Excelsior High School, originally named "Excelsior Union High School" was founded in 1903. Its last graduating class was 1981. The current campus was built in 1924. The campus sustained earthquake damage in 1933 and again in the early 1960s.

For much of its later history, the student body was known as "The Pilots" and the school mascot was the cartoon character Snoopy

Snoopy

Snoopy is an fictional character in the long-running comic strip Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz. He is Charlie Brown's pet beagle. Snoopy began his life in the strip as a fairly conventional dog, but eventually evolved into perhaps the strip's most dynamic character—and among the most recognizable...

. The school colors were green and white.

The school and campus still exist at the corner of Alondra Blvd and Pioneer Blvd. in the city of Norwalk, California

Norwalk, California

Norwalk is a suburban city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The population was 105,549 at the 2010 census, up from 103,298 at the 2000 census, making it the 58th most populous city in California and the 255th nationally....

. It is now the home to the Norwalk Adult School. Since its closure, the campus was the location for the filming of Grease 2

Grease 2

Grease 2 is a 1982 American musical film and sequel to Grease, which is based upon the musical of the same name by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. Grease 2 was produced by Allan Carr and Robert Stigwood, and directed and choreographed by Patricia Birch, who also choreographed the first film...

 and High School U.S.A.

High School U.S.A.

"High School U.S.A." is also the title of the biggest pop hit by Tommy Facenda.High School U.S.A. is a 1983 television movie directed by Rodney Amateau. The film originally aired on NBC on October 16, 1983 and features an ensemble cast including Michael J. Fox, Anthony Edwards, and Crispin...

. and the 1982 TV series Square Pegs

Square Pegs

Square Pegs is an American comedy series that aired on CBS during the 1982–1983 season. The series follows Patty Greene and Lauren Hutchinson , two awkward teenage girls desperate to fit in at Weemawee High School....

.

This school is on the List of closed secondary schools in California.

Excelsior Adult School is also the home field for Excelsior's former arch rival, the Norwalk High School Lancer Football team.

Notable alumni include: Former First Lady of the United States Pat Nixon

Pat Nixon

Thelma Catherine "Pat" Ryan Nixon was the wife of Richard Nixon, 37th President of the United States, and was First Lady of the United States from 1969 to 1974. She was commonly known as Patricia or Pat Nixon.Born in Nevada, Pat Ryan grew up in Los Angeles, California...

, political pundit James Gattuso

James Gattuso

James Gattuso is a senior research fellow for the Roe Institute for Economic Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank based in Washington D.C. He specializes in regulatory issues and telecommunications policy...

 and actor William Conrad

William Conrad

William Conrad was an American actor, producer and director whose career spanned five decades in radio, film and television....

. There is an active alumni web site and a Facebook group.