Children explore San Diego’s shoreline as a dynamic meeting place between land, water, and community. We study coastal ecosystems through hands-on observation of tidepools, native dune plants, sea bird migrations, and oceanic cycles. As we walk the edges of La Jolla Shores, observe beach erosion at Sunset Cliffs, or sketch boats in the harbor, students grapple with real-world questions: Who protects this coastline? Who has access to it? What does it mean to live at the edge of the ocean? Blending science, storytelling, and stewardship, this region offers rich opportunities to deepen ecoliteracy, explore environmental justice, and develop a sense of connection to the Pacific.

In our Urban session, Pathfinders experience San Diego’s cityscape as a living system shaped by people, policies, and histories. Through walking tours, transit rides, mural studies, and interviews with local changemakers, children explore downtown, City Heights, Barrio Logan, and beyond — developing critical awareness of how public spaces are designed and who they serve. We explore how communities express identity, how infrastructure impacts daily life, and how youth voices can shape neighborhoods. Whether studying the trolley system, visiting public libraries, or mapping food deserts, students engage with urban life as both learners and future contributors to the city's evolving story.

San Diego’s canyons, trails, and chaparral ecosystems are spaces that hold both natural wonder and ancestral memory. In places like Mission Trails, Rose Canyon, and Presidio Park, we will study native plants, erosion patterns, water retention, and fire ecology, all while honoring the ongoing presence of Kumeyaay people and land stewardship. Afternoon sessions offer room for quiet exploration, scientific observation, and ecological sketching. As students hike, journal, and collaborate on stewardship projects, they deepen their understanding of ecology, responsibility, and what it means to belong to a place.

San Diego’s suburban neighborhoods may look quiet on the surface — but they’re filled with patterns, systems, and stories waiting to be uncovered. Through mapping neighborhood infrastructure, noticing the design of parks and sidewalks, exploring irrigation and stormwater, and observing the ways people gather and move, we begin to uncover how communities function and evolve. Whether walking through Tierrasanta or tending a community garden in University Heights, we explore the everyday spaces children already know — but with fresh eyes and deeper questions about fairness, sustainability, and community.