By Sara Beth Williams–
Nia Blunt of Mesa Verde High School received “numerous nominations” for the 2026 Spirit of San Juan Awards, the San Juan Unified School District says.
At Mesa Verde, Blunt serves in multiple clubs on campus, as well as at the district level. Currently, she serves as co-president of the Black Student Union, founded the Mental Health Club, and actively participates in Link Crew, Student Government, and Students With a Voice.
“Through her efforts, she is helping build a more inclusive school community where every student feels seen, heard, and welcome,” San Juan Unified School District Communication Specialist Karla Perez said.
In an interview, Blunt said when she first joined the Black Student Union, the group wasn’t doing any events or having many meetings and focused a lot on the history of Black and African Americans. Blunt wanted to bring in more exciting events and wanted to also focus on the current culture of Black and African Americans.
At the district level, Blunt became a member of San Juan Youth Advocates during her junior year of high school. As part of San Juan Youth Advocates, she has helped lead student listening sessions, which are sessions that help to collect and analyze feedback to inform the district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan and site-based planning.
Blunt says this is her second year, and she was accepted this school year as a peer mentor. There are only seven peer mentors out of 20 youth advocates in the district, she says.
In her senior year, Blunt also joined Student Government, which she says she had wanted to do for several years but wasn’t able to fit it into her schedule. Student Government is a class in itself on the high school campus.
“I wanted to be a part of something that makes my campus brighter in a way, leading activities, being a leader on campus,” Blunt said.
Blunt has also advanced brand-new initiatives at Mesa Verde, with the establishment of a Mental Health Club during her senior year.
Through her Mental Health Club, she organized a Signs of Suicide training, where more than 20 students were trained to recognize warning signs and learned how to support their peers.
“I was always interested in psychology,” Blunt said, adding that she took an AP psychology course. “It made me want to learn more about my mental health and how to help others dealing with stress and struggles.”
To orchestrate the training for students, Blunt said she enlisted the help of her faculty advisors and the district advisor. For the student training on suicide awareness, Blunt said three counselors from the district came to the club to help present and facilitate the training.
Some of her favorite accomplishments, Blunt said, included throwing a Black Student Union Block Party on campus, which was held in February during Black History Month, as well as launching a student-staff connect lunchtime event through Students With a Voice.
The lunchtime event included board games and snacks, and Blunt personally walked around to invite staff members. Blunt said the principal attended the event, which she appreciated.
“I felt like it helped break down barriers for students and staff connecting,” Blunt said.
Blunt’s future plans include attending UC Irvine, where she wants to pursue social policy, social work, and counseling. She says the college appealed to her specifically because there were so many clubs and organizations focused on mental health. Blunt said she is “so excited” to attend college. She’s also “shocked” to have been nominated for a Spirit of San Juan Award.
“I feel like really honored to be recognized for all the work I’ve been putting in for the last 2 to 3 years,” Blunt said.
The Spirit of San Juan Awards honor individuals and groups “who demonstrate exceptional character, break down barriers, and foster inclusive environments for all,” Perez said.
“Through her leadership and initiative, Nia actively works to remove barriers that can prevent students from feeling connected and supported on campus and within the district. She creates spaces for open dialogue around mental health, advocates for student voice and representation, and helps ensure that all students, especially those from underrepresented groups, have access to resources, opportunities, and a sense of belonging,” Perez said.
San Juan Unified is celebrating its 13th annual Spirit of San Juan Awards on Thursday, May 14, at 6 p.m. at El Camino Fundamental High School’s Center for the Arts.
