Passion for aviation, where to start? A high school student

[AviationBoy]

Hello everyone,

I'm a high school 10th grader from Thailand studying at a rigorous private boarding school in the US. I have a passion for aviation and aeroplanes, and my dream is to be an aerospace engineer. The problem is though, I do not know where to start.

Seeing my friends at school following their passions, whether it being computer engineering, game development, investment, etc. They all seem to have a place to start gaining experience in whatever they are interested in, IE a friend of mine who enjoys coding found a XSS loophole in Microsoft website and was listed on the hall of fame...

With the examples of my friend, I feel kind of left out. I really do not know where to start building my experience in this field. All I could do is to read and study planes specifications (which I actually do enjoy), which I figured it does not really help me that much. While I enjoy mathematics and physics (taking AP Calculus), I still feel like I could do better in trying to find something that will help me in this career path later on.

So the question is: What can I do right now in high school to help myself achieve the dream of being an aerospace engineer?

Thank you guys!

 

[Aero51]

One thing that will probably help you is some hands on experience. I remember something in my high school called "Science Olympiad" that had some competition involving a glider. I also remember it being kinda lame... Why not take a look at a local community college? See if they have a club called "Design Build and Fly" - I assure you that you will be immersed in aviation quickly!One more thing:
If I had the confidence and encouragement to match my passion and ambition back when I was in high school, I would have gotten a great deal more out of college. Not to say that it wasn't fulfilling, it very much was. Take chances and see what happens.