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Un Mar de Colores · Spring Valley, CA
Free Coastal Conservation Program in Spring Valley, CA
Cleanup supplies provided: buckets, grabbers, gloves — show up ready to steward, not to shop for gear.
Un Mar de Colores hosts ongoing Ocean Stewardship cleanup and conservation programming across the Spring Valley area and surrounding coast. Monthly events combine hands-on beach cleanup with environmental justice education, citizen science data collection, and policy literacy. Our Spring Valley programming partners with La Mesa-Spring Valley School District, Spring Valley Library, Grossmont Union High School District, and all events are free and family-friendly.
Schedule — Spring Valley Program Days
Monthly cleanups, quarterly workshops · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Environmental justice isn't in the cleanup conversation — 79% of Spring Valley residents deserve framing beyond litter.
- —Transportation to monthly cleanups from inland Spring Valley (12 miles inland) feels like another unpaid logistics burden.
- —You worry about sharp debris and unsafe waste — nobody trained you on proper cleanup protocols.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Watershed-to-ocean connection modules — especially Tijuana River cross-border case study relevant to San Diego.
- Citizen science data collection training — your cleanup contributes to real pollution tracking databases.
- Local site selection near OB Pier (13 miles) and Coronado Central (12 miles) — action on shores your family actually uses.
Why We Run This Program in Spring Valley
Spring Valley is 53% Hispanic/Latino and 13% Black — serving one of the most culturally diverse communities in East County. Our cohorts travel from La Presa Elementary and Kempton Street Literacy Academy to OB Pier, with classroom programming anchored at Spring Valley Library. We prioritize this partnership because of the city's distance from the coast and demographic alignment with our mission.
- Population
- 29,209
- BIPOC residents
- 79%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 45%
- Distance to beach
- 12 mi
Ocean Stewardship in Spring Valley — What You Should Know
With 45% Spanish-speaking households in Spring Valley, bilingual cleanup briefings and materials are standard — not English-only safety instructions on the sand.
Volunteer program pathways let Spring Valley adults deepen commitment through Un Mar's ongoing mentorship and event support tracks.
Why Spring Valley Matters to Our Mission
Spring Valley families deserve instructors who look like their kids and speak their language. With 79% BIPOC residents, bilingual coaching isn't a nice-to-have — it's how we earn trust on day one.
Spring Valley sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — 79% 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.
Local Spring Valley Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 3+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools
- •La Presa Elementary
- •Loma Elementary
- •Kempton Street Literacy Academy
Community partners
- ◆La Mesa-Spring Valley School District
- ◆Spring Valley Library
- ◆Grossmont Union High School District
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 Spring Valley 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 impact is measured in youth served, school partnerships, and watershed stewardship hours — published annually in our impact reports at mar-de-colores.org.
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 Spring Valley
Can adults volunteer beyond cleanups?+
Yes — the Un Mar volunteer program welcomes adults 18+ from Spring Valley for ongoing cleanup leadership, event support, and mentorship. Cleanups are the entry point to deeper movement participation.
Are quarterly workshops separate from monthly cleanups?+
Quarterly workshops deepen advocacy and community organizing beyond debris removal — recommended for Spring Valley participants who want to move from volunteer to organizer. Cleanups remain monthly entry points.
Is citizen science part of ocean stewardship cleanups?+
Yes — every cleanup includes data collection training. Participants document debris types and locations, contributing to Un Mar's database tracking pollution patterns across San Diego. Spring Valley volunteers contribute real science.
Are ocean stewardship in Spring Valley really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Spring Valley are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Spring Valley family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do ocean stewardship happen in Spring Valley?+
Spring Valley is 12 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to OB Pier (13 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and partner schools inside Spring Valley.
What ages can enroll in Spring Valley?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In Spring Valley specifically, our recruitment runs through La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools — with priority enrollment for students from La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy. 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 (13 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Spring Valley, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our La Mesa-Spring Valley School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Spring Valley?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Spring Valley, where 45% 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 Spring Valley?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Spring Valley surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 79%-BIPOC Spring Valley 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 Spring Valley, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Spring Valley child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy and referrals from La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and Spring Valley Library. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Support the movement or enroll your youth — Un Mar de Colores is building coastal access for Spring Valley families.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Spring Valley 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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