In this episode of the Legend Makers Podcast, Scott Buell speaks with Jason Allen, Executive Director of the Franklin Center for Innovation in Frankfort, Kentucky, about education, community, and what happens when students are trusted with real responsibility.

Jason’s path into nonprofit and education work is unconventional. His background spans military service as a psychiatric specialist, manufacturing and process optimization, and community based innovation. Across every chapter of his career, one theme remains constant: helping people simplify complexity and recognize their own capability.

While drones are a visible tool in Jason’s work, this conversation makes it clear that technology is not the end goal. Instead, drones serve as a gateway to confidence, curiosity, and early experiences of success that reshape how students see themselves.

Key themes from the episode include:

• Why early experiences of success matter more than credentials or outcomes
• How hands on learning builds confidence across diverse student populations
• The importance of trusting young people earlier than traditional systems allow
• Valuing skilled trades and alternative pathways alongside college routes
• Community based education as a source of belonging and opportunity

Jason also shares a remarkable experience teaching drone education in a remote village on the Bering Sea in Alaska. Working with students as young as six years old, he witnessed how quickly hesitation turns into excitement when learners are given the chance to try something new. That experience directly shaped how he now approaches structure, trust, and responsibility in his programs back home.

Throughout the episode, Jason challenges conventional ideas about success and education. He shares stories of students who discovered confidence through hands on programs and went on to build meaningful futures in unexpected ways.

At its core, this conversation is about belief. It is about creating environments where students feel safe to explore, fail, succeed, and grow. This episode will resonate with educators, nonprofit leaders, parents, and anyone committed to helping young people realize what they are capable of becoming.