Un Mar de Colores · Fallbrook, CA
BIPOC-Led Watershed Education in Fallbrook, CA
Family engagement opportunities — parents from Fallbrook join field days and overnight orientation sessions.
Un Mar de Colores's Watershed Explorers program brings Fallbrook youth into the full watershed-to-ocean story of San Diego County. Day trips and overnight summer cohorts trace mountain streams from Cuyamaca State Park to the coast, returning to Oceanside Pier (22 miles) (closest breaks to Fallbrook) for ocean-based lessons. We partner with Fallbrook Union Elementary School District and community organizations including Fallbrook Union Elementary School District and Fallbrook Library to recruit from La Paloma Elementary, Fallbrook Street School. Every program integrates the Tijuana River watershed case study — the only cross-border river in Southern California.
Schedule — Fallbrook Program Days
Summer cohorts + year-round school field trips · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —Kumeyaay water relationships are absent from school curriculum — your child hears about Indigenous history without Indigenous science.
- —Tijuana River pollution closes beaches and nobody at Fallbrook Union Elementary School District explains the cross-border watershed to your family.
- —Imperial Beach closures after storms confuse you — watershed education should connect rain in Fallbrook to brown water at the coast.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Watershed Explorers overnight summer cohorts trace Cuyamaca streams to San Diego coast — multi-day immersion.
- Hydrology fundamentals taught in the field — flow measurement, runoff tracing, pollution sampling on site.
- Certified naturalist educators lead every trip — not volunteers guessing at field safety.
Why We Run This Program in Fallbrook
Fallbrook — known as 'The Friendly Village' — is 48% Hispanic/Latino with strong ties to Camp Pendleton. Our Fallbrook cohort is one of our longest-distance programs (22 miles to the beach), requiring full-day Saturday sessions. We partner with Fallbrook Union for recruitment and with the Fallbrook Library as our inland classroom partner.
- Population
- 32,321
- BIPOC residents
- 55%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 48%
- Distance to beach
- 22 mi
Watershed Education in Fallbrook — What You Should Know
With 48% Spanish-speaking households in Fallbrook, bilingual watershed materials and field instruction are standard — not English-only nature walks.
Hydrology field education near Oceanside Pier (22 miles) connects classroom water cycle lessons to standing in streams and measuring flow — Fallbrook students learn by tracing, not memorizing.
Why Fallbrook Matters to Our Mission
The ocean off Fallbrook belongs to everyone. Un Mar de Colores exists because North County has spent decades telling BIPOC youth otherwise — and we're changing that story one cohort at a time.
When we say free for Fallbrook youth, we mean wetsuits, soft-tops, rashguards, sunscreen, transportation, and instruction — the full stack commercial programs charge $50–$150 per session for.
Local Fallbrook Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with Fallbrook Union Elementary School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- Fallbrook Union Elementary School District
- •La Paloma Elementary
- •Fallbrook Street School
Community partners
- ◆Fallbrook Union Elementary School District
- ◆Fallbrook Library
- ◆Fallbrook Community Center
Program Curriculum
The Watershed Explorers program is Un Mar de Colores's flagship environmental education offering. Summer overnight cohorts trace the journey from Cuyamaca Rancho State Park's mountain streams to the San Diego coast, with special focus on the Tijuana River watershed — California's most cross-border and pollution-impacted river system. Curriculum integrates hydrology fundamentals, Indigenous Kumeyaay perspectives on water, and California coastal policy. Year-round day trips serve school field-trip groups across our 15+ Title I partner schools, and all programming is free with transportation included.
- →Hydrology fundamentals
- →Cuyamaca to coast watershed tracing
- →Tijuana River cross-border watershed case study
- →Indigenous Kumeyaay relationship with water
- →Climate change and coastal resilience
- →Policy and advocacy for clean water
What's Included — Free for Every Fallbrook Youth
- ✓Overnight summer program option (Watershed Explorers)
- ✓Day-trip school field trips throughout the year
- ✓Bilingual curriculum materials
- ✓Transportation from partner schools
- ✓Certified naturalist educators
- ✓Family engagement opportunities
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 — Watershed Education in Fallbrook
What pathways open after watershed education?+
Youth connect to ocean stewardship cleanups, Ocean Stewards after-school, and marine science career exposure. Watershed education is an entry point for Fallbrook environmental leadership.
What ages can join watershed programs from Fallbrook?+
Watershed Explorers overnight cohorts and field trips serve all ages — school field trips align to classroom grades, and family engagement opportunities welcome multi-generational Fallbrook households.
What is the Tijuana River watershed case study?+
The Tijuana River is California's most cross-border and pollution-impacted river system — closing beaches near Imperial Beach and affecting South County shores accessible from Fallbrook. Our curriculum teaches hydrology, environmental justice, and policy with honesty, preparing North County youth to understand cross-border water reality.
Are watershed education in Fallbrook really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Fallbrook are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like La Paloma Elementary, Fallbrook Street School, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Fallbrook family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do watershed education happen in Fallbrook?+
Fallbrook is 22 miles inland from the coast, so our cohorts are shuttled to Oceanside Pier (22 miles) — our nearest Un Mar teaching beach. Classroom components including curriculum, cultural arts, and tutoring happen at Fallbrook Union Elementary School District and partner schools inside Fallbrook.
What ages can enroll in Fallbrook?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In Fallbrook specifically, our recruitment runs through Fallbrook Union Elementary School District — with priority enrollment for students from La Paloma Elementary, Fallbrook Street School. 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 Oceanside Pier (22 miles), supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Fallbrook, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at inland pools via our Fallbrook Union Elementary School District partnership for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in Fallbrook?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Fallbrook, where 48% 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 watershed education in Fallbrook?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Fallbrook surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 55%-BIPOC Fallbrook 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 Fallbrook, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my Fallbrook child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of La Paloma Elementary, Fallbrook Street School and referrals from Fallbrook Union Elementary School District and Fallbrook 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 Fallbrook families.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Fallbrook 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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