The Sterling Stars were established the first year Sterling High School opened in 1966 by Claire Bays. It consisted of 4 corps: Trumpets, Drums, Precision Company A and Precision Company B (Co A and Co B were dancers). There were approximately 150 members made up of sophomores, juniors and seniors. Along with this group there were Star Reserves. This was a training group that was comprised of approximately 75 freshmen. Members of this group tried out for Stars at the end of the school year. The Stars performed independently and provided their own music for their half time show. They performed intricate marching maneuvers and featured a different drill and dance routine each week during football season. Every show had a different theme, and the uniform was “tweaked” to represent the theme. Some memorable themes were surfin’ safari, Indians, clowns, hobos, country, and patriotic. Also during this time – the members had a Star class during the fall semester and took physical education classes during the spring semester. It wasn’t until the late 70’s that Star classes were scheduled for the entire school year. In 1976 the flag corps was added to the organization and within the next year or two a rifle corps was also created.
It wasn’t until the late 70’s that Star classes were scheduled for the entire school year. In 1976 the flag corps was added to the organization and within the next year or two a rifle corps was also created. During the 60’s and 70’s the Stars performed numerous times at Houston Oiler games. They began traveling in the late 1970’s with trips to the Miss Drill Team USA Competition in Anaheim, California, and to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they marched in several Mardi Gras parades.
In 1981 Claire Bays left the Stars as director to take over the Marketing classes at Sterling and Therese Norton Ruff, a former Star officer, stepped in as the new director. Under her direction, the Stars began competing in dance/drill team competitions during the spring semester. The Star Chicken Spaghetti Dinner, associated with the Sterling Bazaar, also got its start in the fall of 1981. The decision was made in 1988 to have the Stars and the Sterling Band combine during football season to compete in UIL Marching Band Competitions. The Stars retired the drums and trumpets and now consisted of approximately a 30 member flag corps, a 12 member rifle corps and a 60 member precision dance line (Company A and Company B).
As the Sterling Silver Spectacular, they won numerous Sweepstakes awards and qualified and competed at the UIL State Marching Band Competition in 1992 and 1994. In the early 1990’s, along with participating in dance team contests, the Stars also competed in the Texas Winter Guard Circuit, using their flag, rifle and dance expertise to create shows that highlighted all of their combined skills. During her years as director, the Stage Show finale was choreographed to “One”, from A Chorus Line. Mrs. Debbie Lochridge served as the Star’s assistant director for most of the 17 years that Mrs. Ruff was the director. Other memorable assistant directors and choreographers during those years, which helped shape the organization, were Ms. Martha Marti, Mrs. Dana Lamb, Mr. Jim Currin and Mr. John Roberts.
During the 1980’s and 1990’s the Stars traveled to many memorable places such as New Orleans, Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Dallas. But the big highlights would have to be the trip to Disneyworld where they marched in the parade at the Magic Kingdom, the trip to New York where the Stars did a grand tour of the Big Apple and performed at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, and a historical trip to Washington, D.C. where they had the opportunity to visit our nation’s capital and perform in the snow at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.
In 1999 Therese Norton Ruff left the Stars as director to start back up the Peer Assistance and Leadership (PAL) program and take over the Marketing classes. Lianna Ponder, a former Star officer, took over as director. At this time, the flags and rifles were phased out and Company C was created as a third dance company.
In 2001 Jeannine Watson, from LaPorte, became director and continued the excellence in UIL band competitions and spring dance competitions. She changed the officer strut entrance to the Entertainment Tonight theme song, put movement to the Victory Line school song and established the kick finale “U” as the end of the Stage Show. Mrs. Watson took the team on multiple small trips and one big trip to California.
In 2004 Kelley Black Start, a former Star Colonel, moved from Mrs. Watson’s assistant into the director position. As the director, Mrs. Start returned the strut to the drum cadence and continued the traditions set by those that came before her. Mrs. Start stressed “life lessons” including table etiquette and thank you card writing (lessons learned from her director – Mrs. Ruff). She established “Baby, I’m a Star” as the finale song for Stage Show and Betty Sue Star as “model” example. Mrs. Start took the Stars to Los Angeles where they took a private lesson with SYTYCD Neil Haskell, saw the red carpet with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, and performed at Disneyland. They also traveled to New York City where they saw Broadway shows, met the Rockettes and took lessons at the Broadway Dance Center.
In 2013 Kelley Black Start left the Stars as director to take over the PAL and Marketing program. Jamie Lumpkin Minyard, a former Star Colonel as well, took over as director until 2017. Under the direction of Mrs. Minyard, the JV Sapphires team, a modern day version of Reserves, was established in 2015. The Stars also began to perform on their own during halftime, no longer a part of the Sterling Silver Spectacular, as the band created the RSS Colorguard Program. The Stars also had the honor to travel to Chicago & perform in the McDonald's Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2015.
In 2016, they celebrated the 50th anniversary of Ross S. Sterling HS & the Sterling Stars Organization with many events, performances, and receptions throughout the year including alumni performances at the Lee Sterling Game, and the Annual Stage Show, as well as reception during the Sterling Star Bazaar.
In 2017, the Stars welcomed back home their former assistant director from 2006-2008 and GCCISD graduate Lori Cisco Alexander as head director. Having spent the past 9 years as the head director of the National Award Winning J. Frank Dobie Lariaettes, Mrs. Alexander is ecstatic to be back home directing the team where her career in drill team and education began. She is excited to continue to build a legacy that the school, district, community, and alumni can be proud of. Not only does stress excellence on the dance floor, but in the classroom and beyond, teaching the girls not only dance technique & performance skills, but more importantly the life lessons and leadership skills needed to be successful young members of society. She has high expectations for her students as leaders of the campus, creating a caring family atmosphere while still running a rigorous, disciplined, and structured program. Mrs. Alexander looks forward to pushing the team to new heights, while continuing to carry on the rich traditions established before her.