Un Mar de Colores · Spring Valley, CA
Free School Field Trips: Watershed Education from Spring Valley
Family engagement opportunities — parents from Spring Valley join field days and overnight orientation sessions.
Un Mar de Colores's Watershed Explorers program brings Spring Valley 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 OB Pier (13 miles) and Coronado Central (12 miles) (closest breaks to Spring Valley) for ocean-based lessons. We partner with La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools and community organizations including La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and Spring Valley Library to recruit from La Presa Elementary, Loma Elementary, Kempton Street Literacy Academy. Every program integrates the Tijuana River watershed case study — the only cross-border river in Southern California.
Schedule — Spring Valley 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.
- —Transportation to mountain field sites from inland Spring Valley is another unpaid logistics puzzle for teachers.
- —Stewardship feels separate from science — you want Spring Valley youth learning advocacy alongside hydrology.
What Changes When Youth Get in the Water
- Free means free — no field trip fees, no overnight camp tuition, no material costs for schools.
- Climate change and coastal resilience modules connect science to Spring Valley beaches your family uses.
- Indigenous Kumeyaay perspectives on water integrated into hydrology fundamentals — culturally grounded science.
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
Watershed Education in Spring Valley — What You Should Know
Looking for free environmental field trips for Spring Valley schools? Year-round day trips serve La Mesa-Spring Valley Schools classrooms with NGSS-aligned hydrology, climate resilience, and advocacy modules — transportation and materials included.
Tijuana River watershed education for Spring Valley families explains why Imperial Beach and South County beaches close after storms — cross-border pollution traced from mountains through estuary to OB Pier (13 miles) and Coronado Central (12 miles), with environmental justice framing for communities where 79% of residents are BIPOC.
Why Spring Valley Matters to Our Mission
Cross-border watershed work matters to Spring Valley because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.
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.
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
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 Spring Valley 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
Un Mar is a member of the surf equity ecosystem across California — connected to Surf Justice Collective, Native Like Water, and cross-border watershed coalitions.
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 Spring Valley
Is watershed education bilingual in Spring Valley?+
Yes — bilingual curriculum materials and field instruction are standard. In Spring Valley, where 45% of households are Spanish-speaking, educators deliver watershed science in English and Spanish.
What is Watershed Explorers in Spring Valley?+
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. Spring Valley youth experience multi-day immersion in hydrology, Kumeyaay water perspectives, Tijuana River case study, and clean water advocacy.
Can families from Spring Valley participate beyond school trips?+
Yes — family engagement opportunities include overnight orientation sessions and select field days. Watershed literacy extends to Spring Valley households, not only classroom students.
Are watershed education 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 watershed education 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 watershed education 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?
Sign your Spring Valley youth up today — every program is 100% free, with wetsuits, boards, and transportation included.
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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