Legacy Program
Douglas County School District's Legacy Campus is a program that allows high school students to take trade classes while still taking regular classes at their home high schools. I went to Douglas County High School, and every other day I would take two classes at DC, then take the bus to Legacy and spend the rest of my day learning how to fly. They also have programs for nursing, culinary, and robotics, to name a few. However, their aviation program is the best, if I do say so myself. They hire experts in the field of aviation to become teachers. My last instructor flew C-130s for the Air Force before coming to teach!
I received all the ground school required to take the Private written test in the first semester, and the second focused on the flight portion. They have about 14 simulators that allow the students to get the feel of flying, which was eye-opening for me because while I had been in the air, pattern work was brand new. I understood what it felt like to be behind the plane, which allowed me to become proficient at pulling ahead. I was able to start seeing when to turn onto base, or final, and what exactly a stable approach looks like before ever getting off the ground! I believe this was the best learning process for me (and it probably saved me a lot of money).
Legacy's program prepared me for what was to come and what was expected of me. I got the full picture of what aviation would be like — timing, expectations, and both theoretical and practical knowledge. This head start was invaluable, and I suggest something like it to everyone who is starting flight training at a young age.