
- →Plastic pollution and marine debris science
- →California coastal commission policy basics
- →Watershed-to-ocean connection
- →Citizen science data collection protocols
- →Advocacy and community organizing skills
What's Included — Free for Every El Cajon Youth
- ✓Cleanup supplies (buckets, grabbers, gloves)
- ✓Bilingual safety briefings
- ✓Data collection training
- ✓Post-cleanup debrief and reflection
- ✓Certificate of community service
- ✓Family-friendly participation
Why Un Mar de Colores
Our coaches include graduates of the Surf Athletic Scholarship program and bilingual educators who reflect the BIPOC communities we serve. We partner with 15+ Title I schools across North County and San Diego.
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."”
Frequently Asked Questions — Ocean Stewardship in El Cajon
Are beach cleanups family-friendly in El Cajon?+
Absolutely — grandparents, parents, teens, and young children from El Cajon are welcome. We design events for multi-generational participation with safety briefings before anyone touches debris.
How do I sign up for a cleanup from El Cajon?+
Contact Un Mar de Colores or check our event calendar. No fees, no gear required — register early for popular monthly events near OB Pier (14 miles) and Coronado Central (13 miles). Bring your family and neighbors from El Cajon.
Do cleanups provide community service hours?+
Yes — students receive certificates of community service with documented hours suitable for Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High requirements. El Cajon teens get verified environmental service, not generic parking-lot volunteer slots.
Are ocean stewardship in El Cajon really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in El Cajon are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Bostonia Elementary, Chase Avenue Elementary, Cajon Valley Middle, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No El Cajon family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do ocean stewardship happen in El Cajon?+
El Cajon is 14 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to OB Pier (14 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Cajon Valley Union School District and partner schools inside El Cajon.
What ages can enroll in El Cajon?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In El Cajon specifically, our recruitment runs through Cajon Valley Union School District / Grossmont Union High — with priority enrollment for students from Bostonia Elementary, Chase Avenue Elementary, Cajon Valley Middle and 1 other Title I schools. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).
Does my child need to know how to swim before starting?+
No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at OB Pier (14 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In El Cajon, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Cajon Valley Union School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in El Cajon?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in El Cajon, where 32% of households are Spanish-speaking, we intentionally pair at least one bilingual coach to every session. Cultural programming is delivered in both languages, and parent communications are always sent in Spanish and English.
How is Un Mar de Colores different from other ocean stewardship in El Cajon?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most El Cajon surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 55%-BIPOC El Cajon community we serve; (3) our curriculum includes environmental justice, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts — not just surf skills. We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone in El Cajon, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my El Cajon child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Bostonia Elementary, Chase Avenue Elementary, Cajon Valley Middle and referrals from Cajon Valley Union School District and El Cajon Library. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Free means free. No hidden fees, no gear costs, no transportation charges for El Cajon participants.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for El Cajon youth. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. We provide free surf, ocean, and environmental programming for youth across San Diego and Tijuana — bridging cultures, coasts, and communities since 2018.
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