Un Mar de Colores · Bonita, CA
Mentorship & Gear for Bonita Competitive Surfers
Competition entry fees, travel costs, high-performance gear, and one-on-one coaching — funded for BIPOC surfers from Bonita.
Un Mar de Colores's Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports competitive BIPOC youth and teens from Bonita and the greater San Diego region. Scholarship athletes receive high-performance gear, competition entry fees, coaching, and travel support across the California contest circuit. Training sessions happen at our nearest coastal breaks including Imperial Beach (10 miles) and Coronado Central (11 miles) (closest breaks to Bonita). Referrals and nominations come through Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union athletics programs and our partner community organizations.
Schedule — Bonita Program Days
Ongoing · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Insurance and liability language on contest sites scare you — nobody walked your family through what scholarship support covers.
- —Sponsorship feels like a club for kids whose parents already know industry insiders — Bonita families are outsiders.
- —Mental performance and visualization training sound elite-only — nobody offered your teen those tools for free.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- College and pro-surfing pathway counseling — NCAA, sponsorship, and alternative career navigation.
- BIPOC-led nonprofit funding model — grants and donors invest in Bonita athletes as movement builders.
- High-performance wetsuits and boards provided — contest-grade equipment sized for your athlete.
Why We Run This Program in Bonita
Bonita is a South Bay community adjacent to Chula Vista and National City, with a 58% Hispanic/Latino population. Our Bonita cohorts shuttle to Imperial Beach and Coronado, with classroom components at Bonita-Sunnyside Library. Students primarily come from Sunnyside Elementary and Bonita Vista Middle as part of our South Bay Title I partnership network.
- Population
- 12,795
- BIPOC residents
- 68%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 41%
- Distance to beach
- 10 mi
Surf Athletic Scholarship in Bonita — What You Should Know
Scholarship pipeline from free surf lessons and summer camp in Bonita — beginner access connects to competitive arc through Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union counselor referrals.
Mental performance and visualization training for contest surfers in San Diego — funded curriculum addressing heat anxiety, judging pressure, and lineup intimidation BIPOC athletes from Bonita face.
Why Bonita Matters to Our Mission
Serving Bonita means meeting families where they are: San Diego schools, community centers, and partner orgs that already hold trust. We don't wait for families to find the beach — we bring youth to the water.
Bonita sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — 68% 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 Bonita Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union
- •Sunnyside Elementary
- •Bonita Vista Middle
Community partners
- ◆Bonita-Sunnyside Library
- ◆Sweetwater Union High School District
- ◆Chula Vista Elementary School District
Program Curriculum
The Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports BIPOC youth and teens pursuing competitive surfing at the scholarship or professional level. The program provides high-performance wetsuits and boards, pays all competition entry fees, covers contest travel costs across the California circuit, and provides one-on-one coaching from certified trainers. Scholarship recipients are mentored by alumni and partner professional BIPOC surfers, and the program specifically addresses the financial barriers that have historically excluded Latino, Indigenous, and Black youth from the competitive surf pipeline.
- →Competitive coaching and contest prep
- →Physical conditioning and nutrition
- →Mental performance and visualization
- →Sponsorship navigation and athlete branding
- →Mentorship from professional BIPOC surfers
- →College and pro-surfing pathway counseling
What's Included — Free for Every Bonita Youth
- ✓High-performance wetsuits and boards
- ✓Competition entry fees paid
- ✓Travel costs for California contest circuit
- ✓One-on-one coaching from certified trainers
- ✓Physical therapy and injury prevention
- ✓Annual contest gear package
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 — Surf Athletic Scholarship in Bonita
How is scholarship different from free surf lessons?+
Surf lessons serve beginners ages 6–17 with weekly instruction. Scholarship serves contest-ready BIPOC athletes with fees, travel, high-performance gear, and elite coaching. Many Bonita scholars start in lessons and advance through pipeline.
What mental performance training is included?+
Visualization, heat anxiety management, judging pressure strategies, and contest psychology — funded modules for BIPOC athletes facing lineup intimidation in predominantly white contest culture near Imperial Beach (10 miles) and Coronado Central (11 miles).
Who qualifies for surf scholarship from Bonita?+
BIPOC youth and teens pursuing competitive surfing at scholarship or professional levels. Priority for athletes demonstrating contest-ready skill and financial need — often referred from Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union counselors or Un Mar surf lessons and camp in Bonita. Competitive enrollment, not open beginner access.
Are surf athletic scholarship in Bonita really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Bonita are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Bonita family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do surf athletic scholarship happen in Bonita?+
Bonita is 10 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to Imperial Beach (10 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Bonita-Sunnyside Library and partner schools inside Bonita.
What ages can enroll in Bonita?+
We serve youth ages Youth & teens. In Bonita specifically, our recruitment runs through Chula Vista Elementary / Sweetwater Union — with priority enrollment for students from Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle. 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 Imperial Beach (10 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Bonita, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Bonita-Sunnyside Library partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Bonita?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Bonita, where 41% 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 surf athletic scholarship in Bonita?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Bonita surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 68%-BIPOC Bonita 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 Bonita, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Bonita child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Sunnyside Elementary, Bonita Vista Middle and referrals from Bonita-Sunnyside Library and Sweetwater Union High School District. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Spots in our Bonita cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Bonita 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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