I have wanted to fly since I could crawl. The flight down the stairs before my second birthday resulting in several stitches and more than several watery tears may have been the first indicator. Growing up with two aviating parents (one fighter pilot and one private pilot) meant that I spent most of my childhood looking towards the sky. Before I was even a teen I used to tell my friends I was going to solo at 16 years old. I was going to be a pilot.There are several aviation programs I intend to stay active with upon earning my flight certificate. The first, of course is the Young Eagles program. I aim to help the Young Eagles program gain ground in Northeast Florida schools and have a hand in putting more young people into airplanes. My opinion is that the love of aviation all begins with one flight and programs like the Young Eagles are the way to accomplish this. Another program I hope to bring to St. Augustine, FL is Challenge Air. Challenge Air puts children with disabilities in the cockpit at the controls. This is life-changing for the children and builds confidence and self-esteem. Other organizations I plan to offer my services to are Pilots & Paws and Angel Flight. These programs provide a way for pilots to give back to their community, allowing us to utilize our skills and knowledge to save the lives of animals or make a trip a little easier for those in need. I began flight training at KSGJ in May 2014 and to this point it has been an absolute thrill.The emotional support from my wife, Kristen Stillings, was paramount in the decision to begin flight training now instead of later and finding the similarities between aviation and teaching has become a significant motivator. Perhaps the greatest joy is knowing that my future children will have the opportunity to fly, much like I did in my youth. Every pilot has a good story to tell and the first few chapters of my story are just a glimpse of where my passion began. Aviation has always been an integral part of my life. My late father, Clayton Edward Stillings, began his Marine Corps career as a navigator on the C-130 in the Vietnam War. After his first tour he began flight training and quickly became an F-4 Phantom pilot based at Kaneohe Bay, HI. Motivated by his desire to spread the thrill of aviation he opened a flight school in Honolulu. My devotion to aviation is untouchable!