I took my first firearms class at age 13. It was an NRA Firearms familiarization class at a local tech center. First day was classroom stuff, second day was all at the range.

They often encourage young folks to do that sort of thing (or they used to 100 years ago when I was a kid)

Is there an ROTC in your high skewl? Yes usually a lot of BS, but get on the rifle team and you'll get some decent BRM type training.

My son is 16 and has trained with me with weapons regularly for about 4 years now and attended his first couple of professional training classes with me last fall. I always remind him that he's young and when he's around adults working with firearms that he needs to remember that until they have trained with him a bit, they will all usually think he's going to cause a safety issue. Sucks but it's true, you get no credit when you are young until you have put in the work and effort enough. It's nothing to cry about, just something to recognize.

He got a lot of props at the classes he did with me as well as friends we regularly train with. I told him don't let that go to your head. Always humble, always have a teachable spirit no matter your age or experience level.