South Bay High School Junior Makes Headlines as Collegiate Editor-in-Chief

She’s in charge of a national award-winning magazine. Her articles won several regional, state, and national awards. She’s been recognized for her service to the community.

Yet, Nikki Luna is only 16. She’s a junior at Bonita Vista High School and dual-enrolled in journalism classes at Southwestern College right across the street in Chula Vista, CA.

Luna credits her parents for her early success.

“They just made me think I could do anything,” she smiled while sitting in her office in the Southwestern College Sun newsroom on the college campus.

Yes. She has an office.

Luna is currently the Editor-in-Chief of the school’s magazine, El Sol. She’s the Associate Editor-in-Chief of the Sun. She was also Editor-in-Chief of El Sol last year when she was only 15 and the magazine won the 2022 Associated Collegiate Press National Magazine Pacemaker Award.

Longtime SWC professor of journalism Max Branscomb says that’s the equivalent of a collegiate Pulitzer Prize.

“I think Nikki thinks she’s a typical teenager, but I know otherwise,” smiled Prof. Branscomb.

He’s had national award-winning journalists come through his newsroom during his tenure. However, they’ve never been high schoolers.

“This would be the first-ever in my career and I’ve been here 27 years,” said Branscomb.

Luna said she got the journalism bug while taking a class with Branscomb after her high school freshman year. She said she has more than 20 awards since.

“I think that Nikki actually published one of our greatest ever magazines,” added Branscomb.

Luna still loves being a student at Bonita Vista High. She said she loves her principal and the school’s traditions, like the “Dog Pound.”

However, she does dwell on her collegiate future after she graduates from BVHS in 2024. She hopes Columbia or New York University wants to take her to the next level with her writing.

“People are going to tell you you can’t do something, but you can,” concluded Luna.