Un Mar de Colores · San Diego, CA
Where San Diego Learns Watershed Science — 100% Free
Summer overnight cohorts at Watershed Explorers — multi-day immersion from mountains to La Jolla Shores and Tourmaline.
Un Mar de Colores's Watershed Explorers program brings San Diego 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, including your own San Diego beaches. We partner with San Diego Unified School District and community organizations including San Diego Unified School District and San Diego Junior Lifeguards to recruit from Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle and other Title I schools. Every program integrates the Tijuana River watershed case study — the only cross-border river in Southern California.
Schedule — San Diego Program Days
Summer cohorts + year-round school field trips · Completely free
You Might Be Feeling This
- —You want grandparents involved — many environmental programs aren't family-accessible from San Diego.
- —Tijuana River pollution closes beaches and nobody at San Diego Unified School District explains the cross-border watershed to your family.
- —School field trips in San Diego are underfunded — environmental science stays in the classroom while the coast is miles away.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Multi-site progression: mountains, river, estuary, ocean — San Diego youth see the full pipeline.
- Policy and clean water advocacy training — students learn organizing, not just observation.
- BIPOC-led environmental education — instructors who reflect San Diego communities, not tourist eco-guides.
Why We Run This Program in San Diego
San Diego is the second-largest city in California with a 30% Hispanic/Latino population and the 2nd-largest school district in the state. Our San Diego programming spans La Jolla Shores, Tourmaline Surfing Park, Mission Beach, and OB Pier, serving San Diego Unified's 98,000 students — with particular focus on Title I middle and high schools in PB, Mission Bay, and Point Loma.
- Population
- 1,386,932
- BIPOC residents
- 55%
- Spanish-speaking households
- 30%
- Distance to beach
- Coastal
Watershed Education in San Diego — What You Should Know
Climate change and coastal resilience modules in San Diego watershed education teach advocacy alongside science — students learn policy tools for clean water, not hopeless climate anxiety.
How much does watershed camp cost in California? Paid eco-camps run hundreds per student. Un Mar de Colores provides overnight Watershed Explorers and school field trips free for San Diego youth and classrooms.
Why San Diego Matters to Our Mission
From San Diego's Title I schools to the sand, our pipeline is built on real partnerships — not generic 'serving the area' language. Every cohort names the schools, beaches, and community orgs involved.
Recruitment in San Diego 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 San Diego Partners & Referral Sources
In partnership with San Diego Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 5+ Title I schools.
School district & Title I partners
- San Diego Unified School District
- •Kate Sessions Elementary
- •Mission Beach Elementary
- •Pacific Beach Middle
- •Mission Bay High
- •Point Loma High
Community partners
- ◆San Diego Unified School District
- ◆San Diego Junior Lifeguards
- ◆Scripps Institution of Oceanography
- ◆San Diego Public Library
- ◆Mission Bay Aquatic 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 San Diego 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
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 — Watershed Education in San Diego
Is watershed education free for San Diego schools?+
Yes — 100% free. Year-round day-trip field trips for San Diego Unified School District classrooms include bilingual materials, certified naturalist educators, and transportation. Overnight Watershed Explorers summer cohorts are also free for San Diego youth — no tuition or material fees.
What is Watershed Explorers in San Diego?+
Watershed Explorers is Un Mar de Colores's flagship watershed education program — summer overnight cohorts tracing water from Cuyamaca Rancho State Park mountain streams to the San Diego coast. San Diego youth experience multi-day immersion in hydrology, Kumeyaay water perspectives, Tijuana River case study, and clean water advocacy.
Can San Diego Unified School District teachers book field trips from San Diego?+
Yes — we partner with 15+ Title I schools for year-round day-trip field trips. Teachers contact Un Mar to schedule NGSS-aligned hydrology, climate resilience, and advocacy modules with transportation included for San Diego classrooms.
Are watershed education in San Diego really free?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in San Diego are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No San Diego family has ever paid for our programming.
Where exactly do watershed education happen in San Diego?+
Primary water sessions run at La Jolla Shores. Classroom components happen at San Diego Unified School District and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
What ages can enroll in San Diego?+
We serve youth ages All ages. In San Diego specifically, our recruitment runs through San Diego Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle and 2 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 La Jolla Shores, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In San Diego, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at local community pools for students who request extra comfort-building.
Are lessons taught in Spanish in San Diego?+
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in San Diego, where 30% 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 San Diego?+
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most San Diego surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 55%-BIPOC San Diego 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 San Diego, not just those who can afford access.
How do I sign my San Diego child up?+
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Kate Sessions Elementary, Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle and referrals from San Diego Unified School District and San Diego Junior Lifeguards. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Ready to Get in the Water?
Spots in our San Diego cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for San Diego 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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