Juanita Almaraz

Juanita Almaraz is one of the five main characters of Night Riders Academy and the wielder of the power of Fire. Her fire powers were given to her by Hephaestus, the Greek god of fire. She possesses the ability to manipulate or create fire and all sub-powers related to it.

Background
Juanita is of Spanish descent. Her mother died when she was 3 years old and she resided in Madrid, Spain with her father and older sister for the next seven years until she turned ten, when she moved to the States. She met her friends (and the rest of the main cast) after moving to New York. Five years later, she and her friends discovered a cracked and old pedestal at the center of a forest, originally built by the five gods and goddesses of nature. She was picked to wield the element of Fire, by Hephaestus, god of flames. Later she became a student at the NRA to learn about using and controlling her abilities.

Personality and traits
Juanita is a mischievous, good humoured and rather talkative 15 year old, but slightly less bossy than she was at age ten. She sometimes acts from anger without thinking and can be very impetuous. She is however kindhearted and thoughtful beyond her mischievous nature, and she usually remains positive and well-meaning in times of crisis, especially if she is responsible. Juanita has a very strong character mentally and physically.

She is sometimes known to get exasperated easily, but good-naturedly, most often with Sunetsugu when he is too wrapped up in some mechanical project of his.

Singing skills
Juanita is known for her high and powerful singing voice, though she does not take pride in this and prefers to keep it a secret. She always becomes shy when someone asks her to sing for them, even if it's one of her best friends. She is sometimes heard humming or murmuring a song to herself when she is alone.

Leadership skills
Juanita is often the leading member of her group of friends, when Sweetie Belle is not around. She and Sweetie often argue about things when they both try to rule the roost, though Juanita is not really bossy and does what she thinks is best for everyone. Sweetie however sometimes gets carried away and does what she thinks is best for herself. Juanita is also very fair-minded and thoughtful.

Abilities
Juanita possesses the power of Fire Manipulation, given to her by Hephaestus, the Greek god of flames. She is able to project and create fire or flames using her hands, and can create any type of flame (blue, green, acidic etc.). Juanita is also immune to any kinds of burns or injuries caused from fire, no matter what the source.

Juanita is currently learning to master her skills at the Night Riders Academy.

Relationships
Juanita is close friends with Sunetsugu, Kazu, Sweetie Belle, and Hansel. She seems to look up to Professor Lockwood.

Physical appearance
Juanita is very tall for her age and is muscularly built particularly around the shoulders. She has long curly jet-black hair which she usually lets loose, and is most of the time seen wearing a blue headband, replacing the blue bow she wore at the age of ten. She also has large and innocent looking wide blue eyes and long thin slanting eyebrows, giving her a sweet but deceptive expression.

Juanita is usually wearing a white top and blue skirt with blue boots. She is the only character who is seen wearing more or less the same clothes she wore at the age of ten, with only some slight changes to the boots.

Trivia

 * The Spanish name "Juanita" is usually pronounced "Huanita" with an H sound, since the Spanish J makes the H sound. In Juanita's case however, the J does not make the H sound and is simply pronounced "J", though whether this was intentional or a mistake in the creators' part is unknown.
 * In the third sneak peek of the show, Juanita is heard humming "Black or White" by Michael Jackson.