Sweet 16? Whatever. Turning 96 is when the real party starts.

Jean Nell celebrated her 96th birthday Friday — alongside more than 200 Santa Barbara City College students at Beach City student housing. Nell is one of three nonstudents who lives at Beach City. She’s lived there for 26 years — on the second floor, with an ocean view.

St. George and Associates threw the party for her, which was catered by Dave’s Dogs Grill. 

Nell is engrained in the fabric of Beach City. She hangs out at the pool, mingles with the students on the grounds, and occasionally bakes. Many of the students help her with laundry and go grocery shopping. 

“It’s wonderful,” Nell said of her living situation. “It keeps you young.

“They were all older people living here when I first came.”

When Ed St. George purchased the building, she thought she would have to leave, but he asked her to stay. He even offered Nell a first-story room, but she declined.

“I see the cruise ships when they come in,” Nell said. “I would never leave my apartment. I love it.”

She grew up in Chicago but traveled to Santa Barbara with her husband during Christmas time. She fell in love with Santa Barbara, so they decided to stay. 

Nell said she uses Easy Lift Transportation to get around town. She volunteers at Cottage Health System and the Ensemble Theatre Co. At 96, she is sharp and active, which she attributes to a healthy lifestyle.

“I’ve never smoked, I’ve never drank,” Nell said. “I’ve had wine at a party and stuff like that, but I don’t drink everyday.”

She said she came from a German household and “always had a balanced meal.”

“I ate properly,” she said. “That has really helped me. You have to start eating correctly when you are young.”

Rep. Salud Carbajal, D-Santa Barbara, gave Nell a proclamation and a blanket from Washington, D.C.

“Jean is someone who is living a very good life,” Carbajal said. “At 96 years, she continues to volunteer at Cottage Hospital. She continues to be a great role model and I think a great addition to this complex by being around so many young people and having a positive impact on their lives daily. I think she’s just an amazing lady.”

Many of the students know Nell and help her with her tasks.

“I was doing laundry one day, and she looked like she needed help pulling her laundry out of the washer,” Beach City resident Jordan Armstrong said. “She’s kind of famous around here. She always has this great smile on her face. She always has a great attitude.”

Armstrong said that knowing Nell brings him some perspective on life.

“We’re all stressed about college and school, we’re young, just doing what 19- and 20-year-olds do, and just to see her, she’s had so many great experiences,” Armstrong said. 

Beach City resident Aminata Daffeh said she recently saw Nell at the pool eating tacos.

“She’s really friendly and always really wonderful to us,” Daffeh said. 

St. George said Nell is a great “grandma” for Beach City.

“She loves the kids and they love her,” St. George said. “She’s good for them; clearly, they keep her young.”

For Nell, she said she’s looking forward to celebrating many more Valentine’s Day birthdays.

“I’ve outlived everybody,” she said. “My doctor said to me, ‘You’ve probably outlived your whole family.’ I said, ‘I have.’ Not many people even reach 90.”

— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.