Summary: Exploring rural innovation, I stopped in Paducah, Kentucky. Drs. Lula Luu and John Crilly, founders of <a href="https://killerinnovations.com/non-obvious-innovation-from-unexpected-places/">FIn Gourmet Foods</a>, joined the mobile studio. Word got around town. Monica Bilak contacted me through <a href="http://theinnovators.network/community">The Innovator’s Community</a>. I’m pleased to welcome Monica and Jimi Gwinn. They share how Sprocket is inspiring student innovation in Paducah.<br> <a href="https://sprocketpaducah.com/">Sprocket</a> is a makerspace for students and the local community to learn and create with access to technology. Three years ago, the idea emerged. Today, Monica is the Development Director with a background in education and design. Jimi Gwinn, the Director, brings engineering, woodworking and metal artistry skills to the table. A boiler room and coal closet transforms into an 840 square foot space to design, build, innovate.<br> The Creative Drivers<br> What brought Monica from East Africa to Paducah 17 years ago was a spirit of creativity. For a dollar, she bought a house under the Artist Relocation program. In her words, Paducah was “a little town that had something going.” She opened a fair trade and coffee shop and worked in downtown development. Eventually she returned to her roots in education.<br> Life brought new challenges for Jimi Gwinn when he was in a car accident. One <a href="https://killerinnovations.com/accessible-innovation/">challenge</a> was the awkward fit of his legs and <a href="https://killerinnovations.com/accessible-innovation/">wheelchair</a> at the desks in college. He designed his own desk. Starting with basic materials, he finished with a mahogany, teak and burled cherry desk. He found his passion for woodworking.<br> Another life changing moment came with <a href="https://killerinnovations.com/creative-high-school-student-science-fair-project-launched-a-company/">spinal fusion</a>. The relief from constant pain freed his mind to think in new directions. He began designing a wheelchair controlled by body lean. A retired engineer pointed him towards University of Kentucky. Jimi jumped into the engineering program. His experience and training made him a prime candidate for inspiring student innovation. Monica recruited him to lead Sprocket.<br> The Perfect Storm<br> Monica was working with homeless <a href="https://killerinnovations.com/save-kids-left-in-the-car/">6th graders</a> in an afterschool program. She introduced technologies and programming. Highly motivated, the kids loved learning in this <a href="http://philmckinney.com/innovation-classroom-education-needs-innovative/">non-traditional environment</a>. Inspiring student innovation this way was one element of a perfect storm.<br> Local business, <a href="https://www.csiweb.com/">Computer Services Incorporated</a>, reached out to educators. They valued their local employees and wanted to continue hiring locally. The problem – how to find the local talent. The next generation of skilled employees needed to build those skills now. The community went to work.<br> Monica took time off from her design degree pursuit. She focused on students’ needs.<br> They needed to develop highly valuable skills, build social networks and connect to local business and industry. The idea of a makerspace struck a chord. Sprocket launched with grants from the Kentucky Workforce and Education Cabinet, fundraising, and donations from companies like Toyota.<br> Lessons to Share<br> What Monica and Jimi learned along the way…<br> <br> Start – even if it’s small and imperfect.<br> Keep going – don’t let <a href="http://philmckinney.com/is-fear-of-failure-killing-your-creativity-and-hindering-your-success/#more-11899">failure</a> be the end game.<br> Cast the vision wide -take time to <a href="https://killerinnovations.com/no-entrepreneur-is-an-island-mentoring-networking-sharing-s13-ep52/#..."></a>
