Savanna was the second of three new high schools opened in response to the city's rapid postwar growth, between Magnolia and Loara, all built by the Beckner Construction Company.

"[5] In 1964, a freelance artist named T. Howard Ball built a fiberglass statue[4] representing the mascot "Johnny Rebel," a Confederate soldier appearing to charge at its enemy with a rifle.

A majority of students voted to retain the nickname "Rebels" but to rebrand it to remove Confederate references and imagery.

[7] The school board agreed and voted in November to eliminate the Civil War references, including painting over an image of a Confederate soldier in the school gym and another mural which included a Confederate battle flag.

[9] Much of the cast and crew from Spongebob attended the unveiling, including Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and Clancy Brown.