Mustang High School student Antonin Stoddard was just 4 years old the first time he remembers sitting in an airplane cockpit.

Now a junior, Stoddard is preparing for his check ride, a major stepping point toward becoming a licensed private pilot. That experience all those years ago triggered his desire to become a pilot, but the aviation program at his high school has helped him reach this important step.

"It opens your eyes to all the opportunities there are, in Oklahoma especially. It gives you scholarship opportunities. And it kind of opens your eyes on how detailed aviation is with mathematics and science," Stoddard said recently while at the controls of a classroom-based flight simulator.

Mustang High School has been a pioneer in aviation curriculum, launching its own program four years ago. Starting with this school year, it will be one of 57 schools in Oklahoma using free curriculum developed by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

The association says that Oklahoma has more schools participating in its STEM-based lessons than any other state in the country.

Read the full story on NewsOK.com.