The contest created a lot of non-value added time in many classrooms as reams of copy paper and thousands of boxes of computer punch cards were submitted.

The primary prize for winning was a school dance sponsored by KILT featuring a regional band named Southwest F.O.B.

The Blue Raider football team made its first playoff appearance during the 1970 season when it emerged as district champion.

The Raiders then defeated Robert E. Lee in bid-district play but were then victims to the Sam Houston High juggernaut in the area round of the playoffs.

[citation needed] Sterling's Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (NJROTC) Detachment was first established on-campus in May 1970.

Graduating NJROTC Cadets incur no military service obligation, however many have chosen to serve in every branch of the United States Armed Forces.

At Sterling and Barbara Jordan High School for Careers, the percentages of Fs remained the same.

[10] Houston Airport System established an aviation club at Sterling and Carnegie Vanguard High School in the fall of 2012.

Mitchell stated that there were 61-66 students combined who transferred to Sterling to attend the aviation program or the Futures Academy.

[5] Downing wrote that "Whoever erected it, there's a rather sizable wall of distrust between HISD and the Sterling community.

[19] As of 2013, according to Mitchell, about 40% of Sterling graduates will go directly to the workforce and the remainder would go to the military and/or to universities and colleges.

[16] The racial demographics consisted of: Sterling is the home of HISD's high school aviation magnet program; students must take Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved-based courses before being eligible to take up to 30 hours of flight time.

[9] Mitchell stated that the student body enjoys Homecoming since "It's like Mardi Gras for a week long.