Un Mar de Colores · Santee, CA
Summer Surf Immersion in Santee — Zero Cost to Families
Priority enrollment for BIPOC youth from Santee where 38% of residents deserve coastal access.
Un Mar de Colores runs free summer surf camps for Santee youth ages 6–17. Each week-long Monday–Friday cohort combines morning surf instruction (shuttled to our nearest coastal location, OB Pier (17 miles)) with afternoons of marine ecology, cultural arts, and Kumeyaay coastal history. Priority enrollment goes to students of Hill Creek Elementary, Cajon Park Elementary. Wetsuits, soft-top boards, daily lunch, and round-trip transportation are all included.
Schedule — Santee Program Days
Summer (June–August), Monday–Friday cohorts · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —After-school is packed during the year — summer is the only window, and affordable options in Santee vanish fast.
- —Competition pathways feel reserved for kids whose parents already know the contest circuit. Camp is where that gap starts.
- —Your child tried a pricey camp once and spent most of the week watching others catch waves.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Beach sites chosen for beginner safety — sandy bottoms, lifeguard coverage, manageable conditions near OB Pier (17 miles) and Coronado Central (16 miles).
- Five consecutive days build real surf progression — whitewater to unbroken waves at your child's pace.
- Bilingual staff and parent communications in English and Spanish every day of the week.
Why We Run This Program in Santee
Santee is an East County city home to Santee School District (approximately 6,000 students). Our Santee cohort travels 17 miles to OB Pier for water programming, making Santee one of our more transportation-intensive partnerships. Hill Creek and Cajon Park Elementary are our Title I partnership schools.
- Population
- 58,895
- BIPOC residents
- 38%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 17%
- Distance to beach
- 17 mi
Surf Camp in Santee — What You Should Know
Week-long surf camp in Santee should combine daily in-water progression with afternoon enrichment — not four hours of standing practice and a pizza party. Our curriculum integrates marine biology, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts workshops every afternoon.
Marine ecology at camp answers why Santee beaches close after storms or sewage events — students learn watershed-to-ocean pipelines, especially relevant near cross-border river systems like the Tijuana River.
Why Santee Matters to Our Mission
When we say free for Santee youth, we mean wetsuits, soft-tops, rashguards, sunscreen, transportation, and instruction — the full stack commercial programs charge $50–$150 per session for.
Serving Santee 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.
Local Santee Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Santee School District / Grossmont Union High and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Santee School District / Grossmont Union High
- •Hill Creek Elementary
- •Cajon Park Elementary
Community partners
- ◆Santee School District
- ◆Santee Library
- ◆Town Center Community Park
Program Curriculum
Our summer surf camps run Monday through Friday across North County and San Diego, serving BIPOC youth ages 6–17. Each one-week cohort combines four mornings of in-water surf instruction with afternoon programming in marine ecology, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts. Camps are capped at 18 students per cohort to maintain a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio, and every camp ends with a Friday family showcase on the beach. Camps are entirely free — wetsuits, boards, transportation, daily lunch, and all materials included.
- →Daily in-water surf instruction (4 hrs/day)
- →Marine ecology & watershed education
- →Cultural arts workshops (painting, poetry, storytelling)
- →Kumeyaay coastal history and stewardship
- →Nutrition and hydration for athletes
- →Friday family showcase and celebration
What's Included — Free for Every Santee Youth
- ✓5-day Monday–Friday full-day camp (8am–3pm)
- ✓Certified bilingual instructors (CPR + First Aid, 4:1 ratio)
- ✓Wetsuit, soft-top surfboard, and rashguard for the week
- ✓Free daily lunch and snacks
- ✓Round-trip transportation from Title I schools
- ✓Cultural arts and marine biology enrichment
- ✓Family showcase and photo album
Why 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.
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 Camp in Santee
What ages can attend free surf camp in Santee?+
We serve youth ages 6–17 with age-appropriate cohort groupings. Camps cap at 18 students per week with a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio. Enrollment runs through Santee School District / Grossmont Union High partners and community referrals in Santee.
How is Un Mar surf camp different from commercial camps near OB Pier (17 miles) and Coronado Central (16 miles)?+
Commercial camps optimize for paying tourists and locals with gear. Un Mar is a BIPOC-led nonprofit: free instruction, Title I partnerships, marine ecology and Kumeyaay history curriculum, and coaches who reflect Santee's communities. We're building access, not selling camp weeks.
What is the daily schedule for surf camp in Santee?+
Camp runs Monday through Friday, 8am–3pm. Mornings include up to four hours of in-water surf instruction. Afternoons cover marine ecology, Kumeyaay coastal history, cultural arts workshops, and nutrition education. Friday ends with a family showcase on the beach.
Are surf camp in Santee really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Santee are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Hill Creek Elementary, Cajon Park Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Santee family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do surf camp happen in Santee?+
Santee is 17 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to OB Pier (17 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Santee School District and partner schools inside Santee.
What ages can enroll in Santee?+
We serve youth ages 6–17. In Santee specifically, our recruitment runs through Santee School District / Grossmont Union High — with priority enrollment for students from Hill Creek Elementary, Cajon Park Elementary. 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 (17 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Santee, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Santee School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Santee?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Santee, where 17% 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 camp in Santee?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Santee surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 38%-BIPOC Santee 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 Santee, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Santee child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Hill Creek Elementary, Cajon Park Elementary and referrals from Santee School District and Santee Library. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Parents in Santee: bilingual staff, certified lifeguard-trained coaches, and zero cost. Sign up now.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Santee 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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